What is a Graphic Designer?

A graphic designer is a professional who combines a different media to create projects such as the following: logos, banners, web pages, greeting cards, stationary, gift items, newsletters, posters, and signs.

Graphic designers may also create 2D and 3D animations. For instance, some graphic artists will draw cartoon figures or create sets for video games. Website creation is yet another work of graphic art.

Whether you desire to work for an employer or freelance, the most important aspect of graphic design is the finished product (the publication). Often graphic design projects are completed with various desktop publishing programs.

Graphic designers use desktop publishing programs to create finished products using a computer
. Designs created with these programs include flyers, letters, brochures, book covers, and other types of multimedia (i.e. video productions).

Graphic designers often produce high-quality images and text art with desktop publishing programs. The process of creating these exceptional images is typically the job of graphic artists (designers). The types of graphics used in publications include work art, images, text, animation, video, and more.

Graphic design and desktop publishing processes are usually used simultaneously. However, to further define the job of a graphic designer, you should know the difference between graphic design and desktop publishing. The main difference between the two can be broken down as follows:

1) The Graphic Design Process:

This is a type of art, so it uses a variety of different creative techniques. For instance, some graphics use different types of drawing and painting and/or computerized effects.

In many cases it can also be the process of creating special effects for movies, television shows, or commercials. These usually involve putting together text or images to create a work of art.

A graphic designer may also be a desktop publisher. However, larger companies will often employ one or more persons to design while the other is responsible for what is called desktop publishing.

2) The Desktop Publishing Process:

Desktop publishing uses computer software programs
to create a finished product. It is the act of combining already-designed text and graphics and arranging them in an attractive display.

The best example of a desktop publisher is one who organizes layouts for newspapers, newsletters, or magazines. In this case, they usually are not the ones who create the images or designs to the published pages.

However, desktop publishers are responsible for making sure designs are coordinated properly. They determine which completed designs look the most appealing on pages of a publication.

If you are still confused about the difference between the two, then the rule of thumb is this: Usually graphic designers perform desktop publishing duties, which is usually a task that cannot be avoided. Because graphic designers do not have time to publish, they may ask someone else to work on layout. The reverse may be true as well.

A publisher may be in search of people who are qualified designers. These designers are usually experienced graphic artists who will create works of art for publication.

Now that you know what a graphic designer is, you can pursue a career in design if this is what you really want to do for a living. If it is, then you may want to start researching information on quality graphic design software as well as desktop publishing programs.