Graphic design is ubiquitous.
It communicates through a combination of images and words designed to provoke an emotional response.
Consciously and subconsciously.
Take a quick look around your current surroundings to confirm.
Whether it’s the poster hanging above your desk, the business card handed out to clients, or the logo of your employer, it’s likely a graphic designer was heavily involved in refining the product’s conspicuousness.
But for some graphic designers, the power of their work demands a global audience; designs that transcend cultural barriers and leap language hurdles – a point that is beautifully illustrated in this YouTube video.
As the video above does so expressively, it pays to disseminate the career of Milton Glaser.
Although you may not recognise a photograph of him, Milton Glaser was responsible for creating numerous iconic insignia and designs in modern popular culture. From the cover of Time magazine to the I Love New York logo, Glaser really has set the standard for budding graphic designers looking to follow in his footsteps.
Similarly, other designers such as Saul Bass, David Carson and Paul Rand have all pushed the envelope of modern graphics to create illustrious designs for some of the biggest American corporations – and their work, too, is recognised globally.
For up-and-coming designers looking to get going in this fast-moving industry, it would be advisable to obtain a solid grounding in the fundamentals by enrolling in a BA Hons Graphic Design course first.
Not only will a university course offer you a formal qualification in graphic design, but it will allow you to obtain work-related experience by putting the skills you’ve learned to good use.
Additionally, by the time you’ve graduated you’ll possess the confidence and design skills which will equip you for the challenges of contemporary graphic design. What’s more, you’ll be the proud owner of an individual, creative graphic design portfolio, which is crucial in unlocking the door to a fruitful career.
However, as Neville Brody, the former art director at The Face magazine rightly says: “Graphic design may be something you study at college, but when you come out you realise you’ve only scratched the surface.”
Never has a truer word been spoken.
