5 answers
rosie
Student
Pineville, Louisiana
1
Question
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pros and cons of being a graphic designer
I need to know some real pros and cons of being a graphic designer for a research project. Perhaps it involves some common problems that you struggle with.
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5 answers
Rakotoarison Lalaina Arnaud
Graphiste Designer
1
Answer
Antananarivo, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
Updated
Rakotoarison’s Answer
Advantages
1. Creative Freedom – Being a graphic designer allows you to transform ideas into impactful visuals and express your unique style while meeting client needs.
2. Flexible Work Options – Whether freelance or employed, you can choose your schedule and work remotely.
3. Constant Evolution – The design field is always evolving, keeping the work exciting and never monotonous.
4. Variety of Projects – From branding and packaging to web design and advertising, the diversity of work prevents boredom.
5. Global Opportunities – Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Behance let you work with clients worldwide.
6. High Earning Potential – Skilled designers with strong branding and a unique style can charge premium rates, especially in specialized areas like UI/UX, motion design, or branding.
Désadvantages
1. Creative Freedom – Being a graphic designer allows you to transform ideas into impactful visuals and express your unique style while meeting client needs.
2. Flexible Work Options – Whether freelance or employed, you can choose your schedule and work remotely.
3. Constant Evolution – The design field is always evolving, keeping the work exciting and never monotonous.
4. Variety of Projects – From branding and packaging to web design and advertising, the diversity of work prevents boredom.
5. Global Opportunities – Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Behance let you work with clients worldwide.
6. High Earning Potential – Skilled designers with strong branding and a unique style can charge premium rates, especially in specialized areas like UI/UX, motion design, or branding.
Rakotoarison recommends the following next steps:
Lemuel Massuia
Illustration, Design
1
Answer
Pirassununga, SP
Updated
Lemuel’s Answer
I've been a graphic designer for more than 20 years, and throughout my career, I've learned a lot. Here are some key pros and cons of the profession:
CONS
1. The struggle to create something truly unique and valuable – balancing technique and time.
Technology evolves at a rapid pace, and as a designer, you're constantly pressured to keep up. Mastering a technique takes time, but trends and tools change faster than ever. The challenge is to create work that is not only technically strong but also meaningful—something beyond just what’s trendy or easy to produce with quick market solutions. Sometimes, making bold creative choices may raise eyebrows, but those choices can also help you stand out.
2. Navigating client expectations—especially with highly creative clients.
Clients vary greatly. Some collaborations are deeply rewarding, where both parties contribute to a shared vision. However, some clients see designers as mere executors rather than creative partners. With the rise of AI tools, many clients expect quick results and may not fully appreciate the depth of creative work. Designers must be mindful of the projects they associate their names with, as poor art direction can impact their reputation. It’s important to assess how much creative input a client actually wants and whether their vision aligns with your own.
3. Financial instability.
Graphic design is often not the most stable career financially. If you’re looking for long-term financial security, diversifying your skills and income streams—such as offering different design services, teaching, or branching into related fields—can be a smart move.
PROS
1. Creativity that resonates with people and lasts over time.
Like most artistic professions, graphic design is deeply fulfilling. You bring ideas to life, and your work can connect with people on an emotional level. If applied to projects like books, branding, or iconic designs, your creations may even last for generations.
2. Accessibility and flexibility.
Graphic design is highly accessible. The tools are widely available, and you can create using traditional materials like paper and pencil or digital tools like tablets and design software. This flexibility allows you to work anywhere, anytime.
3. The power of visual communication.
Humans are highly visual creatures, and strong design has the ability to capture attention, spark curiosity, and create emotional connections. This makes it a powerful tool for storytelling, branding, and engagement.
4. A wide range of applications and career paths.
Graphic design is not limited to one field—it spans from traditional media to UX/UI design, branding, packaging, motion graphics, and even emerging technologies like VR. This diversity offers many opportunities to explore different creative directions and find a niche that suits your interests.
