Picture Your Creative Future with a Graphic Design Degree

Design the career you’ve dreamt of.

You love art and you’ve dreamt of building a satisfying career in a creative industry, but becoming a professional artist doesn’t seem like a stable job. You may be thinking that your creativity isn’t the best way to a reliable paycheck, but there are several creative jobs out there that could be a fit for you. Instead of imagining the perfect job, make it a reality by becoming a graphic designer. Combining art and technology, graphic designers bring a client’s vision to life digitally, creating ads, designs for marketing materials, and more. Here’s everything you need to know to take the first steps toward designing the career you want.

What exactly does a graphic designer do?

Graphic designers, generally working under an art director, create images for websites, digital ads, emails, social media, blogs, and printed materials. Using software like Adobe Photoshop and other tools, designers combine their creativity with technology to develop visuals that can inspire, motivate, and captivate people.

Good graphic designers with both text and images, selecting fonts, text sizes, colors, and line lengths. When using text in layouts they’re tasked with creating, graphic designers will often collaborate with writers who create the copy the designer will turn into an image.

Why should you become a graphic designer?

As a graphic designer, you can bring your imagination to life on screen and create stylish, simple designs for clients from large corporations to small, local businesses. Combining art with technology, you’ll be at the cutting edge of design and marketing, and be able to lend your artistic sensibilities to a variety of mediums.  

Besides getting to do a job you love each day, becoming a graphic designer can also be a well-paying job! On average, a graphic designer can make around $50,000¹ per year. That amount can vary based on the industry you work in, with those working in advertising and public relations making the highest, and you can find work for newspapers, print publications, and media outlets, as well as printing companies, schools, and more!

Do you have the qualities of a successful graphic designer?

While every designer is different, here are a few qualities that the most successful graphic designers have in common:

• Artistic
• Objective
• Creative
• Focused

A graphic designer needs to have artistic ability to create designs that are interesting and appealing to clients. They need to be able to analyze and look at their work from a customer’s point of view, as well as being objective. Focus and creativity are necessary to pitch and build out new and exciting designs, as well as meet deadlines for your clients.

Design your creative future with Penn Foster’s flexible Associate Degree.

If you’re considering making a career change and pursuing something you’re passionate about, Penn Foster College’s Graphic Design Associate Degree could be the right fit for you. Online and self-paced, you can take your next steps toward finding the future you want wherever you are and whenever you have time. Speak with an Admissions Specialist today at 1.888.427.6500!

¹ Found on the Internet here.