Graphic Design Is Not Making Something “Pretty”
By: Kasaundra Mace
If you’re a graphic designer, chances are that you’ve been asked to help someone make something look “pretty”. That’s not your job. You are a designer and a thinker. You’re job is to know the market, solve problems, and design accordingly. So what do you say to someone who doesn’t understand what you do? How do you help them solve their problem and explain to them that what you’re doing is not just making it look “pretty”. What you’re designing has rhyme and reason behind every line, every color, every word, and every dot.
Imagine you’re at a restaurant, and you’re looking at the menu. You’re thirsty, so you look for the beverages, but you can’t seem to find them anywhere. This frustrates you, so you give up and just get a water and start looking for a juicy steak. You find the one that looks delicious, only you can’t figure out how much it costs because the prices are all jumbled up. What is the problem here? This is poor graphic design. It doesn’t matter how amazing the menu looks, it’s no good if it is not helping the customer. In graphic design the form almost always follows function. What good is a menu if it doesn’t funtion the way it’s supposed to?
One common misconception about graphic design is that it’s an easy job. Whenever I mention that my major is Graphic Design, I always hear things like, “Oh that’s such a fun major!”, “That must be so easy”, “Oh, that would be so much fun if I could just draw all day”…. My room mates and close friends can all tell you that this is not true. I work just as hard, if not harder, and stress out about my projects just as much as anyone else. I might not have to memorize 200 words for chemistry class, or be tested on the several equations I learned for math class, but I have to think just as hard when it comes to solving a design issue for my many upcoming projects, and need to worry about getting them all done on time.
Another misconeption is that if someone knows a little photoshop or some basic techniques of web design, then they can do anything that a graphic designer can do. Again, they think it’s so easy, but that’s not at all true. Someone might know how to use the tools, but do they know how to use those tools effectively? Do they really know what their design is doing to promote business, or do they just think it looks cool? A good graphic designer knows why they made their text blue, or why they decided to include an illustration. They know the business they’re designing for, and they know the audience that they are trying to reach. Therefore, they know the best way to solve the design issues, and make it appealing to everyone.
So then what is graphic design you ask? It’s a way of thinking. It is a skillful way of communicating a visual representation of ideas through text and images. “Graphic design informs, persuades, organizes, stimulates, locates, identifies, attracts attention and provides pleasure… [it] is a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas.”
(www.aiga.org) Graphic designers will use different methods to create symbols and other images in order to communicate a certain message that is a visual representation of it. Graphic design not only refers to the design itself, but to the actual process by which the communication was designed and the product(s) formed.
There can be major problems that a graphic designer will face, and they are expected to be able to solve it. Graphic Designers need to “solve communication problems. And, in order to solve the problem, they need to understand the problem. And, in order to understand the problem they need to LISTEN.” (http://whatintheworld.aiga.org) One problem that can arise for a designer is when there are pre-existing materials or other elements in the compostion they are supposed to design or re-desgin. This one problem can be problematic in several ways. For one thing, the pre-existing design might be part of the company identity, so you can’t completely transform it or their customers will be lost. They won’t know if it’s really the same product or not. Another problem could be with the clients own conflicting ideas. The design may not have existed before, but the client might already have an idea in their head, or on paper, of what it is they think that they want. Those clients may not be as willing to accept your ideas, therefore there may need to be some adjustments and other compromises made to the design.
You’ve probably noticed that the best graphic designs will cause you to feel something. It’s all around us, and whether you realize it or not, the design is affecting you and your emotions. The color, the choice of font, the images used, everything about it was chosen for a reason, and made to make you feel something. Some designs are meant to grab your attention right away so you notice it. Billboards for example can be great attention grabbers when done properly. Then again, there are some things graphic designers do that are meant for you not to notice. How often do you pay attention to the way a magazine’s grid is all layed out?
Most people don’t realize all the different hats a graphic designer can wear – and all at the same time! They need to communicate regularly with the client to make sure that they understand what the goals are. They need to stay informed, and keep up with the latest and greatest technology and computer programs. They can sketch out ideas and be able to come up with great designs from vague ideas. A designer knows how to work with photographers, printers, web developers, and other people within the industry. They also need to be excellent time managers and be able to stick to their budget. There are plenty more, but that gives you an idea of what can be expexted of a good graphic designer.
Graphic design is not just making something “pretty”. As you can now see, it really is a way of thinking. Graphic designers are great problem solvers, they think things through, put function before the design, and are very professional about what they do. Graphic design “is visual problem solving using text and/or graphical elements. Your aim is to create something that is pleasing to the eye, and gets the attention of the viewer. But things can’t just look cool. They have to work as well.” (www.adigitaldreamer.com) So the next time someone tells you how “pretty” your design is, make sure you tell them what it is you really do.
