Essential Skills and Work Habits

Reading Text: The graphic artist will have to read and communicate with what the client wants from e-mail or letters. They will have to fully understand what the client is asking for when it comes to providing your service to design a logo, poster, package, etc.

Writing: Again, the graphic artist will have to read, write and communicate with the client to write back in order to clarify the specifications of what the client wants by letter/e-mail/etc. Must also have accurate tracking records of each step to get to the final product.
Document Use: Documents are used 24/7 by Graphic Artists to open up files and work on. Programs like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe illustrator, and Premium Elements involve opening original files or creating new files along with saving them as well. Will have to know how to convert pictures into PDF, JPEG, etc. on Photoshop and illustrator or other different programs.

Computer use: The computer is used 24/7 by graphic artists. Again, the whole knowing different programs to design something new. Various programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Premium Elements, Microsoft Publisher, etc will have to be known to provide designing services to people.

Oral Communication: Must have the ability to work within a team environment and demonstrate personal leadership by stepping in and showing your own ideas and asking people what they think. An ability to work well under pressure in an independent manner should be shown if you are a graphic designer. They must also have excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing. Graphic designers must also demonstrate personal leadership when it comes to new projects with an ongoing commitment to what has been started.

Measurement and Calculation: Will need to be good at measuring and calculation when it comes to designing logos and packaging.

Job Task Planning and Organizing: Project management is very important when it comes to providing your graphic design services. When one promises a client when a project is going to get done, it should be done or else your service wouldn’t have a great reputation of meeting the deadline properly.

Decision Making: Making decisions based on design is very important. You are the artist, have confidence in your designs and art.

Problem Solving: The program went wrong? Work didn’t save? At chaotic times like this graphic designers need to know how to problem solve at the craziest of times.

Finding Information: Finding information and researching is also important as a graphic designer. Finding the target audience along with knowing the subject you are advertising for by researching helps you look at the subject from all point of views. For example, the PSA assignment had some research involved because we had to find out different facts about recycling paper.

Working Safely: Graphic artists usually tend to sit down on the computer a lot and work. Make sure your posture is right and you are sitting on your chair the healthiest way possible.

Teamwork: When it comes to designing something as a group, teamwork is needed and feedback must be taken well. Everyone is working on the new project and they are a part of it which means you must have good teamwork skills to try to meet everyone’s expectations.

Reliability: Must be reliable enough to trust the graphic artist with their deadlines. They should also be reliable for private documents or documents in general. It would be very irresponsible to lose documents or not meet the deadline of a project from a client.

Working Independently: Must also be willing to work independently on projects assigned by the client.

Initiative: Should finish what was started from the beginning and complete tasks that must be finished. Should approach new ideas and risks with confidence and a positive attitude. Should be eager to try out new ideas. Plus graphic designers must ask for help when necessary so no mistakes are being made during the project.

Self-advocacy: Graphic designers should ask questions when they need clarification for the project from the client. They identify and make use of appropriate resources and support when needed. They invest on different programs when they know they will need it a lot in the near future. Being aware of individual rights and responsibilities is important when you are doing this business because you want your work to have good taste (no sexism, racism, etc)

Customer Service: Listening to determine and meet clients’ needs is important to keep the clients happy and coming back for your service. When working in groups on a project, each graphic artist must treat their group members in a positive way. This applies to co-workers along with clients/customers.
Entrepreneurship: Graphic designers must recognize good opportunities and go for whoever offers them work. Being innovative and creative for all of your works is considered as a good trait when you are in the design industry. Something new or what is in the trend must be followed if not innovated!