A Complete Guide on Seven In-Demand Career Roles to Explore in Visual Design
Visual design is a broad field that encompasses various disciplines, skills, and tools. It is the art and science of creating effective and engaging visual communication for different media and platforms. Visual designers use typography, colors, images, layouts, and other elements to convey messages, emotions, and stories to their audiences.
Visual design is also a highly sought-after career path, as it offers many opportunities for creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Visual designers can work in various industries and sectors, such as web design, graphic design, user interface design, user experience design, animation, illustration, branding, marketing, and more.
But how do you become a visual designer? What are the different roles and responsibilities that visual designers can have? And what are the skills and qualifications that you need to succeed in this field?
In this guide, we will answer these questions and more. We will explore seven in-demand career roles that you can pursue as a visual designer, and provide you with examples, tips, and resources to help you get started. Here are the seven roles we will cover:
- Web Designer
- Graphic Designer
- User Interface Designer
- User Experience Designer
- Animator
- Illustrator
- Brand Designer
Web Designer
A web designer is a visual designer who creates the look and feel of websites and web applications. They are responsible for designing the layout, navigation, typography, color scheme, images, icons, and other visual elements that make up a website or web app.
Web designers work closely with web developers, who turn their designs into functional and interactive web pages using code. Web designers also collaborate with clients, stakeholders, and users to understand their needs, goals, and preferences, and to ensure that their designs meet the requirements and expectations.
Some of the skills and tools that web designers need to master are:
- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript: These are the basic languages of the web, and web designers need to know how to use them to create and style web pages, and to add interactivity and functionality.
- Web design software: Web designers use various software and tools to create and edit their designs, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe XD, Sketch, Figma, and more.
- Web design principles: Web designers need to follow the best practices and guidelines of web design, such as responsiveness, accessibility, usability, readability, consistency, and aesthetics.
- Web design trends: Web designers need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in web design, such as minimalism, dark mode, parallax scrolling, animations, and more.
Some examples of web design portfolios are:
- Adham Dannaway: A web designer and developer who showcases his skills and projects in a creative and interactive way.
- Julia Khusainova: A web designer and art director who displays her elegant and minimalist web designs for various brands and clients.
- Robby Leonardi: A web designer and developer who created a fun and engaging interactive resume that looks like a video game.
Graphic Designer
A graphic designer is a visual designer who creates and combines text, images, symbols, and other visual elements to communicate a message or idea. They are involved in various aspects of visual communication, such as branding, advertising, packaging, editorial, signage, and more.
Graphic designers use different techniques and tools to create their designs, such as drawing, painting, photography, typography, illustration, and graphic design software. They also need to have a good understanding of color theory, composition, layout, and visual hierarchy.
Graphic designers often work with clients or employers to understand their objectives, target audience, and desired outcomes. They also need to present their ideas and concepts, and incorporate feedback and revisions into their final designs.
Some of the skills and tools that graphic designers need to master are:
- Graphic design software: Graphic designers use various software and tools to create and edit their designs, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, CorelDRAW, and more.
- Graphic design principles: Graphic designers need to follow the best practices and guidelines of graphic design, such as balance, contrast, alignment, repetition, proximity, and harmony.
- Graphic design elements: Graphic designers need to know how to use the basic elements of graphic design, such as line, shape, form, space, color, texture, and value.
- Graphic design trends: Graphic designers need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in graphic design, such as retro, geometric, gradient, 3D, and more.
Some examples of graphic design portfolios are:
- Jessica Walsh: A graphic designer and art director who creates bold and colorful designs for various clients and projects.
- Mike Kus: A graphic designer and illustrator who specializes in web design, branding, and print design.
- Paula Scher: A graphic designer and partner at Pentagram who is known for her influential and iconic designs for logos, posters, books, and more.
User Interface Designer
A user interface designer is a visual designer who creates the interface of a digital product, such as a website, app, game, or software. They are responsible for designing the elements that users interact with, such as buttons, menus, icons, forms, and more.
User interface designers work closely with user experience designers, who focus on the overall functionality and usability of the product. User interface designers also collaborate with developers, who implement their designs into code. User interface designers need to consider the user’s needs, preferences, and expectations, and design an interface that is intuitive, attractive, and consistent.
Some of the skills and tools that user interface designers need to master are:
- User interface design software: User interface designers use various software and tools to create and prototype their designs, such as Adobe XD, Sketch, Figma, InVision, and more.
- User interface design principles: User interface designers need to follow the best practices and guidelines of user interface design, such as clarity, simplicity, feedback, consistency, and accessibility.
- User interface design patterns: User interface designers need to know how to use the common patterns and components of user interface design, such as navigation, input, output, layout, and more.
- User interface design trends: User interface designers need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in user interface design, such as dark mode, neumorphism, microinteractions, and more.
Some examples of user interface design portfolios are:
- Tobias van Schneider: A user interface designer and former lead product designer at Spotify who creates sleek and minimalist designs for various digital products.
- Linda Eliasen: A user interface designer and illustrator who creates playful and colorful designs for various apps and games.
- Jonah Lempa: A user interface designer and developer who creates modern and elegant designs for various websites and apps.
User Experience Designer
A user experience designer is a visual designer who creates the experience of a digital product, such as a website, app, game, or software. They are responsible for designing the flow, structure, functionality, and usability of the product.
User experience designers work closely with user interface designers, who focus on the appearance and interaction of the product. User experience designers also collaborate with developers, who implement their designs into code. User experience designers need to research and understand the user’s needs, goals, and behaviors, and design a product that is user-friendly, user-centric, and user-oriented.
Some of the skills and tools that user experience designers need to master are:
- User experience design software: User experience designers use various software and tools to create and test their designs, such as Adobe XD, Sketch, Figma, InVision, and more.
