This really is an exciting time to launch a career in graphic design.
The rise of digital media has created so many new opportunities for designers to stretch their skills, adopt new tech, and experiment with new product design ideas.
There are numerous ways to specialize in this field, and a broad range of skills to master.
In this post, we're breaking down the most important technical knowledge and characteristics needed to become a successful graphic designer.
Graphic Design instructor, Miguel Suarez at his home office in Toronto, Ontario
Miguel Suarez began teaching Herzing's Graphic Design program in 2017. But his passion for art and design began much earlier, when he was a teenager growing up in the Philippines.
Graphic design is probably one of the most misunderstood fields out there. Every year, we meet with students who are interested in applying to this program—but only a few truly understand what a graphic designer does or what it's really like to work in this field.
For one thing, there are a lot more job options than most people realize. And the skillset for graphic designers is quite a bit more complex and technical than you might think.
Do you need a university degree to be taken seriously as a graphic designer? Can you avoid school altogether and just teach yourself the basics?
What about free graphic design courses you can find online—isn’t that the best option for an up-and-comer who doesn’t want college debt?
Graphic design is one of those fields where there’s no clear rules on how to start a career. Some professions—like doctor or lawyer or licensed teacher—have very clear pathways for training. You must go to university. You must get certified. It’s not negotiable.
Becoming a graphic designer is a little different. There’s endless debate between self-taught and schooled designers, and whether formal training is really “worth it”.
But the truth is, with the growing complexity of design software and digital technology, many designers need formal training to stay ahead of the curve.
Updated December 2022
What exactly is graphic design? This might seem like a really obvious starting point to this blog post—but it's key to knowing if this career path is truly right for you.
Glaser, Kidd, Scher, Bass, Bierut...chances are, you've heard of at least one of these graphic design giants. And even if you don't know their names, you'd recognize their legendary work in a heartbeat.
Everyone knows the iconic "I heart NY" sign. Or the universally familiar Jurassic Park t-rex image and logo. Those designs are by globally-renowned graphic designers Milton Glaser and Chip Kidd.
Updated November 2022
When most people think about graphic design jobs, they envision working in marketing or advertising, doing websites and logos and creating promotional materials for print or digital.
