What does a graphic designer do?

[p3]

I get asked this all the time from my family members, friends, and my significant others' friends. They all get irritated when I say I solve problems. But that is basically what I do, along with some creation. I like to compare myself to an engineer. Anyway, I wrote this article on what does a designer/director do. Do you think it's pretty accurate? More to add?

http://wp.me/p3mexJ-9Y

 

[OldPaint]

should be pre 80's instead of pre 60's.....cause the usage of graphic designer didnt come about till the computer.* you are right prior to 80's COMMERCIAL ARTIST, SIGN PAINTER, MURALIST seemed to cover the spectrum and all who was involved were capable of drawing, sketching with a multitude of mediums.
* it was in use prior to computers but was defined totally different. mostly in the advertising, clothing world. then it became used by those who believed they were artists, AND needed a name for moving clipart around on a computer)))))

 

[Pat Whatley]

Nevermind.

 

[GAC05]

I think the Urban Dictionary answered this back in 2005:

A slave to the pixel, print and ideas. Dealing in anything two-dimensional, especially printed materials, anything that has to do with communicating images and text. Also dabbles across other creative industries, the most versatile and underpaid designer of them all.
I'm a graphic designer who can also do fashion, product, architecture, web, marketing, advertising, media planning, project management, event management, animation, illustration and even photography; somebody shoot me!

A: I'm a graphic designer.
B: May the Lord be with you.

A: I'm in the marketing, advertising and artistic industry, but i don't have a credit card, what am i?
B: You're a Graphic Designer!


noun: An under-paid, under-employed, and under-appreciated creative professional known for their keen sense of "what looks right visually". A very opinionated and possibly unemployed person.
My boyfriend said your website sucks. He's a Graphic Designer.

You used 'Helvetica' on your business card? As a Graphic Designer, I must say that your choice is very sterile and cliché. You probably won't get any business.

Someone who digitally designs visual imaging and graphics for web sites. I happen to be one because I basically have no life


Graphic Designers rule compared to the cheap web designers, who have no talent
Im 13, and yet Im an exelent graphic designer








wayne k
guam usa
Not a graphic designer - just a plain old hack

 

[OldPaint]

 

[Gene@mpls]

They send out files to lower class life forms that DO NOT HAVE THE TEXT/STROKES CONVERTED TO OUTLINES

 

[visual800]

All they do is **** me off with their one word files and 400 layers on it and their 25 pms codes on it

 

[AceSignsOnline]

All they do is **** me off with their one word files and 400 layers on it and their 25 pms codes on it

Haha this made me chuckle! Thank you, sir.

 

[Banners Signs Etc.]

They stare at the same 60 dollar job for several hours hand tracing raster files while downloading and trying new fonts, just to have the customer reject it. And when it comes time to produce it does not convert their new fonts to outlines or include embedded images.

The uneasy alliance between designers and producers. Its fun.

 

[peavey123]

A graphic designer creates graphics. ha That's what I say...I then proceed to find something in the room with a graphic on it...then I just point...and walk out of the room like a badass/weirdo.

should be pre 80's instead of pre 60's.....cause the usage of graphic designer didnt come about till the computer.* you are right prior to 80's COMMERCIAL ARTIST, SIGN PAINTER, MURALIST seemed to cover the spectrum and all who was involved were capable of drawing, sketching with a multitude of mediums.
* it was in use prior to computers but was defined totally different. mostly in the advertising, clothing world. then it became used by those who believed they were artists, AND needed a name for moving clipart around on a computer)))))

You obviously have some issues with computers old paint. lol

I know myself and the other designers in my circle, all still sketch out their ideas before moving to the computer. We paint, we are capable of using ALL different mediums. Heck, in the graphic design course I took. We had to learn how to air brush...and this was in early 2000's so we weren't on the computer all the time. I remember in my illustration class having to practice painting straight consistent lines every-freaking-day....or our weekly quiz where we'd be given some colours and we'd have to match them within a certain time.

I'm not saying designing a layout is art, but there are times when a graphic designer can be an artist and are capable of creating something original of quality, even if we didn't start before the devious, mysterious 'puter box came along.

Even though at my shop, I may never get to try my hand at hand painting a sign, or an old ford truck. I stay happy knowing that I can help my customers be more successful by creating a solid brand identity. You know...by strictly moving clip art around on the screen and clicking the print button.

 

[Marlene]

COMMERCIAL ARTIST, SIGN PAINTER, MURALIST

no, not one and the same. having the ability to transfer info to wall or sign using paint does not mean any talent to know a good composition and can't be assumed. I have seen some really nice hand painted things where the letters look great, the graphic looks great but the layout sucks.

no on to the question, what does a graphic artist do in our world, not the print world or ad world.


problem solve is a good one as the problem is how to convey a message to the public about what a busienss does and who it does it for. it is 99% marketing, 1% sign maker. it is knowing what will appeal to the market the business is going after. walk thru any mall in any city and look at the store front signs. no one is suprised with the type of clothes found in a Pac Sun for example. they very clearly state with the font & colors the type of clothes they sell and who they sell them too. same goes for any of the other stores. that is what we do

 

[Pat Whatley]

A very, very wise man once told me that most people who call themselves Graphic Designers aren't.

