What does a graphic designer do?

[CHRISGEE]

This is a question I posed in the about.com GD forum but I thought I'd bring it over here as well.

How do you guys explain to people, or how SHOULD we be explaining to others, what a graphic designer DOES? In 10 words or less.

Typically, when asked, we describe what we MAKE and not what we DO. Folks ask us 'what do you do for a living?' 'I'm a graphic designer' 'Oh? What do you do?'.........

Our replies are usually along the lines of:

- I design brochures.

- I design logos and corporate collateral

- I design websites

- I design annual reports

That's describes the results of what we do, not what we actually do. What does a graphic designer actually do?

Chris Gee
www.thepreparedmind.com (http://www.thepreparedmind.com)

[morea]

good question!

What do I do... in 10 words or less?
'I am the office b!tch'

but what do I do as a graphic designer? How about:
'Create materials that increase recognition/branding to increase company profitability.'

'They say time is the fire in which we burn.'
- Dr. Tolian Soran</font>

[Patrick Shannon]

When I'm a smart ass, my reply is 'I design stuff.' When I want to get technical, I say something along the lines of 'creating promotional campaigns that best communicate the product's message.'

Err..something.

Patrick Shannon

'Dear valued customer, go home and die. Signed, your friendly graphic artist.'

http://www.patrickshannon.com/mwwc_sm.gif
My War With Culture (http://www.mywarwithculture.com)
Political incorrectness reinvented.

[Bear]

we make the world around you. we shape and mould you. you think you have descisions and independence, but instead, that's just design working well /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/biggrin.gif

C*** Designer

[Magnus]

I usually tell them 'I take creative ideas and turn them into reality.' Basically i take ideas and put'em on paper.

"Sometimes I do what I want...most of the time, I do what I have to." (Cicero, from "Gladiator")

"There is a difference between knowing the path, and walking the path." (Morpheus, from"The Matrix")


"It's not cheating if you win...do what you have to do, but don't sacrifice your own honour in the process." (Taken from my iaido instructor, and modified by me)

"I am serving my time in hell on earth...at the job I am currently employed at." (Magnus, about his job)

[Jason Fraker]

Magnus, you forgot to add that after you take creative ideas and turn them into reality, the customer asks you to turn them into crap before they write a check for it. At least, that's what usually happens to me.

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth puts on its shoes.
-Mark Twain

read my blog (http://jasonfraker.blogster.com/blogApp/?u=jasonfraker&) if you're bored and want to be more so

[CHRISGEE]

How about, Print: 'Create visual communications solutions for businesses'?

Web: 'Create interactive communications solutions for businesses'?

Chris Gee
www.thepreparedmind.com (http://www.thepreparedmind.com)

[D-Zine]

LMAO @ Jason! Sad - but true!

People usually ask me 'what exactly does a graphic designer do' DUHH and I say 'everything around you'

/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/lol.gif

'No more yanky my wanky! The donga need food!!' - heh

[PrintDriver]

'Play on the computer pushing buttons to make pretty pictures.'
1........2..3.......4............5...........6.... ..7.....8........9.......10

Yay, it came out right on the money.

Well, I suppose it depends on who you're talking to...

PD is a grande format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[tZ]

Arrange objects for best satisifation of a client.

Post Edited (tZ) : 4/13/2005 5:27:49 PM GMT

[morea]

that was clearly 15 words. Try again.


/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/lol.gif just kidding, of course!

'They say time is the fire in which we burn.'
- Dr. Tolian Soran</font>

[D-Zine]

/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/rofl.gif
/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/rofl.gif
/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/rofl.gif

'No more yanky my wanky! The donga need food!!' - heh

[defjoe]

typiocally this question comes up at dinner in a resturant. so I take a ketchup bottle and say 'See the Heinz 57 label... someone had to come up with that, that's what I do'

then I get 'ohhhhh that's cool'

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'
'I'm the damn designer, bitches!'

Check out my indie comic book!
www.assassinsguild.net/ (http://www.assassinsguild.net/)

[D-Zine]

Hey! I been there too ^^ !

That could be bc I am rather obsessive about menus :)

'No more yanky my wanky! The donga need food!!' - heh

[EC]

LOL @ DefJoe, that's a good one, can I steal it? lol

Because normally the way I think of it, is that I am a 'visual communicator' -- it's like any other communications discipline (pr, advertising, writing, etc.) but I do it with visual elements to communicate a message and achieve a goal.

But yeah, I can say all that stuff and I still get this:

Them: 'But, what do you DO?'

Me: 'I make brochures and websites and stuff.'

Them: 'Oooooooooooooooh! Neat.'

*sigh*

[C.E.]

LOL funny this was posted.... I had to come up with my own job description and job title.... and it was settled on 'Interactive Communications Designer' which pretty much sums up what everybody above has said. I don't remember all what was in the job desc, but my mom said it was the BEST one she'd ever seen in her life. LMAO

[benjo]

I have to say we do more then graphics. It's a process and until about 2 weeks ago I didn't even think much of it then. Until I read this (http://www.beyondgraphic.org/main.html). Now I see it as we are much more then Graphic Designers heck that doesn't fit anyone but a noob to the industry.

We decipher information and design a process through visual elements to create a sense of communication which is just kick ass! Yes that probably describes it well.

My new objective on my resume will be:

Decipher information and design a process through visual elements to create a sense of communication which just kick ass specifically your competitor. We may discuss salary during your invitation to dinner. Oh and I like seafood.

[D-Zine]

/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/rofl.gif

that was funny Benjo!! LOL!!

'No more yanky my wanky! The donga need food!!' - heh

[benjo]

You like that I'm daring enought to try it out I have a secure job now and hell they might actually take me out to dinner.

