A Graphic Designer’s Strongest Weapons

Graphic designing is a diverse field and offers a number of job opportunities worldwide. Graphic design is not just a skill but it’s an art in itself. A graphic designer combines text, different visual elements like graphics, illustrations and a lot of brain storming to produce a visual message. Graphic designing skill requirements vary depending on the medium used. A graphic designer needs to look whether he is designing for a website, a hoarding or a TV commercial because every medium has its own requirements. Like other fields graphic designing also has some specialization areas. A designer should possess some skills and qualities in order to perform the job effectively. Let’s take a sneak peek into some of the most useful skills that when used in the right manner become the strongest weapons of a graphic designer!

Creativity

The characteristic which differentiates graphic designing from most of the other fields is creativity. Yes, it is creativity that can tell you if a person claiming to design that poster for you is a designer actually or is just a hoax. Innovation in design and colors is a key element in success of a graphic designer. Creativity in amateurs in this field may not be visible but with the passage of time it starts showing. The level up to which creativity can be harnessed also depends on the learning hunger of an individual.

Critical Sense

One of the strengths of a successful graphic designer is his ability to critically analyze the problem and the solution. He should have the ability to thoroughly analyze the social, economic and geographical aspects of the audience. He should also be fully aware of the client’s demand.

Communication Skills

Today’s job market has a big portion of freelance jobs. In this scenario the possession of good communication skills becomes even more important. Good communication skills will help secure attractive jobs. It is the communication skills that help both the designer and client have clarity of the job requirements.

Use of Software

Graphic designing industry took a new turn with the extensive use of computer. It speeds up the work and creates room for more creative ideas. There is a huge collection of graphic designing software available in the market that help the graphic designer in the whole process. A few popular examples are Adobe Creative Suite that includes Photoshop, Illustrator etc. and other major graphics software like Corel Draw, Freehand, QuarkXpress, and Xara Designer Pro.

Color Combinations

A good graphic designer always knows the right color combinations for the environment which he is working on. If the design is for a logo on the website then it should work with the color combinations used on the web pages. It also has a lot to do with the medium.  Print requires CMYK while RGB is used in electronic graphics, for example, in websites, TV productions etc.

Collection of Books

It is always handy to have a nice collection of books related to the field. Most updated editions and journals give a lot of information related to the current trends in the industry. Graphic designing is usually done in isolation from colleagues or coworkers (especially in freelance work) therefore a small library which helps in updating the skills is pivotal.

Pen & Paper

No matter which field you are in and how much technology advances, the necessity of pen and paper will remain. Sketching the initial idea, taking notes in meetings and jotting down ideas whenever they come to mind, help a lot in implementing a perfect design.

There are some personal qualities which a graphic designer must possess. Professional skills, efficient use of technology and keeping oneself updated with the latest trends is equally important.

Now that you have learned about these weapons, all you need is to get set and take maximum advantage of them!

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