Inseparable from his graphic tablet, the graphic designer realizes your digital visuals

In the area of ​​drawing and visual, the term "graphic designer" refers to a professional in the image of communication. But today, the appearance of computers and the democratization of the Internet have spawned the birth of a graphic artist of a new genre: the graphic designer. This one specializes in the creation of images by computer. Author of all kinds of print and web media, this business is booming.

A graphic designer is a professional of the communication by the image. He has skills that allow him not only to create graphical media, but also to design them upstream. It is therefore a very generic term, covering a multitude of specialties. This is the case of the graphic designer.

The graphic designer focuses on the production of digital media. His name shows that he works primarily on computer, using a graphics tablet (although some graphic designers have made a strength to work with the mouse and keyboard). This goes through a perfect mastery of graphics software: most often, they are software for CAD / CAM (Photoshop, InDesign, Quark Xpress ...) or 3D (Maya, 3DSmax, Blender ...). The missions of the graphic designer:

• First, it's about identifying the customer's expectations. The graphic designer must be interested in his world and understand what is the problem.
• From this information, he makes a first draft creations to come. These sketches and sketches, called rough are often done in pencil (if it comes from a certifying training, the graphic designer also has drawing skills). That said, nothing prevents the graphic designer to produce them also on the computer.
• The roughs made it possible to specify what the customer was looking for, the graphic designer can start the production of the final visuals.

Unlike other professions (the artistic director, for example, will depart more easily for a mission closer to the executive and the editorial), the graphic designer is very close to this core business: it is a creative. Often, it must take into account a graphic charter, this element from which the identity of a brand is created.

With exception, the graphic designer is able to work on most digital media. It can help to take over the charter of a website, make a photo editing or create a flyer for printing. But again, he likes to specialize.

The choice of a freelance graphic designer. Many professionals say: to be a good graphic designer, it is not enough to have imagination. We must also master several software. On the client side, look for the people your freelancer uses for the mission: they are regularly specified on the CV. Freelance side, consider getting familiar with many of them: it will help you make the difference.

In terms of profile, the freelance graphic designer must know how to review his work. It will happen several times that a person is not satisfied by his first sketches. In this case, there is no choice: he must modify his work, and sometimes even resume it from scratch. Needless to say, therefore, that one must know how to be patient.

Computer graphics is already a specialization in itself. That said, many professionals go further. Chara designers (for the characters), motion designer (for the animation), 3D architect (for the buildings) ... These specializations are interesting because it indicates to the customer that the freelance is interested specifically in an aspect of the visual creation, and so he is particularly experienced on this subject.