If graphic design is so simple, why can’t everyone do it?
Many people think they’re graphic designers. Many people think it’s just a case of getting the right software, sitting down and plugging away. And yet actually, there is more skill to graphic design than many people realise.
Graphic design isn’t just a means to an end. It’s not just about creating something as cheaply as possible so that you can get it printed. Graphic design is an art, a skill. And it’s one that not many people can do well.
Great graphic design is about knowing more than which buttons to press. It’s about creating a mood, setting a tone and inspiring action. Great graphic design is about structure, alignment, the balance of white space vs clutter. And it’s about selecting fonts and colours that reflect, accurately, the values of the client. Finally, great graphic design involves strong artworking skills (the art of actually making something look great, and polished) and it involves great creativity.
A world without graphic design would be a very dull world indeed. Design is one of the elements that makes our environment a nicer place to be, an easier place to understand. And it inspires.
So why can’t everyone do it? For the same reason that I can’t split an atom. Design is a skill learned and perfected over time. Some people are naturals, some aren’t. Some go to university to study, and some don’t. But what every successful graphic designer has is vision and passion for their craft.
