Would a career in graphic design be good financially?
First, I applaud you thinking about being financially stable later in life at such a young age!However, I recommend following your passion. If you want to go into design Great! Figure out what your a passionate about. Graphic Design? Web Design? Architectural design? The list is massive in the design field.If you find a career you love, it's no longer work. You will wake up with a smile on your face every day and love what you do. If you pick a job that is all about the money you make, it may not a very fulfilling path and I have seen many friends and associates end up changing careers later because they were not satisfied.That being said, you can make a good living as a graphic designer. There are several different paths you can take as a designer. Here are some ideas:Advertising agency: Lots of great energy there and lots of opportunities to branch out into doing things like Commercials, Print and Web projects. You would start out as a graphic designer then work your way up to Art Director to Senior Art Director to eventually Creative Director. Salary range would depend upon where you live -- lets say you are in the US in the north east. ranging would be from $45K-$120K.Design Firm: -- in a similar role but I found the projects to be a little less stressful ... and the career path is about the same. Salary might be a bit smaller.Corporate Marketing or In House Designer: These types of jobs might not be as exciting as the Design firm or the Ad agency -- but the pay is typically higher. You also would have a more 9-5 job. Freelancer: After getting experience working for one of the three above you could branch out on your own to manage your own clients and project. The earning potential is in your own hands here and can be much more rewarding because you are essentially in control of where you work and what projects you take on.In any job you take, you are smart to think about putting money into a savings account or investing it in a retirement account.Best of luck!
What should a student of graphic designing do in his/her free time that can help him/her to be better amongst other students?
A good question. I'd suggest the following things :* Visit art galleries, museums, libraries...places from where you can learn about design, art, history, culture.* Try doodling, sketching, painting, writing, singing, dancing; anything that triggers you to break free and express.* Master any 2-3 software that you'd be using now and later.* Read about typography, advertising, branding, the history of Graphic Design.* Stay away from lethargic, negative people.
Is Graphic Design too risky of a major?
I'll be applying to colleges soon, and I am planning on going to school for graphic design. I was wondering if that too risky of a major? What will the job market be like for someone looking for a job in Graphic Design with a BFA or a MFA? Should I consider a double major? If I should, then what are some college majors that would make sense to go along with my art degree? In school english and history are my forte, so anything with heavy amounts of math and science are out of the question. And being an art teacher is an obvious choice, and not one I'm planning on taking. Thanks!
Graphic Design or Studio Art major?
Hey Tarawr the Ninja, if that's your name... awesome! Okay, I did graphic design as a major... and I regret not getting a degree in a science related field, I also regret not studying more about writing. Writing is crucial for what I do now... I run an online startup, for which I'm a graphic designer and UX (user experience) designer. Knowing photoshop, illustrator and other graphics programs are crucial to what I do, but knowing how to communicate to people and run a business on a day to day... are more important. Graphic design is ultimately self-taught... but you need to know where to look for inspiration and how-to-learn. Having a resource of smart peers in college (my graphic design and arts field majors) around me helped inspire and motivate me everyday. Can you do a dual major?? I would choose art if I were you, if you have to choose between the two and then focus all your focus in the art program on being a graphic designer. You'll be able to accomplish WAY cooler stuff, without the pressure of producing a cookie-cutter graphic design degree. Finally, who you are surrounded by is the most important thing. Check out start-up university, if you're motivated enough, maybe you just need to be surrounded by people who will push you to where you need to go. My name is Madeline Puckette and I cofounded http://pungle.org http://about.me/madelinep
What to charge for Graphic Design freelance work as a beginner?
Well, normally: what you designed, your skill, time it took, and expenses (printing fees...) all play a role is what you would charge. Also ask yourself how much money you really want and how much do you think your work is worth. Although those may seem like greed and opinion, I feel they still should be considered. I would recommend $10 an hour. I think that is a good price to start at, and that is what my teachers recommended to us in school. It isn't your fault that they kept sending changes and gave incomplete material, causing a longer work time. Just make sure to choose an exact number of hours.