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[ starting out in graphic design - page 2 ]
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home > the drawing board > starting out in graphic design
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starting out in graphic design, page 2
becoming a graphic designer: information, questions and answers PLEASE NOTE: You may only use this information for your reference or as part of your graphic design class assignment. Do not distribute, publish, or sell this information, in whole or in part, for any other purpose. Q&A continued  What is the graphic design salary range in your area?I have seen classified ads that were offering graphic designers as little as $10 per hour! A recent graduate that I know was offered an entry-level position at $15 per hour. I paid my assistant $15 per hour to start. An experienced designer can begin from $25 per hour, to a much more generous pay for a highly experienced person. Take note that these are graphic design salary rates that you might receive as an employee. They are not the same as ones you would charge as an independent contractor; your rates need to be higher because of operating expenses, etc. A good pricing guide is "Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines" which covers pricing information based on industry surveys, professional ethics, legal issues, negotiation tips, and sample contracts. I personally found the prices listed in this book are inflated for the types of clients we service, but it's nevertheless a guide in the right direction. See our "legal forms and guides" webpage for information about ordering this handbook. For the Bureau of Labor's statistics on graphic design salaries, see our "graphic design salary" webpage. What education and training did you have? I began by assisting other designers and learning on the job. I studied design through UC-Berkeley and take continuing education courses at local community colleges. I was lucky that I had good mentors and am a quick study, because I didn't have enough design and business experience for someone who was trying to operate their own company. But I did have a lot of production experience. I also had the same skills (listed in my response to the second question on page 1) that I was looking for in an assistant, except that when I started out, desktop computers weren't used for graphics work, so I didn't know the computer programs that I use now. Also, although graphic design and fine art are two completely different fields, I know that my fine art background helped me considerably with the concepts of composition, perspective, use of color, white space, etc.  What graphics software do you use?The software that we use on a daily basis are Quark XPress for page layout, and Adobe PhotoShop and Adobe Illustrator for graphics. We have been transitioning client files from Quark XPress to Adobe InDesign. Although Quark XPress was the best layout program for years, it has been replaced by InDesign as the new standard. These are widely used in the industry, are available for both Mac and PC, and files created with them are accepted by all service bureaus. InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat come bundled in Adobe Creative Suite. What are the pros and cons of new and old technology as it pertains to graphic design? With the widespread use of desktop computers for graphic design in the 1980s, designers no longer had to perform design tasks manually. Computer graphic design also allowed them to take more control over tasks that before needed to be done by others. They were able to accomplish tasks in hours/days instead of days/weeks and with added precision. The 1990s brought a lot of time-saving conveniences and better tools. The common practice of communicating and receiving text files via email meant less meeting time with clients and less typing. Designers were able to download stock photos instantly. USB plug-and-play made computer use much friendlier. More powerful computers and software improved design capabilities. Costly mistakes were avoided with the use of utilities such as pre-flight software. And there were more typeface selections than you could ever use, although some people go overboard by trying to use as many as they can. The down side of all this great technology is that an untrained person has more control over the process. Clients might provide designers with inferior photographs and images, unedited text, and self-produced graphs/charts. But more often than not, they should have used the services of professional photographers, editors/copywriters, and artists. Clients may set unrealistic deadlines, because they believe the computer work is the main function, not understanding that much of the work is conceptualizing, brainstorming, researching, etc. Many people don't even seek the help of a professional designer, thinking that the software does most of the job. Designers can spend too much time on tasks because they get wrapped up in the technology. They might "over-create" a design that ends up being too difficult to print, or at least makes the pressmen's job a nightmare. Because designers can generate concepts faster, they might provide more than are necessary, instead of refining a few key concepts. Both clients and designers can rely too much on the technology -- performing spell-check in lieu of proofreading, expecting that what they see on the computer screen or inkjet proof is exactly how the final printed piece will look, etc. For more information see our "computer graphic design" webpage. What tasks do you perform on a typical work day? Robins Design is a three-person studio. In a larger design company, the following tasks would of course be handled by more than one person: - project reviews - prepare schedule for the day - update log of completed project tasks - schedule pick ups and deliveries to and from clients, subcontractors, service bureaus, or printers - prepare invoices for completed projects - return calls and email that came in the previous day after close of business - respond to numerous calls and email throughout the day - work on project tasks as scheduled - client meetings - supplier/subcontractor meetings - computer system back up My assistant helps me with developing thumbnail sketches/comps/rough layouts, creating illustrations, tracking our progress on client work, keeping clients informed of the status of their projects, typesetting, proofreading, various other production tasks, telephone calls, pick ups, and deliveries. She also oversees some of our accounts. My business development manager takes care of marketing and client relations: following up on leads and inquiries, staying in contact with clients who we're not currently working with, making sure we have resources to complete projects, generating leads, critiquing our presentation technique, and looking for ways to increase our visibility and to develop our image. He also oversees order processing for logo merchandise and business gifts. |
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| starting out in graphic design | page 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 | ||||
 download a fee PDF file of a shortened version of this graphic design Q&A |
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 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please see our FAQ page for answers to general questions asked by our clients and website visitors. Our Graphic Design News and Tips page includes helpful graphic design project tips. Our Graphic Design or Illustration sections also contain useful resources. Also, we list many services and products that may be of interest to students in a section we call the Students Center. For a list of books on a career in graphic design, see our Graphic Design Jobs / Graphic Design Career book page. |
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