[morea]

What does a graphic designer do:

- try to work magic

- get told that all we do is fool around on a computer all day

- 400 revisions, only to have the client decide on the original in the end

- prays fervently for the release of Adobe CSI

'They say time is the fire in which we burn.'
- Dr. Tolian Soran</font>

[GrfxGawd]

Other than what Morea posted first, I tell people:

'I make things pretty and drink lattes. Sometimes I use email and send a message to someone, but not unless I have to. You have to click the mouse. I don't like clicking the mouse. Mostly, it's drinking lattes. It's coffee you know, but really yummy.'

Discussions often stop about there. Which is fine, because most people wouldn't understand what I do even if I tried really hard to explain, and they tried really hard to understand. Which they don't.

Usually if I want to talk about myself I'll sign up and teach a continuing education class at the local technical collge. That way I'm paid for the effort, and students are motivated to pay some attention since they'll be tested on it later.

ALL generalizations are BAD.

[GrfxGawd]

For a real answer, 'We solve problems. We do this by making effective tools. Often the tools are comminucation related.'

That usually gets them asking more helpful questions.

ALL generalizations are BAD.

[PrintDriver]

GrfxGawd, I like the way you think (like me but more articulate about it). Most people never understand what a designer does (or a print tech for that matter) and they just say 'cool' or 'neat' or 'you're lucky' but never really understand. Nor do they care to.

You hit it right on the head with 'problem solver'. We are told at work never to think of a problem as a problem but more as an opportunity to solve a puzzle creatively (and within budget and on time, LOL).

PD is a grande format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

Post Edited (PrintDriver) : 4/14/2005 1:24:04 AM GMT

[wango]

I'm putting 'Creative Engineer' on my business cards. But below is a synopsis of a conversation I have the privilege of encountering just about everyday:

Ignorant Bum*****: 'What do you do?'

Me: 'I'm a graphic designer'

Ignorant Bum*****: 'What does a 'graphic-designer' do?

Me: 'We 'design-graphics'.../DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/dry.gif'

/fin.

I figure, why waste time trying to eloquently articulate your aptitudes to someone (or majority, non-creative populous) who doesn't even have the cerebral capacity to comprehend what you do. what? Do these people think the advertisements, logo's & creative collateral they read & wipe there ass with, were created through ossmosis? Maybe we should all adopt 'ossmosifier' as out title. I bet then, there would be no more stupid questions! /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

-What is Love you ask? Love is something special - like between my dogs butt & the carpet...

[C.E.]

LMAO @ wango...

ya know, that made me think of something else... regarding the link benjo posted above... in this day and age now we have any joe schmo who has a friggen pc and ms publisher and paint shop pro thinking he's a designer... which is funny, because sometimes I'm on the OTHER end of the above conversation, so it would go something like this:

Me: 'What do you do?'
Moron w/ PC: 'I'm a graphicS [note the 's'] designer'
Me: 'Oh really, me too. I got my degree in 99. You?'
Moron: 'Oh, I didn't know you had to have a degree to be a graphics designer. I just use Publisher and Paint Shop Pro...'
Me: *sigh*

[jamodu]

'I give birth to brands'


or

'I draw pictures and get messy with scissors, paper and glue' (depending on who I'm talking to)

Post Edited (jamodu) : 4/14/2005 4:30:36 PM GMT

[wango]

...I don't necessarily think you have to have a degree to be a graphic designer (I know alot a great designers without degrees), but having talent & a job helps :). Doing text logo's for Uncle Pete, from your Sponge Bob decor'ed bedroom does not constitute a career. I find it amusing people assume they can be a professional designer without even using professional grade software, can a surgeon get away with using a butternife & salad fork? /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/dry.gif

-What is Love you ask? Love is something special - like between my dogs butt & the carpet...

[C.E.]

...I didn't mean to imply that you needed a degree to be a designer, as I too know some greatly talented folks who don't have degrees. You pretty much summed up my thoughts with the spongebob statement tho. :)

[Drawing a Blank]

Whenever someone asks me what I do after I tell them I'm a graphic designer the conversation usually goes like this...


Them: A graphic designer huh, so what do you do?


Me: Actually I kill people for a living I just tell people I'm a graphic designer.


Them: Oh.....(backing away slowly).....so do you kill people for the mob or what?


Me: No. Usually it is because they asked me a stupid question. Got a light?





Sorry i couldn't resist. Actually I tell people I bring ideas to life.


there is a balance between two worlds
one with an arrow and a cross
regardless of the balance
my life has become cumbersome

[morea]

we work magic. /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/biggrin.gif

'They say time is the fire in which we burn.'
- Dr. Tolian Soran</font>

[D-Zine]

presactly!

'No more yanky my wanky! The donga need food!!' - heh

[keith1]

That's hilarious Drawing a Blank. Here's how it goes with me.

dumass: what do you do?
me: i'm a graphic designer
dumass: so you design car parts using CAD
me: yep that's it, do you know where the bathroom is?

I live near Detroit so everyone & their grandma works for the Big 3 and for some strange reason graphic design is associated with engineering?????

[Vikia]

hmmmm - I 'create visual solutions that solve my clients' communications/marketing needs'

http://www.vikiandersonsites.com/forumimages/panda.gif
Graphics & Design on Demand (http://www.vikiandersonsites.com)

[Soreen Kid]

I just say 'I may sh!t look pretty', when people ask me what I do.

Inventor of the Monster Proof Duvet.

'All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination.' <sub>- Carl Gustav Jung

[wango]

Your a true intellectual Soreen. :)

-What is Love you ask? Love is something special - like between my dogs butt & the carpet...

[Soreen Kid]

:)

A man of exquisite taste and charm, adn intellectual prowl ;)

Inventor of the Monster Proof Duvet.

'All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination.' <sub>- Carl Gustav Jung