Graphic designer

Career path and progression

With experience, you could:

• become a senior designer or creative director
• move into project or studio management
• go freelance or start your own design agency
• take up teaching or lecturing

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• design skills and knowledge
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• knowledge of media production and communication
• knowledge of the fine arts
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• excellent verbal communication skills
• thinking and reasoning skills
• to be flexible and open to change
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Art and Design - Graphic designers rely on strong visual skills every day – creating layouts, choosing colour palettes, designing logos, and composing images. Understanding principles like composition, typography, contrast, and visual hierarchy is at the core of producing effective designs.
• Design and Technology - Graphic designers follow a design process from brief to finished product, developing ideas through sketches, prototypes, and iterations. Understanding materials, printing techniques, and how designs translate into physical products like packaging and displays is essential.
• Computer Science - Graphic designers use specialist software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign on a daily basis, and increasingly work with web design tools and interactive media. Understanding how digital files, formats, and software tools work at a deeper level helps them solve technical problems and push creative boundaries.

Also relevant

• Media Studies - Graphic designers create visuals for adverts, magazines, websites, and packaging – all media products aimed at specific audiences. Media Studies builds an understanding of how different formats shape the way people receive messages, helping designers make smart choices about layout, imagery, and tone.
• English Language - Graphic designers work closely with text – writing headlines, choosing wording for adverts, and ensuring copy fits a layout effectively. They also need to communicate their ideas clearly in client presentations and written briefs.
• Business - Graphic designers often work out budgets and deadlines, manage client relationships, and many go freelance or start their own design agencies. Understanding how to price work, manage projects, and market creative services is important for building a successful career.
• Mathematics - Graphic designers use proportion, scale, and spatial reasoning when laying out pages, sizing images, and ensuring designs work across different formats. Understanding grids, ratios, and measurements helps them create balanced, professional-looking work.
• Psychology - Graphic designers need to understand how people perceive colour, shape, and layout, and what makes a design persuasive or easy to navigate. Knowledge of how visual cues influence attention and decision-making helps them create designs that achieve their intended effect.