Be a designer, just how you see it.

What do you think of when you hear the term “graphic designer”? What comes to mind? An artistic, imaginative, and on-trend person behind a laptop? A creative type with an array of software at the ready? Or simply an artist.

What does graphic design really mean though? Eye candy-like graphics on a web page, a vivid social media post, a colourful poster, or flyer; or anything marketed to an audience? These examples definitely fit under the umbrella of the overall scope as to what a graphic designer may be and aims to create, but the work involves much more. Graphic design is pivotal to any marketing campaign, and it is everywhere you look - from the box your breakfast cereal is poured from in the morning, to the signs you see on the way to work or school, the logos of your favourite brands, and so much more.

Graphic designers work to communicate a vision through pictures, fonts and backgrounds. They bring ideas to life for brands and businesses. Most graphic designers work for a client or an organisation, creating designs to a brief in an effort to elevate reputation, sell products, educate or inspire target audiences.

The graphic design industry is large, and found all around the world, in agencies, consultancies and businesses. It’s filled with people of all ages, genders, and styles who are artists passionate about their craft.

What does the career encompass?

Clients and companies use the visual concept of graphic design to promote, market, or sell their products, with graphic designers often briefed to cut through a world of competitive messaging through clever and unique design.

As a career, it’s often driven by an early passion for art, aesthetics, colour and marketing itself, with many making a long-term career in advertising in particular. And with digital marketing now being such a complex and broad space to navigate, graphic design becomes all the more important.

What is good graphic design?

Some basic elements that make a good design include:

Colour

Form, Line

Shape, Size

Space, Texture

In more involved design work, graphic designers often also look to achieve:

Balance, Contrast

Emphasis, Movement

Proportion, Rhythm

Stable industry?

Rapidly advancing digital technology has created new areas of expertise in content design, and while the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) may indicate a drop in the employability of graphic designers, this isn’t the case, with brands, in particular, seeking individual and authentic work that isn’t generated by an algorithm - but rather - from a creative thinker and human imagination.

Employment of graphic designers has been predicted to grow by approximately three per cent from 2022-2032, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS). This growth is as steady as it is for many of the other occupations within the digital realm. The Bureau (BLS) predicts nearly 23,000 openings for graphic designers each year, on average across the decade.

The largest employment of graphic designers comes from companies that offer specialist design services, as well as advertising and public relations services, which are most largest agencies in Australia.

It is an industry that offers stability and agility - making for an exciting career.

Can the job support you?

The average salary for a Designer in Australia of any sort is approximately $$90,000 a year. This estimate comes from the backbone of several statistics collected by a (third party), and they aren’t wrong. This field of work is very much so in demand, it’s a sought-after career which isn’t easily acquired.

Your future is calling…

In case you can’t tell, there’s no clear one-liner as to what graphic design is. There are simply too many ways to describe how a graphic designer can breathe life and soul into a brand or business.

— As a graphic designer, you quite literally leave your mark on products and services, and in many instances, contribute to the legacy of brands. You are a visual storyteller, with the ability to change perception. —

What a great career.

— Written by Remy Hamilton —