Visual Designer

Visual designers are creative personalities who give life to brands by creating and presenting a brand in a unique and innovative way that distinguishes it from that of competitors. A good Visual Designer must have a strong understanding of graphic design, user interface, web design etc. They work with icons, infographics, logos and layouts. Visual Designers are responsible for designing interfaces that communicates to consumers what a brand stands for. They craft every design in a way that will captivate customers for a particular brand. They have the ability to utilize graphic elements such as images, banners and logos to create intriguing designs that will trigger customer’s interest.

They make use of media tools such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign & Sketch in order to create a unified visual message for a brand. They engage in product design which ranges from labels, banners and a company website. They are not just tasked with developing product concept; they are responsible for ensuring that every design creates a relationship between the brand and its customers. They are visual story tellers who use creative designs to communicate the features and benefits of a product in order to place the brand in a competitive position.

Let’s take a look at what being a visual designer entails

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

You need a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Fine Art, Interface Design or any other related field. You can also take courses on visual communications, digital advertising and web design. To improve your skills, take professional certification exams in Multimedia Design and Development, Digital Arts and Project Management, etc. These courses will help you grow your proficiency as a visual designer and will open your mind to explore innovative ways of interpreting designs that will communicate brand messages effectively. You also need to have a good knowledge of typography, layout and design. Be conversant with animations, motion design and dynamic interaction. Getting certified is a good step towards improving your market value, but what will really make you stand out are the skills you are able to bring to bear during a particular project.

SKILLS NEEDED TO BE A VISUAL DESIGNER

To be a visual designer you must possess the ability to view a product from the consumer’s perspective in order to come up with a design that will suit their taste. You have to be artistic in nature and have the capacity to create interesting designs that are appealing to consumers. You must demonstrate proficiency in the use of apps such as Photoshop, 3D Max, Google SketchUp etc. As a visual designer you also need know how to work with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint in order to be able to create and present engaging content to potential clients. To be able to conduct design pitch and presentation, you need to have excellent communication skills. To pass your message across and also get feedback from customers you need to be able to communicate your idea effectively. You must also have the ability to multitask, mange time properly and produce expected result while working under pressure. In order to develop your skills much more, you must engage in constant research and practice. Try to create concepts on your own and practice every new skill you acquire as a result of using any of these apps.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES OF A VISUAL DESIGNER

As a visual designer you are responsible for creating designs that will highlight the unique features of a particular brand in order to differentiate it from that of competitors. It is your responsibility to create attention grabbing logos, icons, and banners that will attract customers to your client’s products. You will also meet with clients in order to plan and analyse the various concepts that you need to implement on a particular project. You will be working hand in hand with advertising and marketing professionals in order to come up with creative and engaging product designs that will boost the sales of the company’s product or service. You will also work with the senior visual designer to formulate and present new concepts for old products and also create new designs for new products. As someone who understands consumers, you will be responsible for formulating strategies that can aid in the development of new products. You will have the opportunity of working with visual engineers, product managers and business development executives.

EMPLOYERS OF VISUAL DESIGNERS

Due to their creativity Visual Designers are needed in Advertising agencies, design studios, newspaper houses, software development companies etc. in Nigeria the services of visual artist can be engaged by Cregital, OrangeVFX Studios, Intense Digital and Silverbird TV etc.

To be a Visual Designer you must be an open minded individual who is creative and have the ability to play with colours. However if you do not possess the skills needed to be a visual designer learning how to use some of the apps listed above will be a good start.