Communication
Graphic designers communicate ideas through text and images. Therefore, communication skills are critical to the job. However, communication is important in graphic design in other ways too.
Graphic designers have to articulate ideas to companies, clients, and employers. Graphic design requires strong public speaking skills for presentations and writing skills for proposals. Designers also have to be able to communicate with clients and employers by phone, email, and video. Graphic designers must listen to their clients’ needs and convey persuasive solutions.
Confidence
Consultation
Customer Service
Establishing Rapport
Interpreting Artwork for the General Public
Understanding Clients’ Artistic Preferences
Interpersonal Skills
Active Listening
Receiving Constructive Criticism about Artwork
Sales
Verbal Communication
Collaboration
Written Communication
Creativity
Graphic designers need to be creative thinkers. They have to creatively convey ideas through text and images. They have to generate solutions for their clients through creative means. For example, they might have to promote a company’s mission through a website or design an image that helps sell a product. All of this involves creativity, as well as creative problem-solving skills.
Aesthetics
Attention to Detail
Balancing Artistry with Audience Appeal
Perceptivity
Visually Representing Ideas
Sketching
Brainstorming
Technology
Graphic designers have to master various forms of technology in today’s world. Firstly, they need to be comfortable with design software, such as Quark, InDesign, and Adobe. This software is used by many companies to produce digital prints.
If the graphic design tasks pertain to website development, you also need to know about web design. They should be fluent in multiple programming languages (including HTML and CSS) as well as web design content management system platforms, such as WordPress.
Ability to Learn Digital Design Software
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Flash
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Canva
CorelDRAW
Crello
Dreamweaver
CSS
HTML
HTML5
Photoshop
PowerPoint
Quark
QuarkXpress
Photo Editing
Sketch