CONS
1. The struggle to create something truly unique and valuable – balancing technique and time.
Technology evolves at a rapid pace, and as a designer, you're constantly pressured to keep up. Mastering a technique takes time, but trends and tools change faster than ever. The challenge is to create work that is not only technically strong but also meaningful—something beyond just what’s trendy or easy to produce with quick market solutions. Sometimes, making bold creative choices may raise eyebrows, but those choices can also help you stand out.
2. Navigating client expectations—especially with highly creative clients.
Clients vary greatly. Some collaborations are deeply rewarding, where both parties contribute to a shared vision. However, some clients see designers as mere executors rather than creative partners. With the rise of AI tools, many clients expect quick results and may not fully appreciate the depth of creative work. Designers must be mindful of the projects they associate their names with, as poor art direction can impact their reputation. It’s important to assess how much creative input a client actually wants and whether their vision aligns with your own.
3. Financial instability.
Graphic design is often not the most stable career financially. If you’re looking for long-term financial security, diversifying your skills and income streams—such as offering different design services, teaching, or branching into related fields—can be a smart move.
PROS
1. Creativity that resonates with people and lasts over time.
Like most artistic professions, graphic design is deeply fulfilling. You bring ideas to life, and your work can connect with people on an emotional level. If applied to projects like books, branding, or iconic designs, your creations may even last for generations.
2. Accessibility and flexibility.
Graphic design is highly accessible. The tools are widely available, and you can create using traditional materials like paper and pencil or digital tools like tablets and design software. This flexibility allows you to work anywhere, anytime.
3. The power of visual communication.
Humans are highly visual creatures, and strong design has the ability to capture attention, spark curiosity, and create emotional connections. This makes it a powerful tool for storytelling, branding, and engagement.
4. A wide range of applications and career paths.
Graphic design is not limited to one field—it spans from traditional media to UX/UI design, branding, packaging, motion graphics, and even emerging technologies like VR. This diversity offers many opportunities to explore different creative directions and find a niche that suits your interests.
Jessica Ruyle
Executive Content Creator
2
Answers
Croswell, Michigan
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
Hi Rosie!
Being a graphic designer comes with many advantages:
1. You gain insight into various businesses – To create effective designs, you need to understand a company's mission, values, and goals. This means that, beyond becoming an expert in design, you’ll also learn about different industries and how they operate.
2. Design is a specialized skill – When I first started, I thought anyone could create a design. I quickly realized that’s not the case! Businesses rely on skilled designers to craft visuals that capture attention and communicate messages effectively.
3. You're always learning – Design tools and software are constantly evolving, which means there’s always something new to explore. Whether it’s mastering a new program or refining your creative techniques, continuous learning is built into the job.
Of course, there are also some challenges:
1. Client communication can be tricky – Some clients struggle to articulate their vision or understand the design process. That’s why it’s crucial to involve them early, ask questions, and explain your design choices. This not only helps them appreciate the process but also fosters great collaboration.
2. Creative block happens – At some point, you'll find yourself staring at a blank screen with no idea where to start. When that happens, the best thing to do is step away for a bit—take a walk, read a book, grab a snack. A short break can help reset your mind and bring fresh inspiration.
3. It’s a competitive field – With so many designers out there, standing out is key. What set me apart was my ability to take feedback well, my eagerness to contribute to any project, and my versatility. In addition to graphic design, I taught myself video production, animation, photography, and advanced photo editing in Photoshop, which made me a more valuable asset.
Being a graphic designer comes with many advantages:
1. You gain insight into various businesses – To create effective designs, you need to understand a company's mission, values, and goals. This means that, beyond becoming an expert in design, you’ll also learn about different industries and how they operate.
2. Design is a specialized skill – When I first started, I thought anyone could create a design. I quickly realized that’s not the case! Businesses rely on skilled designers to craft visuals that capture attention and communicate messages effectively.
