Friday, October 19, 2012

10 Myths About Graphic Design

Read here, the 10 misconception about the graphic designers and about their work.

Graphic design is easy

One of the biggest misconceptions about graphic design is that it is easy to be a graphic designer. Just because we graphic designers sit in front of the computer most of the time, people have thought that design is easy and less stressful. But in reality, graphic design is just the same as other jobs that require experience, knowledge and dedication.

Graphic design can make you rich fast

As much as we want it to be true, getting rich with graphic design is never easy. More often than not only 10% of the profit goes directly to our pockets and the rest goes to paying the bills, putting food on the table and using it as a capital for another design project.

Graphic designers know everything

Having the ability to read minds sounds great but unfortunately suck skill does not exist. As graphic designers we love to hear what people wanted for their design but there are those who give out completely vague and sometimes indecipherable instructions.

Customers are always right

Unfortunately unlike myth #8 people think that clients are always in total control of the output just because graphic designers are paid to be their demands. Graphic designers make use of styles and techniques to create a design and apply what we have learned from school. books and seminars in order to make and effective design in each project.

Education stops after graduation

Students think that once they have graduated they will no longer need to listen and to study. They will just rely to what they have learned in school or just wing it. The truth is, even after graduation they still need to study, attend seminars and read books because in the fast paced world of design they have to keep themselves updated from time to time.

Total reign over the design

It may sound too good to be true if a client let us designers do what we wanted to do, but in reality no client or company like that. Sure they would be lenient but they wouldn't let you have all the decisions with design. Working in the design industry is a collaborative process between the designer and the client to achieve the desired result.

Fixing a design is as fast as a flick of the wrist

With the help of computers, designers can execute their work faster and with more efficiency, but asking for a designer to do a design or fix a design in just a matter of hours is a fallacy. No good design comes from rushed work because professional designers carefully make plans and research before starting a design project. We designers think about the process and the method that should be employed in the production and simultaneously using quotations, answering emails and marketing ourselves to other prospective clients.

Graphic designers are natural born creatives

There is no such thing as natural born creative. Everyone starts in a clean slate and throughout their formative years - being exposed to the right influence and environment - they develop this knack of creating extraordinary things that makes people go : "Wow! I wish I have thought of that idea".

Design is only done on the computer all the time

Most students designers tend to undervalue creating rough sketches on paper because they would rather design directly in the computer. But what they don't know is that the greatest design ideas start with a sketch and letting them flow though in a sheet of paper.

Anyone can be a graphic designer

This is the biggest fallacy of all. Graphic design is not just some mambo-jumbo - where playing with Photoshop entitles a person to call himself a graphic designer. Being a graphic designer is a lifestyle. We have to live and breathe art and design. We need to be up-to-date with the latest design trends and technology. We have to do extensive studying and research before presenting a design proposal to clients. Moreover, we need to be a well-rounded sociable person who can deal with people from all walks of life - not to mention that we must have the of knowledge in handling our finances.

No comments:

Post a Comment