The creative industry is teeming of opportunities that will allow you to express yourself, explore different types of aesthetics, and be part of communication campaigns that change lives. Advertising, branding, and web design companies are always on the lookout for inspired designers. These professionals do not just have an affair with lines, shapes, and colors. They are also visionaries who see the world differently.
Moreover, designers are needed every day. From books to movies and technical manuals, designers prove that communication is much more effective when text and design elements are in sync. It’s also an exciting job, as no days are the same; every day is a different challenge. However, to become a competent and competitive designer, you need to have the following skills:
Advanced Adobe Suite Skills
By default, graphic designers should learn how to operate Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, and Illustrator. However, your skills should be advanced. That is because you will be doing a lot of photo manipulation, typography, and animation (at times). And you have to work fast and efficiently, knowing that the demands for work are high. If you already have the foundational skills, you can further enhance them by attending specialized classes, training, or coming up with your speculative layouts. Constant practice will always make a difference. While you are at it, you may also develop some skills regarding printing services.
Ideation Skills
Design is not just a random combination of colors, shapes, and lines. There will always be an intent or a rationale behind every design, and that is something that you should be able to justify. That is why many advertising and design agencies require that their designers have ideation skills. Generally, ideation is the first step of the design. You need to come up with a concept or develop a fresh way to communicate a particular message. Ideation also covers the following: research, brainstorming, and creating of comps (comprehensive designs or the draft of the final layout).
HTML Skills
A lot of companies, especially those that specialize in digital marketing, require that their designers have HTML skills. The graphic designers will not develop a webpage from scratch, but they may be tasked to do minor fixes if the developers are not around. That is also a valuable skill, especially if you plan to take on freelance work that both requires web design and web development. If you already have the necessary knowledge, aim to improve it by enrolling at online web development schools.
Drawing Skills
While the world has already gone digital, businesses will still need a designer who knows how to draw manually or digitally. Packaging and design prototypes often start as sketches. Furthermore, disciplines such as UX and UI may require designers to draw.
You Can Develop Them
Being a graphic designer is multi-faceted, meaning that there are a lot of areas of specialization to choose from. And if you want to become a jack of all trades, the good news is that you can study and develop the necessary skills.