3 answers
Jessica
Student
Woodside, CA
4
Questions
Asked
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What courses can I take in college/high school to become a graphic designer?
I'm in high school but I'm thinking of doing middle college next year. I'm not sure what classes I should take that would help me in the future. #graphic-design
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3 answers
ashley schwartau
Tech Learning and Communications Consultant (Snr)
4
Answers
Nashville, Tennessee
Updated
ashley’s Answer
Before I respond, I want to provide context: I went to college for digital media, which focused heavily on graphic design and web design. The first 10+ years of my career, I would have described myself as a graphic designer. Much of my job was graphic design related, and even once I got into management, I was still overseeing major design projects.
Today, nearly 20 years since I graduated college, I would not advise anyone to go to school in order to be "a graphic designer". I would rather suggest that you learn the foundations of design (everything the above commenters mentioned: color theory, rule of thirds, typography rules, ins and outs of why things that look good look good and why things that look bad look bad. Understand it, be able to do it... and then leverage AI to do it more efficiently. Become proficient in the Adobe Suite and all of their AI functionality, even if you dont WANT to. Yes, there is pride in being able to do things ourselves -- and when we're working on personal projects or have an unlimited amount of time/money, that's great -- but in the fast-paced hustle of entrepreneurship or corporate life, you're gonna need to be fast and you're gonna need to use the AI tools in your toolbox.
Also, arm yourself with knowledge beyond 'graphic design'. Become a one-stop-shop, a Jack/Jane of all trades, a renaissance wo/man -- someone who can not just design the website but build it, someone who can not just design the logo but animate it, someone who can not just execute the work order but strategize with the client about their needs. Our jobs/roles will change dramatically over the next decades thanks to AI, and that means instead of very specialized roles/jobs, we will all need to have a broader range of skills. Graphic design, video editing, animation, web design, etc.
Also understanding how/why graphic design is used -- its not just about making things pretty. It's about communicating information effectively and creating a positive user experience (whether that experience is navigating a website, using a banking app, following signage in an IKEA, or reading a long-form article in a magazine). Graphic design is EVERYWHERE -- billboards, street signs, real estate benches, posters, tickets, literally ANYTHING you see or touch that has text and graphics had to be designed. So broaden your scope of understanding of what this area includes and learn as many tangential skills as you can.
Classes to check out to make you the most versatile irreplaceable graphic designer:
- communications classes - understanding message design and how language impacts our understanding of messages will help you better design content/products/information
- art theory and art history - good foundations!
- basic comp sci or information technology - it's a good idea to have a basic understanding of the technology you use!
- video editing and/or animation
- marketing and advertising - related to comms, very important to understand one of the most common 'uses' of graphic design
- UI/UX - we live in an interactive digital world so much of graphic design will be related to interactive experiences such as apps, websites, games, so any classes related to UI/UX and interactive design will help
- interactive experience - related but very different, if you can take any classes related to interactive experiences (not digital; think theme parks!) this will give you lots of insight into how people behave and respond to stimuli, which will be helpful in design
- AI - soak it all up! We're at the tip of the iceberg right now, but learn as much as you can. Get comfortable using it.
- psychology - helps understand the EMOTIONS that design can elicit/manipulate
Today, nearly 20 years since I graduated college, I would not advise anyone to go to school in order to be "a graphic designer". I would rather suggest that you learn the foundations of design (everything the above commenters mentioned: color theory, rule of thirds, typography rules, ins and outs of why things that look good look good and why things that look bad look bad. Understand it, be able to do it... and then leverage AI to do it more efficiently. Become proficient in the Adobe Suite and all of their AI functionality, even if you dont WANT to. Yes, there is pride in being able to do things ourselves -- and when we're working on personal projects or have an unlimited amount of time/money, that's great -- but in the fast-paced hustle of entrepreneurship or corporate life, you're gonna need to be fast and you're gonna need to use the AI tools in your toolbox.
Also, arm yourself with knowledge beyond 'graphic design'. Become a one-stop-shop, a Jack/Jane of all trades, a renaissance wo/man -- someone who can not just design the website but build it, someone who can not just design the logo but animate it, someone who can not just execute the work order but strategize with the client about their needs. Our jobs/roles will change dramatically over the next decades thanks to AI, and that means instead of very specialized roles/jobs, we will all need to have a broader range of skills. Graphic design, video editing, animation, web design, etc.
Also understanding how/why graphic design is used -- its not just about making things pretty. It's about communicating information effectively and creating a positive user experience (whether that experience is navigating a website, using a banking app, following signage in an IKEA, or reading a long-form article in a magazine). Graphic design is EVERYWHERE -- billboards, street signs, real estate benches, posters, tickets, literally ANYTHING you see or touch that has text and graphics had to be designed. So broaden your scope of understanding of what this area includes and learn as many tangential skills as you can.
Classes to check out to make you the most versatile irreplaceable graphic designer:
- communications classes - understanding message design and how language impacts our understanding of messages will help you better design content/products/information
- art theory and art history - good foundations!
- basic comp sci or information technology - it's a good idea to have a basic understanding of the technology you use!
- video editing and/or animation
- marketing and advertising - related to comms, very important to understand one of the most common 'uses' of graphic design
- UI/UX - we live in an interactive digital world so much of graphic design will be related to interactive experiences such as apps, websites, games, so any classes related to UI/UX and interactive design will help
- interactive experience - related but very different, if you can take any classes related to interactive experiences (not digital; think theme parks!) this will give you lots of insight into how people behave and respond to stimuli, which will be helpful in design
- AI - soak it all up! We're at the tip of the iceberg right now, but learn as much as you can. Get comfortable using it.
- psychology - helps understand the EMOTIONS that design can elicit/manipulate
Marcos Wright-Kuhns
Software Engineer
4
Answers
Portland, Oregon
Updated
Marcos’s Answer
I'd suggest trying out a few different types of digital design, because there are lots of different potential careers that could be a good fit for you to combine a love of art and technology. A graphic design class could give you experience with learning text & graphic layout. I took an animation class in college where I learned how design could be used for storytelling and in an interactive web context. Learning more about digital photography and editing can also be helpful when working on projects or a portfolio. Lastly, learning at least a little bit of web design (maybe some HTML and CSS) can open up a whole different side of career opportunities if you find it's interesting to you.
Kerry Lonnen
Risk Manager
2
Answers
Albion, New York
Updated
Kerry’s Answer
If your school offers digital art take that and any art classes offered will help to gain skills.