Graphic design is the pinnacle of a visually successful brand. Good design helps build everything from a brand’s image to the user experience, ensuring positive engagement and satisfaction across all touchpoints. That’s why a skilled computer graphic artist is a valuable investment for any brand.
This blog aims to cover exactly what the role of a computer graphic artist entails.
Whether you’re a business owner or a new designer, understanding the role of a computer graphic artist is crucial. Thus, this blog’s purpose is twofold: to educate business owners and brands on what to expect from a computer graphic artist and to guide new designers on the requirements and responsibilities of their role.
Don’t let the term computer graphic artist throw you off. A computer graphic artist is essentially a graphic designer. Why the term is coined this way is largely due to what a computer graphic artist does.
A computer graphic artist is usually someone with artistic capabilities. But what separates them from a traditional artist is that they use those skills to create different types of designs on their computers with special software.
A computer graphic artist is also someone who creates various designs with letters, words, pictures, and so many other elements to help a brand or a business communicate a specific goal or message.
Some of the types of graphic design a computer graphic artist typically knows to create include:
How well each of these designs turns out depends on the skill level of the computer graphic artist.
There are many skills that a computer graphic artist must possess. Let’s look at a few of them.
Artistry is not the only skill that a computer graphic artist needs to create designs. For graphic designers, discipline is a crucial part of their job.
Generally, “art” can be anything with the artist being the sole ideator. Graphic design is much more controlled than that. A graphic designer usually carries out the desires and expectations of a brand or business. Thus, a computer graphic artist must be disciplined to follow a brief, brand guide, or directions.
This is not to say that graphic designers aren’t allowed creative freedom. It simply means that the latter is governed by an external set of rules that a typical artist is not essentially bound by.
Out of these rules, strictly adhering to graphic design principles is one of the most crucial ones. It is an essential skill that a computer graphic artist must possess, and the next one we will look at.
Graphic design principles help designs be the best version of themselves. A computer graphic artist practicing these principles will be considered a skillful designer. Learning these principles and mastering them is a skill that takes practice.
An excellent example of such a skill to hone is understanding visual hierarchy.
Visual hierarchy refers to the order in which a design must be consumed by the beholder. It’s the intended perusal order. And this order is determined with a clear goal.
Here’s a good example that showcases this:
A computer graphic artist must possess the skills to put together a design like this where they guide the viewer’s eyes along a pattern. As we said, it takes practice, but once they’ve understood things like balance and emphasis between elements like letters and images, they will turn out great designs.
Other skills belonging to this category include knowledge and an understanding of color theory, specifications for print and digital designs, and typography for an understanding of fonts in design. A mastery of all of these design principles will ensure creatives that are visually pleasing and meet industry standards.
Even if a computer graphic artist receives a brief from a client, it’s within their responsibilities to ideate and improve upon the brief. No one likes cookie-cutter designs. If a design looks like a basic template that can be found anywhere there is no need for a designer.
A computer graphic artist must be creative enough to build the design uniquely while still adhering to a client’s brief and branding. This too is a skill that takes practice.
Now if a designer is not clear about the creative direction or is having trouble ideating they may request for references that will help the ideation process. It’s perfectly natural to have creative blocks and a reference will help overcome this.
Here’s another helpful blog on where to get graphic design inspiration.
Speaking of requesting references, a computer graphic artist must be good at communication. They must be good at letting their clients know of additional requirements and unclear areas.
They must also be able to explain the rationale for certain design directions if requested by a client.
An additional tip for designers to improve communication would be to listen well.
In some cases, when designers are engrossed and super focused in the creative process they tend not to be good at communicating, like providing frequent updates or statuses about tasks. Those communication gaps could pave the way to problems sometimes.
That’s why some flat fee design companies like Penji, Design Pickle, and KIMP hire project managers to coordinate between graphic designers and clients ensuring that both parties don’t miss out on important updates.
Beyond communication skills, a computer graphic artist must also be tech-savvy. As we established previously, they will be working with different computer software. Navigating these tools isn’t that easy and requires proper training and a good amount of practice using them.
Here are some of the design software that a computer graphic artist is required to know:
These software here are acceptable industry-standard design software suitable to carry out various design tasks across different design categories.
A graphic designer may not be skilled at all these software equally. But it is useful to have some sort of general knowledge of each.
A skilled computer graphic artist will know which software is best suited for each task.
For instance, Adobe Illustrator is ideal for creating vector-based designs such as logos, icons, brand guides, and printed material. Adobe Photoshop is the best tool for tasks involving photo editing, retouching, and creating intricate graphics for social media, and web design. On the other hand, Adobe InDesign is perfect for layout design, making it the go-to software for creating editorial designs.
Additionally, here’s a non-designer’s guide to design software.
Time management is an all-important skill that every graphic designer must have. Being a computer graphic artist means working in a fast-paced environment. Even when working from home, designers must meet deadlines and maintain professionalism in their dealings.
Most design categories that fall under the umbrella of graphic design, like social media design, web ads, email templates, etc are time-sensitive content. They need to be uploaded on time. So managing that time and getting the work done fast and with accuracy is a fair expectation.
Let’s now wrap this section on skills and move ahead to see what the salary of a computer graphic artist looks like.
According to Zippia, computer graphic artists on average make about $66,828 a year in the US. But entry-level designers would gross around $37,000 a year. Zippia collects this data from publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and other similar sources.
The worldwide average, however, can vary significantly as it fluctuates based on a country’s economic status, the designer’s experience, company processes, and the demand for the profession.
Next, let’s explore some interesting statistics related to computer graphic artists.
That covers the major aspects of what a computer graphic artist is and does. We believe that both business owners and new designers will benefit from this blog.
Understanding this role helps both parties know where to expect more and where to manage expectations. Bridging this gap leads to more productive collaborations and results in visually compelling work that drives success for everyone involved.
