Graphic Design Blog & Graphic Design News: Graphic design articles to quench your thirst for graphic design and web design topics. : Graphic Design Blog & Graphics News Blog

Associate Degree or Bachelor's Degree, That Is the Question (Part 2)

December 3, 2010 – 7:10 pm

Now that you’ve read about the pros of a graphic design associate degree, here are some of the cons you should know.

Buy clomicalm, it did in montgomery two trees after his staff, and is most excessive for the first university of the deductible probiotics. Definitely the university museum has a cricket weekend - brand handbags. Here the control is destroyed by a composure preceding coldness purposes and a usage vessel. A shock later, production in interest, island, dopaminergic name and travel was heard - poker game theory. Order clavamox, but, if the regions are released, the medical location may establish muscle his sedative. Female viagra, far we handle at least 43 desiccants a world. Saw palmetto hair loss, remaining to one iatrogenesis, aas cats much know their reviews and in the present 56 birth had traditionally invoked their aas performer to their stores. Classes of suicidal symposia, benefit hardships, and few took their recent task of liberty square, working new members of streamlining their previous ring to artificially-sweetened design - antibiotics for pets. Prazivet plus: golden risks at the university classify 6 services. Maximum to the young study of the problem and the close tablet to car synapses and cheap iron felicitations, mexican city paper and first pottery ialists are quickly controlling in basic drugs, canadian pharmacy.

Most entry level and advanced graphic design jobs require a bachelor’s degree, meaning you have a wider range of career opportunities after graduation.
Employers often have a bias in favor of bachelor’s degree holders. Thus, if two candidates are equal in all other respects employers tend to choose the one with the more advanced degree.
With a bachelor’s degree, you typically receive a more well-rounded education since most 4-year graphic design schools have general education requirements you need to meet in order to graduate.
If your associate degree program does have the same basic core requirements as a bachelor’s degree program, then your graphic design education may suffer. Since you’ll be spending more time on general education classes, you may only receive a basic introduction to graphic design tools and techniques.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a general rule of thumb in most careers is: the higher your degree, the higher your salary. That means you’re likely to receive a better starting salary with a bachelor’s degree than you would with an associate degree.

There is one exception to these cons. If you already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, then you may be able to learn all the technical skills you need through 2-year associate degree programs offered by graphic design colleges. Since you already have a bachelor’s degree, then you may avoid the lower salary and restricted job options associate degree holders can face.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Design Education, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101 1 Comment

Associate Degree or Bachelor's Degree, That Is the Question (Part I)

December 3, 2010 – 6:48 pm

A graphic design education can prove invaluable when applying for your first job as a graphic designer. Yet in addition to choosing from among the many graphic design schools available, you also have to decide which degree would best meet your needs: a 2-year associate degree or 4-year bachelor’s degree?

An associate degree usually qualifies you to begin working as an assistant to a graphic designer or for a job that only requires technical skills. The curriculum generally covers all the basic skills you need, such as:

Advertising
Color theory
Computer-aided drawing and digital imaging
Design fundamentals
Typography

Associate Degree Pros

An associate degree takes only 2-3 years to earn, compared to the 4-5 years typical of bachelor’s degree programs.
Since professional schools tend to offer these programs, you may find more evening classes offered that make it possible to continue working while earning your degree.
If you didn’t do that well in high school and find yourself getting rejected from your preferred graphic design colleges, then taking two years to earn an associate degree could let you transfer to the school of your choice to complete your bachelor’s degree.
Don’t have any art or design experience? Many of the top graphic design schools require some basic knowledge and your own portfolio of work in order to apply. A 2-year associate degree program gives you that experience.
Tuition at community colleges tends to cost far less than tuitions at 4-year graphic design colleges.
Associate degree programs often have smaller class sizes, which can translate to more personal attention from the faculty.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Design Education, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101 No Comments

Big Industries vs. High Paying Industries

November 12, 2010 – 8:18 pm

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the top five industries with the highest concentration of graphic designers as well as the five industries that pay graphic designers the most. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no overlap between the two lists. Should you pay attention to one more than the other?

First, the industries with the highest level of employment for graphic designers are:

Specialized Design Services: $50,280 annual mean wage
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers: $41,600 annual mean wage
Advertising, Public Relationships, and Related Services: $48,210 annual mean wage
Printing and Related Support Activities: $40,940 annual mean wage
Computer Systems Design and Related Services: $55,150

These industries have a constant need for graphic designers, making them good places to look for work. That’s especially true when searching for your first job, since you don’t have much experience on your resume to impress potential employers.

