Essential Components of a Graphic Design Degree

Graphic design is a highly competitive market for new employees to break into. As such, it has become a virtual necessity to earn at least an Associate's Degree even to gain employment in the more junior roles. The exact areas covered by a degree will vary depending on the specialty of design that you choose. Some students may choose the general graphic design route while others may choose to specialize in web design, multimedia, illustration, animation or video game design.

Basic Design Concepts

Basic design covers a vast range of design principles. Color relationships are an important aspect of design because certain messages can be portrayed through colors alone. In marketing and advertising this is a particularly powerful tool but it is used in many other applications of graphic design. Line art and the art of using templates are also covered in basic design principles.

Typography

Typography is the study of using content within design. It includes aspects such as font face, font size and the general placement of type within various varieties of graphic design. Remember that graphic design is used in everything from the creation of brochures and websites where typography is particularly important to graphical adverts that use very little type. In some ways it can be more difficult to determine the appropriate typography when very little text is used.

Digital Imaging Techniques

Digital imaging is a broad topic. It encompasses everything from the use of vector graphics and raster graphics to web design and web graphics. Web design is offered in a large number of graphic design programs because of the growing popularity of the Internet. The web has become a critical medium for advertising, publishing and distributing products and services.

Digital Media Production

Digital media production has also become an increasingly important aspect of graphic design. Anyone looking to progress in a career in television or video should pay close attention to the curriculum focused on Digital video production. As well as the creative elements of digital media production, graphic design degrees also concentrate on the more technical aspects.

Specialized Areas of Design

Specialized aspects of a degree can include web design, animation design, multimedia design and even video game design. Depending on your particular route of career you may want to choose a course that concentrates on one of these particular areas.

Web Design

Web design incorporates not only the design of websites but also any web-based components. Logos, banners and newsletters are just some examples of these. The Internet is huge business and offers the design specialist excellent opportunities to gain and advance a career in design.

Animation and 3D Design

Animation design usually concentrates on the three-dimensional (3D) design of animated characters. These characters are used for various reasons. The obvious examples are animated movies (e.g. Toy Story) and television shows (e.g. The Simpsons). In addition, video game characters, scenery and objects are created by animators. 3D animation is a particularly complex and painstaking design technique. Animated movies can take years to develop and many require the creation of a completely new graphics engine and other software to simulate movement, texture and perspective.

A Final Word on the Software You Will Use

Today, nearly all graphic design is done on computers. The software used varies depending on the purpose of the design and for many projects it will be necessary to use several different pieces of software. As you progress through a degree you will be introduced to the relevant software packages and taught some of the finer details surrounding them.

Software, like any technology, can evolve quickly. This is especially true for animation software where every new game and every new film pushes the limits of the existing product. Keeping abreast of the latest design software features will help you to stay in demand as a graphic designer.

View a list of schools in Florida offering graphic design degrees and programs.