Communication is the use of images to communicate with messages. Graphic designers often mix these images to create an artistic design and/or text. To become an exceptional graphic designer, you will greatly benefit to learn to use the following design and publishing programs:
Adobe is the most popular graphic design program; they appeared to have cornered the market with their wide array of media packages. Adobe Photoshop is an advanced photo manipulation program. Adobe Photoshop more advanced than the many free computer design programs that most amateurs try to use but to no avail. You can create industry standard images with more precision than you can with other design programs.
Graphic designers often use Adobe Photoshop with Adobe Flash and Adobe Illustrator products, as they are all related. Its lesser version is Photoshop Elements which has similar functions. Both of these are very comparable.
QuarkXPress is a design/layout program to create new designs using a variety of different media such as text, graphics, and photographs. Corresponding programs also include a variety of free song loops. QuarkXPress of the programs you would learn in school.
You can use Adobe Illustrator for its computerized drawing tools to create computer drawn art. This is great for designers who want to create designs completely from scratch.
Macromedia (Adobe) Flash is known as Adobe Flash. This tool helps webmasters created interactive, animated websites. You can also create movie productions and 3D animations with this software. You can also use Flash to create flashy animated banner ads.
You can tap into a variety of ways to learn about these graphic design products. To become more familiar with these programs, you can watch demos at the manufacturers websites.
In addition, numerous people offer free advice on blogs and forums pertaining to various programs. These include helpful advice on how to use certain functions of these programs.
If you desire to become certified or accredited using Adobe products, these options are available to you. For instance, you can take online classes and receive official certificates of completion when you complete specific programs.
You can also attend a two year or four year school in graphic design. You could earn the Associate of Science in graphic design; and some colleges also will offer communications programs for students.
You can gain access to a variety of multimedia products to help you learn the ins and outs of using such programs. One way is to evaluate free trials of Adobe or similar graphic design software. Usually when you sign up for a trial you have 30 days to test the software so you know if it will work for you.
If you like a program you can purchase a license for any one of these types of software. If purchasing a full license is too costly, you can explore lower cost versions. For instance, you can sign up for a previous version, or you can use a free software program such as GIMP.
The other option is to receive funding from financial aid to attend graphic arts degree programs. These may cover costs of certain design software programs that you need for your classes. Therefore, you may be able to obtain these programs at no cost to you.
Sometimes you can receive discounts on software if you sign up to take certificate classes. Depending on how much experience you have, the amount of money you can make usually ranges from $20,000 to $60,000 a year. You can earn even more money if you land a job at a prestigious company.
Author Resource:
Visit Brian Scott's website, http://www.FastCashDesign.com and learn about freelance graphic design and how to make money as a graphic designer.