Graphic Design And Animation Careers example essay topic

Art and design make up a huge part of our culture. Every day thousands of commercials are aired, thousands of billboards are viewed, and millions of people are affected by some form of art. Art is everything. Whether it is a painting to or cartoon, Americans are constantly faced with art. Coming out of college with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts and a major in graphic design, will give me a wide range of opportunities for jobs. This major covers studio art classes, like drawing and painting, and also includes many advanced computer courses that relate to design.

With these computer courses, I will become familiar with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Maya. Knowledge of these programs is required for all graphic design and animation careers (hotjobs. com). This major focuses on communication of ideas visually through the use of images and typography. By majoring in graphic design, I will most likely find a career with a large commercial firm. I would like to create advertisements for products along with their logos and promotional displays. I would be required to promote a certain product or company through the use of words, images, and brochures.

I would need knowledge of product management and communication skills (hotjobs. com). I want to work in a large city where there are more opportunities to work with larger companies. These larger companies would give me more opportunities to work with various medias, concepts, and ideas. Larger Advertising and Graphic Design firms would have a wide variety of companies to work with. These companies can range from retail to business firms. Even though being a graphic designer would be the prime career for me, I have also considered looking into animation and illustration.

This career would still primarily be based on computer graphics, but instead of communicating ideas, I as the illustrator would have to create characters to represent a certain personality. This career would also be required to have knowledge of Maya, Illustrator, and Photoshop. According to Professor Anderson, Maya is a computer program that is used by large firms today to create animations such as "Finding Nemo" and "Monster's Inc". (Anderson). With this career, I would have a wider range of jobs that I would be given, depending on the illustration or animation. With an animation career, I would be able to work from home.

This career is very flexible, and work times would vary. Working in a large city would also have its benefits here, but working through a computer in my home would be a solution. These two careers earn from $70,000 to $95,000 a year. The salaries can differ depending on the size of the company and the demand for their products or demand for the illustration. Salaries also differ depending on the amount of experience the designer has. These careers are also based on the number of projects done.

There is a higher demand for graphic designers because graphic designs covers so many areas. Companies thrive off of commercials and advertisements to promote their companies and their products. While these two careers are different, they also can go hand in hand. With a major in graphic design, I will become familiar with computer programs that are not only used in advertising, but also in animating. I will learn how to use visuals to express what I am trying to say, and this concept goes both with design and animation.

My father's friend, Sean Klee, has a major in Graphic Design along with a minor in animation. He works with a company in Chicago that deals with the Fortune 500 businesses. Fortune 500 businesses are the top 500 businesses in profit in the nation. This company also deals with short film animation and commercials. He works with both areas, receiving a higher salary. He does have to work more hours, but he loves his job.

He attended Indiana University and went to the Art Institute of Chicago for a master's in studio art. He told me that this choice in receiving his Masters was a choice that helped him get to the top of the ladder in the company's employees. With his wide range of knowledge, not only in computers, but also in the studio, he is able to create designs that involve all of these mediums and skill (Klee). One option that I did think of was becoming a graphic designer and doing animation and illustration on the side, somewhat like Sean Klee. This would give me some flexibility with where I could live. I have also considered receiving my Master's in studio art because I have learned that this further education can give me a boost in salary and skill.

The only problem with graphic designers is that it is a very demanding career. Large cities are a must with a close living place for easy transportation to and from work. It requires much communication skills with other companies and clients. Travel could be involved, along with major deadlines. People skills are needed everyday. Knowing a language can become a plus, also.

Many companies work nation and world wide. Even though the advantages and disadvantages in both of these careers seem to be even, I am still leaning toward graphic design. Graphic Design has been an interest I have had for a long time. I love to visually express my ideas and work with people to solve the problems. I enjoy working with computers and studio art because I feel as though it is more of a love than a career. They always say to do what you love and love what you do.

That is my goal in life.

Bibliography

Anderson, Scott. Personal Interview, 1 Dec. 2003.
Graphic Designer. Hotjobs. com, 3 Dec. 2003.
Klee, Sean. Personal Interview. 28 Nov. 2003.