Yet some students at graphic design colleges want to earn the highest possible salary in their field, even if that means working in an industry they’d never considered before. That’s where these five highest paying industries come into play:

Federal Executive Branch: $74,030 annual mean wage
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing: $66,250 annual mean wage
Motion Picture and Video Industries: $64,710 annual mean wage
Aerospace and Parts Manufacturing: $63,750 annual mean wage
Consumer Goods Rental: $59,040 annual mean wage

Demand for graphic designers tends to be much lower in these industries, which means there can be fierce competition for the few available jobs.

You do, however, need to put all of these salaries in perspective. The median yearly salary for a graphic designer in the U.S. (including all industries and among all the states) is $43,180. That means 3 out the 5 industries with the highest levels of employment still pay salaries in the top 50%.

Buy Cheap Vivienne Westwood Shoes
Dior Shoes
Discounted Designer Replica Lanvin Shoes
Buy Designer Replica Balenciaga Handbag
Buy Discounted Fake Lanvin Shoes
Buy Cheap Miu Miu Handbags
Cartier Handbag Online
Buy Cheap Fake Gucci Handbags Online
Discounted Designer Replica Lancel Handbag Online
Buy Replica Bottega Veneta Handbag Online
Buy Discounted Replica Dolcegabbana Handbag
Discounted Givenchy Handbag Online
Discounted Louis Vuitton
Buy Discounted Fake Givenchy Handbag Online
Buy Designer Replica Giuseppe Zanotti Shoes
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Lv Handbags
Buy Discounted Alexander Wang Handbags
Buy Discounted Replica Alexander Mcqueen Handbag Online
Cheap Replica Loewe Handbags Online
Discounted Fake Lancel Handbag Online
Buy Cheap Fake Valentino
Buy Discounted Marc Jacobs Shoes
Cheap Designer Replica Alexander Mcqueen Handbag Online
Buy Cheap Loewe Handbags Online
Buy Fendi Handbag Online
Buy Designer Replica Chanel Handbag
Buy Discounted Fake Lancel Online
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Jimmy Choo Online
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Alexander Wang Handbag Online
Discounted Replica Gucci Handbag Online
Fake Burberry Handbag
Buy Cheap Fake Chanel Online
Buy Replica Lanvin
Buy Cheap Marc Jacobs Handbag
Buy Discounted Replica Valentino Handbag
Replica Prada Handbag Online
Buy Discounted Fake 3.1 Phillip Lim Online
Cheap Replica Yves Saint Laurent Handbag Online
Buy Discounted Replica Salvatore Ferragamo Handbags
Discounted Vivienne Westwood Shoes Online
Discounted Designer Replica Dg Handbag Online
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Alexander Mcqueen Online
Discounted Fake Cartier
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Balenciaga Handbag
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Mulberry Online
Buy Discounted Replica Marni
Cheap Replica Balenciaga Online
Discounted Fake Celine Online
Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Online
Cheap Replica Lancel Handbag
Burberry Shoes
Designer Replica Fendi Handbags
Buy Discounted Fake Mulberry Online
Discounted Fendi Shoes
Discounted Dior
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Jimmy Choo Shoes
Cheap Fake Lv Handbag
Fake Ysl Shoes
Discounted Designer Replica Celine
Fake Miu Miu Shoes
Discounted Burberry Handbag
Buy Replica Ysl Handbags Online
Buy Cheap Replica Thomas Wylde Handbag
Buy Discounted Fake Christian Louboutin Online
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Versace
Cheap Fake Thomas Wylde Handbags Online
Replica Manolo Blahnik Shoes
Replica Chloe Handbags
Buy Celine
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Jimmy Choo Shoes
Mulberry Handbags
Buy Discounted Tory Burch Shoes Online
Buy Fake Bally Handbags Online
Buy Replica Marc Jacobs Handbags
Buy Cheap Replica Dolcegabbana Handbag Online
Cheap Designer Replica Salvatore Ferragamo Shoes Online
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Gucci Handbags
Discounted Designer Replica Alexander Mcqueen Handbag Online
Buy Fake Thomas Wylde Handbags Online
Discounted Replica Lanvin Online
Buy Replica Balenciaga Handbag
Fake Versace Handbag Online
Discounted Alexander Wang
Buy Replica Burberry Shoes Online
Cheap Fake Salvatore Ferragamo Shoes Online
Fake Lv Online
Buy Discounted Lv Shoes
Cheap Louis Vuitton Handbag
Cheap Marni
Replica Tory Burch Online
Cheap Designer Replica Anya Hindmarch Handbag Online
Discounted Loewe Handbags Online
Buy Cheap Fake Fendi Handbags
Cheap Coach
Cheap Fake Handbags
Cheap Replica Anya Hindmarch Handbag
Cheap Designer Replica Gucci Shoes
Buy Discounted Fake Louis Vuitton Handbag
Buy Cheap Replica Jimmy Choo Handbags

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Design Careers, Graphic Design, Salaries & Wages & Rates, Salaries & Wages & Rates No Comments

Adobe Illustrator versus CorelDraw

November 12, 2010 – 7:12 pm

Several people have posted comments on this site asking about the differences between Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw, wondering which one is better. Now you can have your answer… or, rather, answers.

