Graphic design is about being creative, solving problems, and having the wisdom and conceptual “know how” – just a few of the skill sets one will learn in graphic design classes.
Schools of graphic design also teach the important skills necessary to keep up with others in the field through introductions to technology and software that will be used in the real world, but those that are in the field say this is just the tip of the iceberg.
While all agree that designers will spend a lot of time chasing the latest technologies, success depends on the creativity of the individual graphic designer and his or her ability to get the job done within the constraints of the project. Many graphic designers (successful graphic designers) say that it is the art itself that keeps them successful. This wisdom isn’t limited to those who graduated from schools of graphic design, either.
The late Steve Jobs, a worldwide celebrity for technological innovations, knew that it wasn’t all of that programming that really influenced his success. It was his attention to the art of what he was doing that really inspired so many great ideas that surpassed the expectations of his competition. When discussing the importance of artistic talent, Jobs said, “If I had never dropped in on that single calligraphy course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts.”
So it is with schools of graphic art and the practices learned there. Many graphic design classes can bring to light the talent (or lack of talent) in the realm of physical art; where hands-on creativity reigns over technical know-how. At its heart, graphic design is an art and successful designers are thinking like an artist. It requires the ability for one to “think outside of the box” to combine the most effective uses of artistry, technology, and concepts that are taught in graphic design schools.