3. You're always learning – Design tools and software are constantly evolving, which means there’s always something new to explore. Whether it’s mastering a new program or refining your creative techniques, continuous learning is built into the job.
Of course, there are also some challenges:
1. Client communication can be tricky – Some clients struggle to articulate their vision or understand the design process. That’s why it’s crucial to involve them early, ask questions, and explain your design choices. This not only helps them appreciate the process but also fosters great collaboration.
2. Creative block happens – At some point, you'll find yourself staring at a blank screen with no idea where to start. When that happens, the best thing to do is step away for a bit—take a walk, read a book, grab a snack. A short break can help reset your mind and bring fresh inspiration.
3. It’s a competitive field – With so many designers out there, standing out is key. What set me apart was my ability to take feedback well, my eagerness to contribute to any project, and my versatility. In addition to graphic design, I taught myself video production, animation, photography, and advanced photo editing in Photoshop, which made me a more valuable asset.
Douglas Wilson
Videography
6
Answers
Indiana, Indiana
Updated
Douglas’s Answer
Hello Rosie,
First let me take you back to sixth grade,(middle school) and Art class. I have always been in love with Art...even when I was literally like 7 years old I was always writing a poem, trying to memorize words to songs I liked, drawing pictures and creating my own original designs. When you are going to seven classes a day and Art is one of those you can look forward to seeing what the next project is. In 7th through all of high school I had a choice if I wanted to be in the Arts or not. Of course I did! I actually found a note from freshman year in high school from my Art teacher,who was really cool and talented...he told me, Douglas, I want you to keep looking for a way into the Arts, I think you will be happy and I know you can do it. At this point I knew I wanted to be a graphic designer and I was going to go to a really nice college for graphic design so I did all the motions and got in. Well, I already knew more than the professor, seriously. So I decided instead to go ahead and start my own business and called it Wilson's Arts & Design... I've been working for six months now and the pros are..1. It's what you love to do,who wouldn't want to be paid for being exactly what they wanted. Another pro is all the tools, (special app admission & upgrades to better enhance your designs, logos, Brandings,Ads, Production of the really ones that you are proud of)the process of getting better and honing your craft. The cons are, well for me anyway,as a graphic designer and constantly working, people will run with your ideas and claim them as their own which I think is despicable, because (and maybe it's different if you are working for a company instead of being an entrepreneur) as a designer, IMHO, your material is the backbone of some of the most important companies,brands, taglines, etc. So for me the biggest con is finding a way to market and make money with your designs. Hopefully this helps you. Good luck.
First let me take you back to sixth grade,(middle school) and Art class. I have always been in love with Art...even when I was literally like 7 years old I was always writing a poem, trying to memorize words to songs I liked, drawing pictures and creating my own original designs. When you are going to seven classes a day and Art is one of those you can look forward to seeing what the next project is. In 7th through all of high school I had a choice if I wanted to be in the Arts or not. Of course I did! I actually found a note from freshman year in high school from my Art teacher,who was really cool and talented...he told me, Douglas, I want you to keep looking for a way into the Arts, I think you will be happy and I know you can do it. At this point I knew I wanted to be a graphic designer and I was going to go to a really nice college for graphic design so I did all the motions and got in. Well, I already knew more than the professor, seriously. So I decided instead to go ahead and start my own business and called it Wilson's Arts & Design... I've been working for six months now and the pros are..1. It's what you love to do,who wouldn't want to be paid for being exactly what they wanted. Another pro is all the tools, (special app admission & upgrades to better enhance your designs, logos, Brandings,Ads, Production of the really ones that you are proud of)the process of getting better and honing your craft. The cons are, well for me anyway,as a graphic designer and constantly working, people will run with your ideas and claim them as their own which I think is despicable, because (and maybe it's different if you are working for a company instead of being an entrepreneur) as a designer, IMHO, your material is the backbone of some of the most important companies,brands, taglines, etc. So for me the biggest con is finding a way to market and make money with your designs. Hopefully this helps you. Good luck.
