Interviewing myself

Name: Yamila Souki
Date: 30/05/07

1. Could you please define graphic designing in your own words?

Graphic Design is to communicate a message or idea through graphic elements, visual communication.

2. What influenced you to pursue graphic designing?

I guess the bigger influence I had was when I was studding journalism, I had a class called graphic communication where we studied the history and graphic design and got to design many publicities and advertising campaigns, so I got really interested in it, as a way to be more literate in communication, but after I start it I began to like the graphic design better and finally stop studding journalism.

3. Could you please describe the educational process required to become a graphic designer?

To become a graphic designer first need to learn the theoretical part to understand how the elements used on your designs are interpretated by the public and how to create new ways to express the ideas. Also a lot of creativity it’s needed and like in every job the practice makes the mastery.

4. What are some of the skills that are involved when designing?

Creativity is the most important thing and also not being afraid of try new things and tool. Most of the work is done under pressure, so gotta deal with that. Also in the actual world of the graphic design is really important to be good working with computers and computerized programs for design.

5. What job considerations were you looking for after you completed your education?

My dream job would be in a video game company, designing environments, skins, textures, characters, publicity or audiovisuals for video games.

6. What's something in your student life that you enjoy the most.

When I get to sleep a lot on weekends and after I’m done with all the work and get to relax… maybe doing other things related with design.

7. What is the most difficult aspect of graphic designing?

Get new ideas when you get blocked or uninspired.

8. What are your plans for the future?

Graduate and start working, start my own design company and get a lot of clients ^.^

9. Point out your most personally gratifying moment in graphic designing.

When I finish my work and actually feel that it is complete and good. (Not very often since I’m really perfectionist and my harshest critic)

10. Why would you recommend graphic designing as a career?

I recommend everybody to study why they like, maybe in my country the graphic design work is not so respected or well paid but it is always gratifying to do what you like to do.

US design salaries down, but trend is steady

Graphic designers are generally inspired by more than just money. But that doesn't mean that a good salary isn't important to us. At the very least it is important that we are seen to be valued in our jobs.

But without having anything to compare against, it can be difficult for designers to know whether the wage they are being paid is in line with the rest of the market. For graphic designers in America, this is where the yearly AIGA/Aquent graphic design salaries survey comes in.

Last year the design salaries survey reported an upward trend in graphic designers earnings. For 2006 salaries were slightly down, but the trend is still looking good from a workload point of view. According to the survey; "margins are tighter and clients are contracting for work against smaller budgets". But, according to the report, the overall trend is still positive, with signs that American businesses are recognizing the value of innovative design in promoting themselves internationally.

As ever with design job descriptions, it is difficult to make exact comparisons. But there are a few interesting pointers in the report. As expected art directors and senior designers earn considerably more than junior designers. Freelance or self-employed designers tended to earn the equivalent of a senior designer's salary.

From a regional point of view there were also wage differences. For example, graphic designers in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Atlanta were near the top of the salary pile. Whereas designers working in jobs in Denver, Dallas and Philadelphia appeared to earn at the lower end of the income ladder last year, overall.

Source: Desing : Talkboard