Computer Graphic Arts & Design Careers

When you think of computer graphic arts, or computer design, you might limit your possibilities to careers that involve designing websites or web pages on a computer. But, actually, careers in computer graphic arts and design could involve many things. One example is a newspaper or magazine article. The publishing company will need a well-designed page layout that best promotes all of its writers' articles, as well as the creation and display of any advertisement space sold.

While certainly not extensive, below is a list--a general overview--of some of the occupations available to those interested in pursuing a management role in a computer graphic arts and design career. In the area of management, several occupations are available: Creative Director, Art Production Manager and Art Director. These positions generally entail oversight of a creative team, artists, illustrators, photographers and copywriters, as well as others who are involved in the day-to-day graphic design objectives of the company in question.

Becoming an artist (such as a writer, designer, painter, photographer, videographer, developer, animator or production artist) is but one creative career option available. And even in this one option, you can find many different fields of employment. For example, a writer may write poetry, short stories, fiction or prose for the creative industry medium and yet also write non-fiction, textbooks or scholarly journal articles for another medium like academia. Thus, the creative career options are almost limitless when you consider the multitude of mediums available to represent the type of works produced by artists.

It goes without saying that a certain amount of talent is usually inherent in someone seeking to pursue a creative career field, as it is practically impossible to create another Van Gogh through a college course. However, there is also a place for education and training in the computer graphic arts and design careers, as some things can be learned and improved upon through the acquisition of new skills and more advanced practice. This is also true of those seeking management positions within this field. An example of this is the photographer. He or she may be very talented at photographing items and people without any prior training, but with additional training and practice there will inevitably be new skills acquired and older skills fine-tuned. In addition, if he is promoted to Art Director, he will also have need of management skills, which can be acquired through business college courses.

Like the photographer mentioned above, the more a writer writes--and attends classes and writing workshops with more seasoned and talented writers--the more he will improve his own skill with the written word. Therefore, it is important to recognize that talent does sometimes need to be cultivated. Art and design schools, independent workshops and seminars, as well as colleges and universities with graphics and art departments, exist and offer those individuals interested in the graphic arts and design field an opportunity to cultivate new skills, or to improve the ones they already have.

According to the United States Department of Labor's website, a minimum of either an associate's or bachelor's degree is needed in order to be employed either in an entry-level or an advanced position in the graphic arts and design field of many companies. As more companies move toward using the medium of the computer as its artist's canvas, it is becoming even more important for those aspiring to work in the graphic arts and design field to become educated in new and changing developments with computer graphics and design software. One of the easier ways to do this is in the setting of a formal college graphic design software class or design school classroom.

There is an anticipated 10 percent growth expected over the next 7 years for graphic designers who hold a bachelor's degree in the field and who are competent in their knowledge of computer design software. Proficiency in designing web sites--or in animation--would also work in favor of anyone pursuing this career path in the near future, as these skills are--and will continue to be--in great demand.

On average, individuals employed as graphic designers in the graphic art and design field realized incomes between $30,000 and $53,000 during 2007, according to the United States Department of labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics report. This report does not reflect any financial data, of course, for the approximated 25 percent of freelancers in this field who may--or may not--earn more or less than those employed full-time by recognized companies in the field.