Kim Matthews
Graphic Production Designer and Sculptor
51
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Rosie,
Some pros of being a graphic designer:
1. You can use your artistic talents in new ways to help people solve problems. Depending on what you choose and where you end up, your work could make a real difference in the world.
2. Practice sharpens your skills overall, so, for example, while you're working out color relationships for a design, what you learn can help you be a better painter, and vice versa.
3. If you're lucky, you get to do fun work with really smart people and come up with creative solutions you couldn't devise on your own. While this is true of other professions as well, not all of them encourage an collaborative environment.
4. There are always opportunities to learn and grow, even if you have to seek them out yourself.
Some cons of being a graphic designer:
1. If you're looking for creative self-expression, a graphic design job isn't the place. Graphic design is a service, and delivering what the client wants is a priority. That's not to say that you won't have opportunities to bring your unique talents to bear and do really great, fun work, but that's a bonus. The best designers know how to do both, and are sought after because they stand out from the others.
2. Graphic design doesn't pay as well as it used to, and it's a highly competitive field now. The whole field is changing more and more rapidly, and you have to be able to keep up with those changes.
3. Many businesses and organizations are looking for designers who like to follow trends. If that's you, it's a pro, not a con. If it's not, the work can get boring and uninspiring.
4. There's often a lot of ambiguity involved, and, as I mentioned above, delivering what the customer (whether that's an art director or direct client) wants is the priority. Many years ago I attended a lecture by the great graphic designer Paul Rand, and he told a story about how clients often ask for three solutions (in this case, for a logo), and that invariably they pick the weakest one. And it's true--so you have to be able to let go of attachments to your work. To finish the story, though, Paul Rand was so talented and so famous, he got away with telling his clients he'd only deliver one solution: the right one. But he paid his dues over many, many years to get there, and he was enormously talented and skilled. Most of us have much more ordinary work to do; I've designed message novelties (t-shirts, stickers, buttons, and so on); proposal graphics for marketing; technical graphics for instructional writing; and logos and identity materials among other things.
Some pros of being a graphic designer:
1. You can use your artistic talents in new ways to help people solve problems. Depending on what you choose and where you end up, your work could make a real difference in the world.
2. Practice sharpens your skills overall, so, for example, while you're working out color relationships for a design, what you learn can help you be a better painter, and vice versa.
3. If you're lucky, you get to do fun work with really smart people and come up with creative solutions you couldn't devise on your own. While this is true of other professions as well, not all of them encourage an collaborative environment.
4. There are always opportunities to learn and grow, even if you have to seek them out yourself.
Some cons of being a graphic designer:
1. If you're looking for creative self-expression, a graphic design job isn't the place. Graphic design is a service, and delivering what the client wants is a priority. That's not to say that you won't have opportunities to bring your unique talents to bear and do really great, fun work, but that's a bonus. The best designers know how to do both, and are sought after because they stand out from the others.
2. Graphic design doesn't pay as well as it used to, and it's a highly competitive field now. The whole field is changing more and more rapidly, and you have to be able to keep up with those changes.
3. Many businesses and organizations are looking for designers who like to follow trends. If that's you, it's a pro, not a con. If it's not, the work can get boring and uninspiring.
4. There's often a lot of ambiguity involved, and, as I mentioned above, delivering what the customer (whether that's an art director or direct client) wants is the priority. Many years ago I attended a lecture by the great graphic designer Paul Rand, and he told a story about how clients often ask for three solutions (in this case, for a logo), and that invariably they pick the weakest one. And it's true--so you have to be able to let go of attachments to your work. To finish the story, though, Paul Rand was so talented and so famous, he got away with telling his clients he'd only deliver one solution: the right one. But he paid his dues over many, many years to get there, and he was enormously talented and skilled. Most of us have much more ordinary work to do; I've designed message novelties (t-shirts, stickers, buttons, and so on); proposal graphics for marketing; technical graphics for instructional writing; and logos and identity materials among other things.