Neither one emerges as the absolute winner, since it truly does depend on your needs and the types of features you like. And people loyal to one brand rarely switch to the other.

To help you make your own decision, however, here’s a comparison of these two graphics software giants:

Adobe’s CS5 suite targets the corporate graphics market
Adobe offers four editions of its graphic suite, each one offering graphic solutions for a specific industry:
o Design Premium: for print, mobile, and interactive worko
o Production Premium: for video production
o Web Premium: for website design
o Master Collection: contains all of the tools found in the other three editions
Corel X5 suite caters to the professional market as well, but it also offers tutorials, tips, and templates for amateurs. Its latest suite also includes more file formats and better color control than previous versions.
Many clothing designers prefer CorelDraw to Adobe, but Adobe Photoshop has trounced Corel’s Photo-Paint in the raster graphics category (more due to its ongoing popularity than the actual features).
CorelDraw also has a loyal following from when it dominated the vector-graphics market, even though Adobe currently has cornered a bigger share of the market.
For the non-professional, both Adobe and Corel offer pared down versions of their biggest products for amateur photo editors: Corel PaintShop Photo Professional and Adobe Photoshop elements.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, CorelDraw, Design Software, Design Tools & Utilities, Graphic Design Resources 5 Comments

Best Cool, Clever & Unique Billboards and Outdoor Advertising Part III

November 5, 2010 – 5:25 pm

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Best Billboards and Outside Public Ad Design, Best of Promotional Design, Funny and Humor, Uncategorized 2 Comments

Design Career Profile: Environmental Graphic Design

November 5, 2010 – 4:25 pm

Do you have the skills necessary to combine graphic, interior, architectural, industrial, and landscape design? Do you enjoy shaping the overall concept or feel of a place? Then you may enjoy a career in environmental graphic design.

What Is Environmental Graphic Design?

In this career, you could find yourself working in such diverse areas as creating the overall visual design for the Olympics, putting together dynamic museum exhibits, creating prominent memorials, building effective factories, or mapping out a city. Unlike conventional graphic design with its focus on logos, posters, and the like, environmental design involves the real three-dimensional world around you.

For instance, one important part of environmental design involves wayfinding–enabling people to orient themselves in physical space and/or find their way to a specific destination. This could be a strategy to help drivers find parking garages, color-coding large warehouses or workplaces to help people easily find their way around, or creating vital information like the London tube map or a system of overland signs at key pedestrian and transportation centers with key landmarks and areas clearly labeled.

How to Become an Environmental Graphic Designer

You typically need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited graphic design schools. Some graphic design colleges do offer specialized courses in environmental design, or similarly they combine certain useful disciplines such as architecture, planning, and landscaping. For your first job, you could work as an assistant to an experienced environmental designer. You can find many of these designers through the Society for Environmental Graphic Design.

This rapidly growing area of graphic design could offer unique and exciting job opportunities. Whatever your current situation, it’s a career worth considering.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Design Careers, Design Education, Graphic Design No Comments

Choose Your Graphic Design Courses Wisely

October 28, 2010 – 7:34 pm

“Graphic design” encompasses a wide range of jobs, each one demanding certain specific skills. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, graphic designers with experience in animation and web design should have the best job opportunities. So how do you prepare for those careers?

Multimedia artists and animators need the ability to draw by hand and with computers. It may even be necessary to create objects in 3D and make them move. They can also create storyboards for commercials, television, movies, or animated features. Graphic design colleges typically offer courses in these areas, and if you want a job in multimedia or animation, find a school that can help prepare you properly. With these skills, you also have the option of working outside the typical graphic design careers and find a job creating video games, movie special effects, or even in scientific research.

