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Do you enjoy looking at elegantly presented material, perhaps on a website or a brochure - then training for a career in graphic design could be for you. Typically a student of graphic design will have taken art at school, and enjoys drawing. Yet it's quite possible to become a talented design student without much prior training - much of today's graphic design work is done sitting at the computer, not the drawing board!
A professional graphic designer might be employed by a specialist graphic design company or in the design department of a large corporation. Alternatively they might set up their own business and take on clients themselves. There are graduate qualifications and commercial certifications. Either can be appropriate but in reality it's usually the commercial design colleges that give students the edge in industry. Alternatively there are many short portfolio courses that can arm you with diverse and interesting presentation material prior to applying for a degree course at university.
With so many training options available for graphic design students, there's a learning curve to go through in order to pick the one that's right for you. Check each college out thoroughly, as the quality of course material and teaching does not all conform to the same standard. There are various training providers at the side of this page - be sure to look at several -your choice will impact the rest of your life so it's worth the effort. You can type in Ctrl D on your keyboard to bookmark this page of our website, then revisiting us will be quick and easy. Once you're familiar with a good number of the colleges out there, you'll be able to make your choice.
A college's website will tell you a lot about the standard of work they're teaching. If the homepage doesn't grab you, then their training probably won't either! Do you want a course that you can do on your computer at home, or are you looking for training in a classroom with other people? What format does tutor support and assessment take? Does the fee quoted cover all aspects of the training? Seek out student statements - do they suggest value for money and satisfaction with the training?
Your design portfolio will be the biggest statement of the measure of your work. It's the first thing an employer will ask to see if you get called up for interview. Every college's coursework should focus heavily on building your own fabulous 'commercially viable' designs, so look on each website for a gallery of display work done by current trainees.
You'll need to have a decent level of computer literacy for graphic design work, as the use of software is coming more and more into play. Naturally an ability to do print-based design is still important, but fundamentally training will be focused on using Adobe software, such as Photoshop and InDesign. It's thought by many that Macs are better for design work than PC's, but as a student you will be able to use whichever you choose, as software versions are available for both.
To become a graphic designer, you must have good interpersonal skills and the ability to sell your ideas to clients.
Graphic design work includes any form of visual communication - even if it's the label on a humble can of baked beans! The role of graphic design is to put together print, colour, lines and images to inspire and motivate the onlooker to bond with the product it represents.
There are various tools available to the budding designer - for example contrast, shape and texture - that will set their work apart. Those who learn how best to utilise all these fundamentals can create strikingly different images and perspectives that can have a remarkable effect on a company's bottom line. Customers need to be courted and informed, tempted and delighted. The first thing they see are the graphics - that's why they're so important!
The best training will creatively inspire you and practically prepare you for industry. The right course will have the best content and relevancy for the needs of industry today.