- User experience design principles: User experience designers need to follow the best practices and guidelines of user experience design, such as empathy, simplicity, feedback, consistency, and accessibility.
- User experience design methods: User experience designers need to know how to use the common methods and techniques of user experience design, such as user research, user personas, user journeys, user stories, wireframes, prototypes, and more.
- User experience design trends: User experience designers need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in user experience design, such as voice interaction, augmented reality, virtual reality, and more.
Some examples of user experience design portfolios are:
- [Sarah Parmenter]: A user experience designer and founder of You Know Who, a design studio that creates user experiences for various digital products.
- [Nick Babich]: A user experience designer and editor-in-chief of UX Planet, a medium publication that covers user experience design topics and trends.
- [Julie Zhuo]: A user experience designer and former vice president of product design at Facebook, who led the design of various Facebook products and features.
Animator
An animator is a visual designer who creates and manipulates images, objects, or characters to create motion and movement. They are involved in various aspects of animation, such as 2D animation, 3D animation, stop motion animation, motion graphics, and more.
Animators use different techniques and tools to create their animations, such as drawing, modeling, rigging, rendering, and animation software. They also need to have a good understanding of anatomy, physics, timing, and storytelling.
Animators often work with clients or employers to understand their objectives, target audience, and desired outcomes. They also need to present their ideas and concepts, and incorporate feedback and revisions into their final animations.
Some of the skills and tools that animators need to master are:
- Animation software: Animators use various software and tools to create and edit their animations, such as Adobe Animate, Adobe After Effects, Blender, Maya, and more.
- Animation principles: Animators need to follow the best practices and guidelines of animation, such as squash and stretch, anticipation, staging, follow through, and more.
- Animation styles: Animators need to know how to use the different styles and genres of animation, such as cartoon, realistic, abstract, and more.
- Animation trends: Animators need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in animation, such as 3D printing, motion capture, artificial intelligence, and more.
Some examples of animation portfolios are:
- [Jorge R. Canedo Estrada]: An animator and director who creates stunning and expressive motion graphics and animations for various clients and projects.
- [Rachel Ryle]: An animator and illustrator who creates charming and whimsical stop motion animations using everyday objects and materials.
- [Glen Keane]: An animator and legend who created some of the most iconic and beloved characters and animations for Disney, such as Ariel, Beast, Aladdin, and more.
Illustrator
An illustrator is a visual designer who creates and draws images, illustrations, or artworks to communicate a message or idea. They are involved in various aspects of illustration, such as editorial, advertising, book, comic, concept, and more.
Illustrators use different techniques and tools to create their illustrations, such as sketching, painting, digital drawing, vector graphics, and illustration software. They also need to have a good understanding of color theory, composition, perspective, and style.
Illustrators often work with clients or employers to understand their objectives, target audience, and desired outcomes. They also need to present their ideas and concepts, and incorporate feedback and revisions into their final illustrations.
Some of the skills and tools that illustrators need to master are:
- Illustration software: Illustrators use various software and tools to create and edit their illustrations, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, and more.
- Illustration principles: Illustrators need to follow the best practices and guidelines of illustration, such as contrast, harmony, balance, and more.
- Illustration styles: Illustrators need to know how to use the different styles and genres of illustration, such as realistic, cartoon, abstract, and more.
- Illustration trends: Illustrators need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in illustration, such as minimalism, collage, gradient, and more.
Some examples of illustration portfolios are:
- Malika Favre: An illustrator and artist who creates bold and minimalist illustrations for various clients and projects.
- Pascal Campion: An illustrator and animator who creates warm and colorful illustrations that capture the beauty and emotion of everyday life.
- Yuko Shimizu: An illustrator and educator who creates striking and dynamic illustrations for various publications and brands.
Brand Designer
A brand designer is a visual designer who creates and develops the identity and image of a brand, such as a company, product, service, or organization. They are responsible for designing the logo, name, slogan, color scheme, typography, and other visual elements that represent the brand and its values, personality, and message.
Brand designers work closely with clients or employers to understand their vision, mission, goals, and target audience. They also collaborate with other designers, marketers, and strategists to create and implement a consistent and coherent brand strategy across different channels and platforms.
Some of the skills and tools that brand designers need to master are:
- Brand design software: Brand designers use various software and tools to create and edit their designs, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and more.
- Brand design principles: Brand designers need to follow the best practices and guidelines of brand design, such as simplicity, memorability, versatility, and relevance.
- Brand design elements: Brand designers need to know how to use the basic elements of brand design, such as logo, name, slogan, color, typography, and more.
- Brand design trends: Brand designers need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations in brand design, such as minimalism, typography, gradient, and more.
Some examples of brand design portfolios are:
- [David Airey]: A brand designer and author who creates and develops the identity and image of various brands and clients.
- [Jessica Hische]: A brand designer and letterer who creates and designs the logo, name, slogan, and typography of various brands and projects.
- [Sagi Haviv]: A brand designer and partner at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv who creates and designs the logo, name, slogan, and color scheme of various iconic and famous brands.
Conclusion
Visual design is a diverse and exciting field that offers many career opportunities for creative and talented individuals. Whether you want to create websites, graphics, interfaces, experiences, animations, illustrations, or brands, there is a role for you in visual design.
In this guide, we have explored seven in-demand career roles that you can pursue as a visual designer, and provided you with examples, tips, and resources to help you get started. By following these steps, you will be able to discover your passion, develop your skills, and showcase your portfolio.
If you need more help, you can check out these resources:
- [Visual Design: The Complete Guide - CareerFoundry]
- [Visual Design: Foundations of Design and Print Production - Coursera]
- [Visual Design: 25 Essential Skills for Designers - Creative Bloq]
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