Skill Jobs Forum

Print designers combine images and text to create the layouts for advertising and marketing campaigns. Continue reading to learn more about essential degree and technical requirements, as well as information about job growth and salary potential for art directors and graphic designers who may specialize in print design.

Career Definition for a Print Designer
Print designers use their technical and typographic skills to arrange and style words and numbers as they appear on a page. Their design activities include choosing font types, sizes and colors to create attractive headlines and text-based presentations that will catch the reader's eye. Determining letter and line spacing, integrating illustrations and photographs and laying out pages are also part of a print designer's responsibilities. Potential areas of employment include book and periodical publishers, ad agencies and design firms.

Required Education
Aspiring print designers usually need a bachelor's degree in graphic design or a similar field of study to begin working professionally. High school coursework in art can help students prepare for entry into a 4-year degree program, which may include topics in computer-aided design, commercial art and printing. Additional courses in marketing and writing may be helpful; many programs culminate in the development of a professional portfolio. Industry associations and software companies may also offer short-term, formal training programs that can help print designers update or learn new skills and techniques.

Required Skills
Print designers should be proficient in the use of Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop and Quark Xpress. An understanding of consumer demographics and the aesthetic elements of typography are also important, as well as good communication and time-management skills.

Employment and Salary Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that art directors and graphic designers in general can expect a slower-than-average increase in employment prospects from 2014 to 2024 (1% for graphic designers and 2% for art directors). Designers working for book, directory, newspaper, or periodical publishers will see a 21% decrease in jobs during the same 10-year period. As of May 2015, art directors and graphic designers earned median annual salaries.

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