Before diving into the world of graphic design, you should know a few home truths. Just like any other career, working as a graphic designer certainly has its ups and downs but these ten truths will help you to easily work out the pros and cons.

 

Whilst some myths are pretty hilarious, you’ll have to take others seriously if you want a long-standing career. Created by UCreative, this is a good round up of pros and cons. It tackles everything from time management, cash-flow and creativity. You might be surprised by some of the outcomes.

 

10. Graphic Design is easy.

One of the biggest misconceptions about graphic design is that it is easy to be a graphic designer. Just because we graphic designers sit in front of the computer most of the time, people think is it easy and less stressful. But in reality, graphic design is just the same as other jobs that require experience, knowledge and dedication.

 

9. Graphic Design can make you rich. Fast.

As much as we want it to be true, getting rich with graphic design is never easy. More often only 10% of profits go directly to our pockets and the rest goes to paying bills, putting food on the table and using it as capital for another design project.

 

8. Graphic Designers know everything.

Having the ability to read minds sounds great, but unfortunately such skill does not exist. As graphic designers we love to hear what people want for their design but there are time when instructions are vague or completely undecipherable.

 

7. The customer is always right.

Unfortunately unlike myth #8 people think that clients are always in total control of the output just because designers are paid to do their demands. Graphic designers use styles and techniques to create a design and apply what we have learned and school, in seminars and books to in order to create good and effective design.

 

6. Education stops after graduation.

The truth is after graduation there is still the need to study, attend seminars and read books because in the fast paced world of design they have to keep themselves updated from time to time.

 

5. Total reign over design.

It may sound too good to be true, and in reality it is a collaborative process between the designer and the client to achieve the output.

 

4. Fixing design is as fast as a flick of the wrist.

With the help of computers, designers can execute their work faster, but asking a designer to do a design fix in just a matter of hours is a fallacy.

 

3. Graphic Designers are natural born creatives.

There is no such thing as a natural born creative. Everyone starts with a clean slate and throughout the informative years – being exposed to the right influence and environment – they develop this knack of creating extraordinary things that make people go; ‘Wow! I wish i had thought of that idea.’

 

2. Design is only done on the computer all the time.

Most student designers undervalue creating rough sketches on paper because they would rather design directly in the computer. But what they don’t know is that the greatest design ideas start off with a sketch and letting them flow through in a sheet of paper.

 

1. Anyone can be a Graphic Designer

This is the perhaps the biggest fallacy of all. Graphic design is not just some mumbo jumbo – where playing with Photoshop entitles a person to call himself a graphic designer. Being a graphic designer is a lifestyle. We have to live and breath art and design. We need to be up-to-date with the latest design trends and technology. We have to do extensive research before presenting a design proposal to clients. Moreover, we need to be a well-rounded sociable person who can deal with people from all walks of life – not to mention that we must have the knowledge in handling our finances.

 

If you’re already working as a graphic designer, the above will serve as a handy guide for anyone that doesn’t truly understand what you do day-to-day. Be sure to share it around!

 

Source credit: Creative Bloq website