Careers in Graphic Design provide unlimited and diverse opportunities. Careers abound in print and technology media. Careers in Graphic Design continue to be in high demand; however, salary ranges in are fluid depending on employment. Print media tends to be on the lower end of the pay spectrum while technology offers higher salary potential. Graphic Design provides the added benefit of allowing the artist to earn income while doing what they love. Factors such as education, experience, employment, and skills, affect salaries.

Education is essential. Obtaining a certificate or Associate Degree will land a job;…

People who use their computers for graphic design work need computers with specs different from those that will be enough for general users. Because the hardware configuration plays such a huge role in the quality of the final output, most graphic designers take a lot of trouble in choosing their computers. For a long time, Apple was the first and practically the only choice and Macs set the standard for graphic design abilities that others tried, but never could match. Today companies like HP and Dell have introduced PCs and laptops that are able…

You’ve made the decision to work from home as a Graphic Designer-freeing yourself from the daily grind of commuting and the annoyance of office politics! However, it’s important to continue to maintain professional contacts. You may need inspiration and support, advice, a forum to vent professional concerns, or a motivation to improve your skills. The following associations might provide the connection you crave!

The Professional Association for Design (AIGA)

Becoming a member of a network like AIGA gives you a variety of benefits. It provides a member gallery where you can exhibit your portfolio. It has…

One of the key mistakes small businesses make when creating an online presence is trying to do it all themselves, says Jeff Fisher, a graphic designer with 30 years experience, and author of two books on graphic design. Fisher also is a member of the advisory boards for How Magazine, UCDA Designer Magazine and the How Design Conference.

“I always tell business owners do not try this at home,” he says. “Hire a professional who knows what they are doing. It does not need to cost a fortune, but there will be tremendous benefit in bringing…

Your clients are the bread and butter of your graphic design business. Make sure you treat them well. When you talk to your prospective clients, make sure you speak to them in a pleasant voice and in an upbeat tone. Maintain a positive attitude, but do not take their inquiries for granted. Remember, potential clients can change their mind about you in a split second.

More importantly, always make sure you show present clients how much you appreciate them. Your regular clients are the backbone of your business, and without them you would go under.…

John: Tom, when we first met it was a different world! I was dragging a book of 8×10 transparencies around. Does anyone still do that?

Tom: No. But I get a hell of a lot of photographers sending e-mail promotion.

John: Back then you were an art director with Visa. I believe you were running around the world doing TV ads. You’ve worked with a number of prestigious agencies. For a number of years now you have run your own agency. Can you tell us a little of your history, how you got into…

Let’s say you work for a local graphic design company and you are in the middle of bidding against a couple dozen competitors for a large design project. However, there was a catch – they had just several days to finish everything. The very short time provided for the creation of the proposals almost necessarily meant that the final product would suffer in quality.

Instead of sending in a proposal that would have a difficult time in delivery, the business contacted their prospective client and stated that they were misguided in their attempt to achieve…

If you’re a creative person, there is variety of artistic job ideas to do from home. You can find these freelance jobs on various niche boards or you can start your own home based freelance business.

Photography
So you’re a stunning photographer with a keen eye for creating beautiful images. Your photo taking skills are unique and they tell a story. You can take your talent and work as a freelancer or turn it into something more like starting your own home based specialized photography business.

You already know that to be a photographer you need…

1) Motivation and ambition. First and foremost, you must have motivation and ambition to start your graphic design business. If you have a passion for your work and are truly motivated to succeed, then this makes all the difference in the world. A “can do” attitude and the ability to turn motivation and ambition into real work is key to your success.

2) Excellent communication skills. As a graphic designer, you must communicate directly with your clients  –…

How do you choose the best laptop for graphic design? Pretty easy, I might say, since you need to focus a lot on the laptops hardware, rather than its software. In the laptop industry many people tend to choose Dell or Apple, since their brands have made it clear that when you choose one of their products, you won’t ever regret doing so. They are known almost everywhere as being the top of the line in what they do.

But without having to scare away the competition, here are some key factors you might want to…