 

[Rick]

[video=youtube;hH446lgDrW8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH446lgDrW8[/video]

 

[synergy_jim]

around here they download pirated copies of photoshop and draw crappy logos with every layer effect turned on.....

 

[Gino]

If you want a grade on your paper.... I'll give ya an 'E' for effort.

Anyone interested in defining what they do for a living by assigning a title behind their name is just a fake.
Know what my name tag says...... ?? Janitor, cause I'm always cleaning up someone's mess.
Who cares if you are a graphics designer, computer graphics artist, graphics engineer, head of communications and marketing or a supervisor in a graphic department ?? You walk, eat & sleep the same as anyone else.

I make signs. All kinds of signs. I can help you from scratch or step in anywhere along the way to help you reach a finished project. How can we help you ??

Designer........... pfft........... who gives a rat's behind ?? Why don't you call yourself a sign doctor ?? You heal people and stop them from having heart attacks.

​

Old Paint..... stop hating newbies so much. There really are some good ones out there, but they're lost and need help !! )))))))))))))))))))))))
​

 

[Marlene]

the people who care are the customers. they are more comfortable with knowing that the person they are working with is the right one hence accounts payable, project manager, engineer, service tech, installer and graphic designer. it defines what each person does. it doesn't mean that is all the person does but it's nice to know. I know if I called a company to ask questions about materials and the properties and they put me on with the "janitor" I'd be pretty pi$$ed and wouldn't have a lot of trust in the info. what so bad with calling yourself a graphic designer if that is what you do and have spent the time to learn the trade? should doctors, denists, cooks, brick layers, welders and all the rest stop calling themselves by what they have trained to do? that comment just sounds totally stupid to me that is is wrong to call yourself a designer. it is just being the professional that you are

 

[OldPaint]

A very, very wise man once told me that most people who call themselves Graphic Designers aren't.

pat and i agree on that)))))
PEAVEY123............
YOU......are an exception to what i said. good for you. MOST who want the handle of GRAPHIC DESIGNER...cant draw STICK FIGURES!!!!!!
problem with computers??? YEA....iam the guy other people come to TO FIX THEIR PROBLEMS with their computer)))))) i build em, fix em!!!!!!!!
my problem is untalented, uneducated people thinking this line of work is just know how to push keys on a keyboard.
i have been doing signs since i wasa kid(1950's) and have painted on many different things. also iam a carpenter, sheet metal worker, auto body, mechanic........all of which is used at one time or another in the sign business.

 

[Pat Whatley]

I think I'm gonna change the title on my business card from "GUY WHO WORKS HERE" to "DAMN GOOD GUY YOU NEED TO GIVE ALL YOUR MONEY TO"

 

[Baz]

Graphic designer for me is not just coming from a computer ... get real ... "graphic design" has existed since the age of the caveman. It's creating a visual reference to a message you want to convey or not even a message ... Just to provoke thought. It's organized art.

The title graphic designer in the modern age is more akin to saying someone is a "doctor" ... mmmm okay ... What kind of doctor. It's like what kind of graphic designer.

Loved the video Rick ... "DON'T TRY TO BE ORIGINAL .... TRY TO BE GOOD!!" great quote!

 

[p3]

lol, quick to throw out that computers and whatever don't make you a graphic designer, I never said that. Don't know how that started. Computer is just one of the tools. Having a hammer doesn't make me a carpenter, but I can build things, and if I build one thing really well, someone sees it and wants me to build it for them too, I could do that and potentially make money - still not building houses or anything, just have that one skill set. I do get what a lot of you are saying, that people that say "graphic designer" usually aren't. It's a term that get's thrown around a lot. Kind of why in the article I wrote, I said it was more than having a computer, or an artistic side. It's about solving problems. A real "graphic designer" goes about creating pieces of art in a process...it's not just thrown together. There is a reason. A reason for placement, whether it's the way the eye reads or design flows. There's a reason for colors in certain pieces to bring out emotions or feelings - why pepsi is blue, mcdonalds is red. For me, like was mentioned before, the term graphic designer ads trust to the person. If I wanted a sign designed, I don't ask a janitor or a receptionist. You ask someone that is a "graphic designer" cause, even though those other people could probably throw something together, you trust what the "professional" is going to do over them. You could ask a receptionist - however, chances are she is reading from some sort of criteria that a designer or someone in production has put together for her to ask, not really making her an expert at it. The video is great. Everyone can create art. Art should be encouraged to show emotion, thoughts or anything - like music. People can relate to it. Anyone can do this. A Graphic Designer should create a piece of art that both looks good that someone can relate to, while keeping whatever client they are representing in mind and getting the end user to perform some sort of action. That takes a certain skill, and there are people that are really good at it and some notsomuch. Maybe the term graphic designer should have some sort of subtext? Ya you may be an engineer, but you're more of a civil engineer. Could call yourself a doctor, but you're more of a chiropractor, orthopedic surgeon or something else.

The article was to kind of say more of what I do. When people do hear graphic design they think slapping things together and not really a rhyme or reason behind it. There is logic/psychology to creating effective marketing assets, which is what the term should encompass.