Graphic Design is a highly creative and in-demand discipline touching our lives in more ways than one. From multimedia advertisements and marketing collateral to food packaging and product design, website templates and mobile applications, fashion and interior décor, book publishing and e-journals, company logos and branding merchandize and decorative arts/crafts, Graphic Designers work behind the screen to make this diversity possible.

With such extensive applications, many of them playing a vital role, especially in the business world, Graphic Design makes for a great career with excellent prospects for both personal and professional growth. Chasing a career in Graphic Design can be rewarding as well as challenging. Here a few tips to building a promising future in this dynamic discipline.

Foundation: Those with an innate flair for art enjoy higher chances of success in this creative field. Since Graphic Design is fundamentally an artistic medium, acquiring basic drawing skills, or better still, a degree in fine arts makes for a strong foundation and is immensely resourceful.

Focus: In the real world, though Graphic Designers with the basic, common skill sets enjoy demand across print, digital and broadcast media, the work/production parameters may vary from one medium to another. While working in the print media requires knowledge of pre-press, online media requires different expertise w.r.t resolution, etc.  Narrowing down to the chosen vertical can help one achieve specialized skills and improved career prospects.

Tools: A range of creative software including Photoshop, CorelDraw, InDesign, Illustrator and Page Maker are employed by Graphic Designers for design creation, image editing, text placement and file making. Acquiring working knowledge of the design tools and mastering the relevant software assumes immense importance.

Training: The best way to learn design software is to enroll at the best digital media academy where comprehensive training is imparted. Enrolling for a course in graphic design gives one the chance to learn the craft form the industry’s perspective. A degree / graphic design program at a reputed multimedia institute is the gateway to the job world.

Portfolio: Building a portfolio of works assumes great importance in terms of developing and improving a range of vital skills including research, creative conceptualization, eye-for-detail, color and finishing skills. A good portfolio helps showcase the creative and design perfection that characterizes the work of a true professional.

Knowledge: Reading up on latest design trends and observing award-winning graphic design works will help one stay updated on new design trends, be inspired, build a high work standard and benchmark with the best in the field. Subscribing to magazines on art and graphic design is a good way to acquire the knowledge vital to gaining the extra edge and transforming into star talent.