Skillset Required To Become A Graphic Designer

First and foremost, know this that graphic design is a creative profession.

As the name suggests, graphic designers are tasked to create specific, on-demand designs.

These designs involve website layouts, posters, interface specifics, and so on. As you can probably tell, this profession involves a wide spectrum of possible tasks – that depend on the company, the designer works for.

A big part of becoming a graphic designer is understanding, that you’ll have two big options work-wise: either you work in a company, or as a freelancer.

This is one of the main perks – you can choose whether you want to be a part of a team or work solo.

Because of this, you might notice that some of the requirements differ when we start talking about the essential graphic design skills.

Whether you work solo or in a company, one thing’s for sure – those who want to learn graphic design should also pay a lot of attention to their communication skills.

No matter what type of a graphic designer you might choose to be, you will always have to be able to negotiate your ideas with a client, find a compromise and, fulfill your end of the bargain.

General Required Soft Skillset for Graphic Design

• Creativity
• Knowledge of Software
• Knowledge of Programming Languages
• Time Management
• Visualisation
• Good Communication Skills
• Ability to Work in a Team
• Ability to work with detail
• Skill in visual design
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to work long hours
• Ability to Work in Strict Deadlines
• Knowledge of Typography
• Knowledge of Colour theory

General Required Hard Skillset for Graphic Design

• Shaping, Design & Illustration
• Typography
• Graphic Designing Softwares & Tools
• Image Layout & Effects
• Photoshop
• Corel Draw
• Illustrator
• InDesign
• HTML/ Javascript
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Adobe Flash
• Adobe Audition
• Computer Fundamentals
• Art & Visual Perception
• Vector Graphics for Designers

The above is the basic skillset that you will require. Nowadays, UI/UX is a general skill that is required in the graphic designer.

Also, having a minimum 3 year experience in the graphic designing field is an essential requirement by some agencies.

You may get jobs with minimal experience but they won’t be high paying one’s. Ironically, having too much experience is also not considered good.

By getting just a few years of experience under your belt, you can increase your earning potential by between a minimum of $3k and a maximum of $7k each year.

That is why I think gaining this experience while you are in college or another job is essential.

Apart from these there are far more software and skills that you will need to master in order to become an established graphic designer.

If you wish to be a part of a bigger organization, you will need a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, web design or art.

Conclusion

The above listed skills will surely be helpful to you in becoming a graphic designer.

I hope this information helped you and in case you want more information about Graphic Design Definition, feel free to check it out.