Graphic design is needed in many areas of publishing. Graphic design is also one of the fastest growing careers in the country. It is a an artistic and creative career that is also rewarding. Many publishers or publishing houses or vendors need graphic artists to do their Production work, create boiler plates, and even design covers and custom covers. There are many possibilities available.

So how do you become a graphic designer? It is relatively simple. A four year degree is most common, but of course you can pursue a higher level of education as well. Your courses are mainly in technology. You should enjoy and be able to do the bulk of your work and projects on a computer. Interestingly enough, there is also some legal knowledge that is involved, such as copyright laws and how to avoid them in your designs.

Luckily, if you choose to become a graphic designer for a publisher, publishers typically have their own Rights/ Permissions and Licensing departments that will research images, existing designs, and other art for you or to make sure that there is no infringement on any cover designs or products. However, knowledge of these situations is pertinent for all potential graphic artists entering any industry.

Getting your foot in the door for any magazine, publisher, or marketing firm is easy…especially with the huge growth in media today. Most companies or firms require a six-month to a year long internship, in order for you to learn the industry, company, and test your skills. Once you gain this experience, you can write your own ticket. It is also smart to create a portfolio to show off to any potential job or internship opportunities, so they see where your strengths lie.

Another important strength a well-rounded and good graphic designer must possess is the ability to use their artistic strengths in order to reach a company or firm’s target audience in appropriate and unique ways. While this may require some background or experience in marketing, there is a lot of room for creativity.

Despite popular belief, there is a lot of potential for art in the publishing industry. There is a lot of room for creativity and unique ideas to design books, magazine covers, page layouts, as well as other artistic ways to reach the target audience.

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Of course, you could always start with checking out the best journalism schools as a starting point. You could also do your own journalism work by creating our own blog or website and posting your own articles. You could also join your school’s journalism team if your school has one.

However, you could also get a general degree in English or Communications. While it may seem broad, this can often be a plus. A degree in English or Communications does not limit you to one particular industry or position. You could begin a career as a Writer, Journalist, Editor, Project Manager, or even become an Author or Publisher. You could work with news, magazines, or even textbooks. The opportunities and possibilities are endless.

So what can you do now? Well, start writing! There are many freelance opportunities out there looking for writers who can write blog articles. This is a great place to start if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to really sit down and write and see what you’ve got. There are tons of niches or categories you can get into, whether it be business, specific industries, or even hobbies, you can bet that there are companies or individuals looking for help or writers to write on every topic under the sun.

After you’ve written a number of efficient and well-written articles, you can form a portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of pieces, whether they be art or article clips or pieces you’ve written. Today, most employers that would like or appreciate to see a portfolio, prefer that they are online. So this goes back to starting your own blog or website full of your own work that you can show off. If you haven’t started one already, know that websites and blogs today are easy to create and maintain. You don’t need much, if any, web development or computer science skills in order to do this.

All in all, the way to get your foot in the door as a writer is to write. It might be a good idea to write a few test articles, on the topic of your choice, before deciding on a career, and maybe bounce them off established writers or authors or even a colleague or professor to get their take on them. After they provide feedback and point you in the right direction, the road is all yours!

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