Graphic designing dates back to illustrations drawn by cavemen. When computers first entered businesses and households in the '70s and '80s, graphic design became a lot easier to produce. Those who had a vision no longer had to depend upon pens, pencils, and paints. With further computer program development, programs such as CorelDRAW have put graphic designing abilities into the hands of most anyone.
But not everyone has the eye for producing top-notch designs. Today a select number of artists meet the design needs for large corporation branding, art and literary illustrations, and film and TV set design. But there is plenty of work for many creative souls in various industries such as:
Different graphic artists often specialize in different areas of design. What appeals to them may not appeal to everyone, but to make it to the top of the list, their designs will at least have to attract almost everyone's eye.
Founder of the design firm Mighty in Brooklyn, Santa Maria's passion is for typography. He is on the faculty of New York's School of Visual Arts (SVA) and the founder of "Typedia," an online typeface encyclopedia. Santa Maria has worked with the American Institute of Graphic Arts, The Chicago Tribune, Miramax, PBS, The United Nations, and The New York Stock Exchange.
Another typographic specialist, David Caron is a pioneer and master of grunge. His monograph, "End of Print" is often referred to as the designer's Bible. Carson was the art director of "Ray Gun" magazine and has created designs for Pepsi Cola, American Airlines, and Ray-Ban, to name a few.
An Italian native, Elia Colombo is known for his stimulating and often humorous designs. He also goes by the name Gebe, and his motto is, "Life is too short to get a real job." This colorful illustrator has worked with Ikea and "MIND" magazine, and on his own, touches on some tough controversial topics such as religion, politics, and the media.
Graphic design is an equal opportunity field and today there are as many women in graphic arts and design as men. Some top female graphic designers include:
Formerly tied with Stefan Sagmeister as the infamous design agency Sagmeister and Walsh, Jessica Walsh is on her own now as &Walsh with Sagmeister having stepped away from commercial work. Like Santa Maria, Walsh has also taught at SVA. She combines retro '50s with contemporary and is heavily sought out for her book cover and jacket work, posters, and album covers. Her work includes Levi Strauss & Co., Jay-Z, and the Museum of Modern Art.
You may not know her name as a famous graphic designer, but you've seen her work. Annie Atkins specializes in film graphics. Most notably she designed a variety of graphics for The Grand Budapest Hotel, Bridge of Spies, and Isle of the Dogs. Think shopfront signage, postage stamps, banknotes, and forged passports. That's Atkins's work.
Hom fills her typography with quaint and fanciful ticks or fills, which are very appealing to the reader. She is considered one of "Today's Most Influential Graphic Designers," by Creative Bloom magazine and has attracted such clients as Time Magazine, Starbucks, and Google.
Not everyone is destined to become one of the best graphic designers. But you can learn the elements of graphic design and typography. Designers learn from others. Good designers are inspired by those who have come before and the graphic designer leaders of today.
For those who can see another's vision and can translate it into the design, graphic designing could become a lucrative career while enjoying work every day. CorelDRAW will not only help to get you started on your journey, but it will also explore right along with you. What do you want to design?
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