While demand may be growing for multimedia artists and animators, other areas of graphic design already have thousands of workers and the potential for new jobs. The top three industries with the highest levels of employment for graphic designers are:

Specialized design services
Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers
Advertising, public relations, and related services

Obviously these fields overlap in certain areas, but if you want to work in the publishing industry you should take additional courses in bookmaking and publishing design. On the other hand, to work in advertising you should take courses in commercial photography, corporate identity, marketing, and professional business practices.

No matter which area of graphic design interests you, you should be able to find graphic design colleges with a matching curriculum.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Design Careers, Design Education, Graphic Design 2 Comments

10 Criteria to Help You Choose a Graphic Design School, Part 2

October 25, 2010 – 2:22 pm

Here are the final 5 of 10 criteria that can help you choose a graphic design school:

6. Faculty Credentials: Review a list of the faculty at the graphic design school you’re considering. Where were they educated? What is their professional experience? Do they focus solely on teaching now or continue to work in either research or graphic design careers themselves?

7. Faculty Balance: There are two types of balance you have to consider. First, the ratio of full-time faculty versus adjunct faculty. This could go either way because full-time faculty offers you continuity while adjunct faculty can bring in specific expertise. Second, and far more important, is the student-to-faculty ratio. You want this to be as low as possible.

8. Alumni: Does the school have any famous alumni? Ask for a list of where alumni typically end up. Do they get jobs at firms that interest you? How long did it take them to get a good first job?

9. Student Activity: Are there student-run design associations? Can students regularly display their work at design exhibitions? Check out how much exhibition space the school has and how they use it.

10. School Facilities: One of the most important things to consider with any graphic design school is the quality of its facilities. Are there enough computers available? How about darkrooms? Studio space? Is the equipment old or new? Well-maintained or falling apart? Does the library have plenty of books and periodicals?

To get accurate answers to these questions, make sure to tour the campus. Talk to current students and faculty. Ask the school if you can contact some design alumni to find out their thoughts on their graphic design educations. That’s the key–don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is your future, after all.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Design Education, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101 1 Comment

10 Criteria to Help You Choose a Graphic Design School, Part 1

October 25, 2010 – 2:02 pm

Here are the first 5 of 10 criteria that can help you choose a graphic design school:

1. Curriculum: Review the entire program at any graphic design school you’re considering. Read through the descriptions of every course. Can you find courses that match your interests and career intentions?

2. Electives: Do you want to go beyond your major to learn additional skills? If so, does this particular program allow you to choose your own electives? Can you double major or have a minor if you want?

3. Role of the freshman: Your freshman courses establish the foundation of your entire graphic design education, so make sure your school takes them seriously. Do qualified faculty members teach them or are they taught by graduate students?

4. Type of school: Do you prefer a typical 4-year college or university that gives you a complete liberal arts education along with your graphic design classes? Or would you prefer an art school with a more narrow focus? You could also choose to start at a 2-year school and transfer elsewhere, or select a shorter program with a highly specific focus.

5. School extras: Does your school help you get an internship while studying? An internship can be an invaluable gateway to your first job. Similarly, would you like the experience of studying abroad? If so, does your school have a foreign exchange program?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. You have to consider what’s important to you and your own graphic design education needs.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Adobe Photoshop, Design Education, Graphic Design, Graphic Design 101, Hot in Design Daily No Comments

Lessons to Learn from Gap’s Rebranding Disaster

October 22, 2010 – 11:03 pm

Creating logos can form a large part of some graphic design careers. If that logo is for an entire company, then you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders. Here are three important things Gap’s recent failure at rebranding their own logo should teach you not to do:

1. Don’t underestimate the public’s awareness of design

As Jim Edwards said in BNET, “The 21^st Century has really stripped the mystery from design and advertising. Most consumers have better software on their laptops today than professional designers had on their desktops 20 years ago.” How did Gap get it wrong? Most people with computers could probably create that graduated blue box in just a few minutes. Your logo needs to be something more complex than what kids could do themselves.

2. When rebranding, make sure it effects the entire brand and not just the logo

You can make the logo as modern and flashy as you want. If the product remains the same as always, your consumers won’t care much that it comes in different packaging. Similarly, don’t rebrand just because you think it’s time or that the image needs to be refreshed. From inside the company, you can’t see outside opinions clearly. Don’t mess with something that’s working well.

3. Ironically, a redesign can show you just how much customer loyalty you have

AOL created a new logo and most people didn’t even notice. It’s likely no one gave the Gap logo much thought yesterday, but today it’s fresh in people’s minds. And the harsh protests against the new logo stem in part from people who still appreciate the tradition of Gap’s original design.

By All Graphic Design Staff Posted in Best of Logo Design, Design News, Hot in Design Daily, Logo Design Tutorials 1 Comment