Day in the Life of a Graphic Designer

Do you have a creative eye for detail and a passion for bringing a story to life? You could be a graphic designer in the making! 

In a digital world where millions of content is released every second, it’s important for brands to grab people’s attention within the first three seconds of seeing an image. Look at Airbnb, for instance. They are a great example of a brand that is creating great content through their branding about living an active life. To do this, they tell an enticing story that convinces people why they need Airbnb in their lives! 

Graphic design is key to a brand’s success and something that could be great for you if you’re looking for a creative career with the autonomy to manage your own workload. This blog explores what a day in the life of a graphic designer looks like and explains how you can start your journey.  

What is Graphic Design? 

A common myth with graphic design is that designers simply make things look pretty. Although the presentation is a key part of it, it’s far more than that. Essentially, graphic design is a form of communication using colours, shapes, images, and words to create engaging visual content. Effective graphic design will inspire and inform customers towards a desired action, making it critical to a business’s success. 

What do Graphic Designers do? 

So, we know what graphic design is, so let’s explore what a typical day as a graphic designer would look like. While some designers might focus solely on a specific niche such as logo creation, for instance, others may focus on bringing whole imaginations to life. Designers would use their creative skills to create assets that communicate ideas and knowledge to the audience by sight. Different types of assets may include: 

- Digital screens and billboards  

- Animations and videos  

- Social media assets  

- Webpage designs 

- Print materials 

Most graphic designers are often juggling multiple projects, meaning that it is a career where no two days are the same. It also means that effective time and job management is an essential responsibility for designers to ensure that strong communication and effective timelines are set to deliver all projects on time.  

Additionally, being involved in several projects for different clients means working to multiple specs. This means that collaboration between colleagues and clients is a vital part of a graphic designer’s day. They would need to find out the demand and goals of a project, as well as sizing and branding requirements in order to produce an asset that meets the brief.  

Now, you might be wondering what software designers use? In a nutshell, you’d need to have a thorough understanding of Adobe Creative Suite to become a graphic designer: 

- Photoshop  

- InDesign  

- Illustrator 

- Premiere Pro 

How To Become a Graphic Designer  

Have you got the picture?  

If you think that graphic design is the right path for you, you might be wondering how you can start your journey, right?  

The University of Bolton could have the perfect solution! The BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree offers creative individuals the chance to learn how typography, photography, and illustration can grab attention and communicate ideas, values, and emotions within seconds. We will help you focus on improving your career-relevant skills in an industry where we consume content on a daily basis; whether this be when reading a magazine, searching a website, making purchases, or scrolling through social media.  

Let’s look at some of the course highlights: 

- You will study in our £10 purpose-built facilities that include extensive computer suites featuring the latest design and graphics software, professional standard photographic studios, and fully equipped fine art workshops 

- You will enjoy visiting speaker programmes, providing insights into industry experts’ professional practice and the latest sector developments  

- Students gain the opportunity to work on client-led briefs and they are encouraged to engage in additional live briefs during their spare time; this helps them gain industry-relevant professional experience  

- Students are also encouraged to apply for placements, internships, awards, competitions, masterclasses, and other external development opportunities like design and art directors 

- Students get the chance for their work to be presented in the Bolton School of the Arts creative showcase in their final-year 

To find out more about the BA (Hons) Graphic Design course, click here to see the full course details. 

Come and enjoy #UniAsItShouldBe; a positive and supportive learning environment that puts students’ needs first.