Graphic designing is perhaps one of the most underappreciated careers in the world. The financial rewards may be minimal yet graphic designers are able to influence the world around us in big ways. Graphic designers find ways to appeal to our visual senses and bring out emotions henceforth.
Graphic designing is actually a very demanding profession. Being able to mess around with Photoshop doesn’t make you a graphic designer. Graphic designing isn’t a “common knowledge” profession nor is it simply an equipment profession. The profession takes talent and training to speak the language of graphic designing. Graphic designers think in terms of forms, lines, functions, shapes, negative spaces and so on. Mathematicians have to do calculations in their heads while graphic designers have to conceptualize designs in theirs.
Talent isn’t the only key to be a successful graphic designer. Sometimes, education plays an important role in discovering the graphic designer in you. Learning graphics design should be a never-ending process. However, investing in going to formal graphic design school may really pay dividends.
In graphics design school, the peers are probably as important as the teachers. To get the most out of design school and your creative talent, you need to surround yourself with talented graphic designers. Mediocrity is infectious so try as much not to mingle with mediocre designers. Here’s how to tell them apart:
Mediocre designers are “consistent” in terms of ideas. They usually do a slight variation of the same concept with different assignments. They don’t explore other concepts and stick to using their best concepts and skills only. Mediocre designers are not necessarily students who get low grades, but rather students who get low grades and are content with that. They also aren’t able to handle class presentations. Although graphics design is an art, if you can’t sell it, you are pretty much over.
Meanwhile, talented designers are usually loud, vocal and humorous. Students with these qualities often are the most creative ones who dare to break conventions. Students engrossed in the library are probably talented designers too as they submerge themselves into the world of design. Talented designers also talk a lot about graphic design because passion always reveals itself.
