Graphic Design and Freelance Designers
Graphic design is a creative process that combines art with technology in order to communicate ideas and concepts to others.
The primary tools used by graphic designers are images and photography. Text elements are also sometimes included in a design element.
What types of designs are used?
Graphic design projects utilize four basic types of designs. These include image-based design, type-based design, image and type-based design and symbols, logos and logotype design. Graphic designers, also called graphic artists, plan, analyze and create visual solutions for communications. They have to select the most effective way to get a message across in diverse forms of media using methods that include photography, illustration, color, typography, animation and special layout techniques that are generally based within one of these four basic types of designs. Here’s what the four graphic design types include:
- Image-Based Design demands that the image convey the complete message. There are very few if any words to help. Image-based design follows upon the old adage, “One picture is worth a thousand words”.
- Type-Based Design means that designers depend mainly on words to convey the message, but these words will be used in quite a different way than writers use them. This may be specially designed lettering, or unique textual layouts and colors.
- Image and Type-Based Design is based upon a combining of images with typography in the right balance, and then displaying it as creatively as possible.
- Symbols, Logos & Logotypes are special, highly compact elements and identifiers that represent abstract ideas or identities. The NBC peacock and CBS eye are good examples of this type of design element.
How and where do graphic design people work?
Graphic designers held about 228,000 jobs in the U.S. in 2004, according to government statistics, and had earnings between $23,220 and $65,940 in the same year. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $65,940. The median annual earnings for all were $38,030. They worked in a variety of industries, with the greatest numbers employed in architectural & engineering; specialized graphic design services; advertising and related services; printing and support activities and newspaper, book, periodical and directory publishers. About 30% were self-employed. Although later government statistics are not available, it is well known that a sizeable number are currently working for Internet companies within the same industries and in sub-categories that are Internet related. It has also been estimated that as many as 36% may now work as independent contractors.
Many more companies now outsource their graphic design work
The rapid expansion of Internet companies worldwide has opened up big new opportunities for people in the graphic design field. In recent years, many computer, printing and publishing firms have outsourced basic layout and design work to freelance graphic designers and design teams. This trend is predicated to continue and have a negative impact on employment for lower-level technical design workers. Right now, there are websites online dedicated to providing a place where companies (buyers) can open projects to bids from worldwide freelance graphic design specialists and particularly those who have expertise in designing for websites. While many such projects are being assigned to offshore bidders in countries like India and Pakistan, most high-level assignments still go to U.S. designers who have a broad liberal arts education plus experience in business management and marketing.
