FACTOIDS:
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• Andy Warhol celebrated graphic design in the early '60s with his Campbell's Soup can silkscreens.
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• Before he became famous for his TV comedy work, the late Phil Hartman worked as a graphic designer. He created the logo for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
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• The Nike swoosh was designed by University of Oregon student Carolyn Davidson in 1964. She was paid $35 dollars for the design.
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- A graphic designer designs art and copy layouts for visual presentations. They use a variety of print, electronic and film media to meet their clients' needs. Most use computer software to generate new images.
- Job duties include designing promotional displays and marketing brochures for products and services, developing distinctive logos for products and businesses, and creating visual designs for annual reports and other corporate literature. Additionally, graphic designers may develop the overall layout and design of magazines, newspapers, journals, corporate reports and other publications.
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- Graphic designers must possess artistic ability and creative thinking for designing eye-catching and effective graphics.
- These professionals need to be able to come up with strategies for layouts and artistic concepts, and they must be able to create visual images that engage, attract and sell. Additionally, they need to be: responsive to customer needs, able to create new and original ideas, open to change and able to adjust to shifting priorities, meticulous, thorough and detailed, able to meet deadlines and juggle multiple priorities; versed in desktop publishing tools such as FrameMaker, Acrobat Exchange, QuarkExpress, Photoshop or PageMaker.
- Graphic designers, especially those who are new to the field or work on a freelance basis, need good communication skills to convey their ideas to clients and to contract out services.
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- Academic training leading to a bachelor’s degree in art or design has almost become a necessity.
- Although formal training is not strictly necessary, it is very difficult to become skilled enough to make a living without some training.
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- Very good opportunities for graphic designers are expected. Continuing growth of the Internet should provide many job opportunities, largely due to the demand for graphic designers to design and develop Web page layout.
- Businesses will continue to emphasize visually appealing concepts for use in communications, package design, publications, advertising, marketing, and television and video production, all of which require the skills of graphic designers.
- Despite strong demand for both freelance and salaried graphic designers, competition will be stiff for the best jobs because employers are willing to make attractive offers to the most talented and creative candidates.
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Sources: American Institute of Graphic Arts 2000-2001; Puzzlegrid.com; Sensebox.com
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