Careers

Publication Designer

• Job Description:A magazine designer is someone who handles the look of a publication. Magazine designers build advertisements and graphics, and use photos and other forms of artwork to create covers and inside pages. They need to be highly innovative and understand their magazine's demographic, analyzing trends and paying close attention to what the competition is doing.
• Skills: A publication designer must be creative and have strong communication skills. A thorough understanding of publication design software is required. They also must be organized and professional and be able to work alone as well as on a team.
• Educational Background: Some jobs require a bachelor's degree, with an emphasis on courses in graphic design, communications, printing techniques and perhaps journalism and communications. Previous experience in creative artwork are also preferred.
• Growth Opportunity: After a few years of working at an entry level job to gain experience, publication designers can become managers or directors within their companies.
• Employment: Freelance, magazine, newspaper,
• Salary: A publication designer's salary can be anywhere between around $30,000 to $65,000 per year.
• Skill Building Jobs: Intern at a publication design company or magazine, volunteer to create things such as brochures, tickets, etc., for a school club or organization.

Production Artist

• Job Description: Assist graphic designers by editing work. They are the last person to edit an image before sent out to the public.
• Skills: Check sizes, know graphic design programs, know technical aspects of designs and images.
• Education: Four years in college.
• Growth: Companies can hire more production artists.
• Salary: $40,000-$100,000
• Skill Building Jobs: Graphic design class, internships, school newspaper.

Graphic Designer

• Job Description: Create visual solutions to communicate problems in an effective way by using color type, illustration, and photography.
• Skills: Creativity, communication, problem solving, familiar with graphic software.
• Education: Bachelors degree, portfolio.
• Growth: 1-3 years of working experience.
• Employment: Advertisement, publications
• Salary: On average $32,000-$56,000
• Skill Building Jobs: Internships, classes, volunteering to design for clubs.

Art Director

• Job Description: Creates visual concepts for things from billboards to magazine layouts.
• Skills: Excellent judgement, persuasion, creativity, communication
• Education: 4 year bachelors degree and several years of working experience in art or design.
• Salary: $82,000 to $150,000

Creative Director

•  Job Description:Determines the best ways for a company to represent itself. Pitch ideas to clients.
• Skills: High level of concepts of designs and design software. People oriented. Understand what clients want if they aren't able to articulate it. Multi-tasker. Be able to tell a story through design.
• Education: Undergraduate degree in fine arts or related field, experience working with a large-scale website.
• Salary: $130,000 average

Illustrator

• Job Description: Combine art, design, and creative skills to develop ideas and create images.
• Skills: Excellent drawing, imagination, creative.
• Education: Bachelors degree, portfolio, experience.
• Salary: $14,000 to $19,000
• Skill Building Jobs: Workshops from firms to build skills.

Web Design

• Job Description: Create look of a website for a client.
• Skills: Background in fine arts, graphic design. Knowledge of graphic design software and multiple operating systems.
• Education: Bachelors degree in graphic field. Typography, drawing, graphic design classes.
• Growth: Web project manager, web consultant.
• Salary: $46,000 - $81,000
• Skill Building Jobs: Work on school websites.

Package Design

• Job Description: Designing the outside look of a product such as the label of a Coke can.
• Skills: Knowledge of color schemes, visual layouts.
• Education: Bachelor degree
• Salary: Average of $62,000

Comic Book Artist

• Job Description: Bring a comic story to life based on what the author writes.
• Education: Art degree from an art school
• Salary: $100-$300 per page.
• Skill Building Jobs: School website or newspaper.

Computer Animation

• Job Description: Create 3D or 2D renderings of images to give motion to objects.
• Skills: Draw, story-telling, timing, composition.
• Education: Knowledge of software. Associate's degree
• Salary: $40,000 starting salary.
• Skill Building Jobs: Physics, algebra, geometry and art classes are helpful.

Freelancer

• Job Description: An independent contractor. Work on projects with several companies.
• Skills: Organization, patience, discipline, intrinsic motivation, knowledge of art software.
• Education: Bachelor Degree will help.
• Salary: $32,000 to $57,000
• Skill Building Jobs: Execute ideas for personal use.

Story Board Artist

• Job Description: Visualize scenarios and perspectives on designs and project them onto story boards.
• Skills: Organization, artistic skills, knowledge of graphic software, punctual with deadlines.
• Education: Bachelors degree is recommended. Experience and skill
• Salary: $30,000 starting salary
• Skill Building Jobs: Internships for small companies, freelance.

Copy Writer

• Job Description: An individual who creates the text to accompany visuals.
• Education: Knowledge of typography, 3-5 y
• Salary: $40,000 average

Portrait Photographer

• Job Description: Takes pictures of individuals or groups, workign in studios or on location
• Skills: Multi-tasker, technology,
• Growth: Studio manager, teach photography, open own studio, take pictures for events
• Salary: $31,000

Documentary Photographer

• Job Description: Produce truthful, objective, and candid subjects to inform the public, document history, or provide information for researchers.
• Skills: Passion for current events, creative, fast thinker, curious.
• Education: Bachelors Degree in photo-journalism, knowledge of graphic design software.
• Salary: $39,000

Advertising Photographer

• Job Description: Take pictures of various subjects for promotional purposes.
• Skills: Conceptual and technical skills of photography equipment.
• Salary: $50,000 to $150,000
• Skill Building Jobs: Art classes, photography classes.

Editorial Photographer

• Job Description: Takes photos for stories and articles.
• Skills: Creative, imagination, technical knowledge of photography.
• Education: Bachelors in Editorial photography.
• Salary: $25,000 average.

Fashion Photography

• Job Description: Photography of clothing and other fashion items, focusing on the mood of accessories and clothing.
• Skills: Knowledge of photography and design.
• Education: Professional photography degree, strong portfolio.
• Salary: $50,000 to $100,000

Sports Photography

• Job Description:
• Skills:
• Education:
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Photojournalism

• Job Description: Responsible for providing high quality images to communicate a meaning or story.
• Skills: Knowledge of photography.
• Education: Bachelors in arts or visual communication.
• Salary: $18,000 - $40,000 average starting.
•  Skill Building Jobs: Internships, strong portfolio, photography classes. Blogs, newspapers, magazines, websites.

AIGA: American Institute of Graphic Arts

• A group of people who want to support, inform, and inspire artists who want to enter into the graphic design career. They educate people on how graphic design affects the world.
• Experience for more than 4 years will raise your level within the organization.
• Help seek other job opportunities in the design field.

 PIAG: Printing and Imaging Association of Georgia

• Support the graphic arts.
• Exist to educate the public about the importance of print, to act as a catalyst of the printing and imaging industry, and to strengthen the members of PIAG through educational and business relations.
• To become a member, fill out an information sheet and submit it to the group.

SPD: Society of Publication Designers

• A professional organization to support designers working on publications.
• Goal is to help support the industry.

PPA: Professional Photographers of America

• Founded in 1869
• Use online database to represent and refer photographers. Make sure they are reliable and trained.
• Different levels of membership such as aspiring photographer and professional photographer.

APA: American Photographic Artists

• Helps find other jobs for photographers.
• Sign up as student, professional, emerging, international, and much more.

NAPP: National Association of Photoshop Professionals

•  Create in-depth designs that are market leading to certain audiences.
• Represent photographers. 
• Utilize Adobe Photoshop.
• Focus on emphasis and balance to create an effective image.
• Working experience with advertisement, creativity and imagination.

NPPA: National Press Photography Association

• Support the advancement of photojournalism. Encourage photojournalists to produce high quality work.
• Hold competitions and contests.