Introduction
The graphic design profession entails the creation of visual concepts by hand or using computer software. Graphic design works focus on the communication of ideas that are informative, inspirational, and captivating to customers (Barnard 79). Importantly, graphic designers facilitate the creation of product design and general layout for diverse applications including corporate reports, magazines, brochures, posters, and advertisements.
In their line of work, graphic designers need to make connections with other professionals and agencies for the sake of realizing the effective communication of ideas they develop to diverse audiences. Through collaborative working and inter-professional relationships, graphic designers build a network that reinforces their skills in a way that facilitates the creation of exceptional designs (Armstrong 45). Mainly, graphic designers interact with professionals including illustrators, website designers and programmers, calligraphers, and advertising agencies among others. In this respect, this paper will cover the various connections that graphic designers need to make and how they can benefit from interacting with them.
Printing Shops
Printing shops offer printing services to facilitate the transformation of a particular idea or project into a finished piece. The printer or publisher undertakes the operations of a printing shop as they print pieces that include business cards, promotional products, banners, and brochures among other products (Lupton and Phillips 32). In their profession, publishers provide a wide range of services that include administration, production and design, editing, marketing, and distribution and thus, allow them to collaborate with related professionals and agencies.
Graphic designers need to create an inter-professional relationship with publishers since the latter ensures that the former get a finished piece of their ideas and concepts. Graphic designers need to interact with printing shop professionals for their offset or digital printing needs. Graphic designers could benefit from digital printing when they need a quick turnaround for their low quantity projects as the offset printing services to facilitate the production of large quantity projects that could also entail flexibility in color, size, and paper (Lupton and Phillips 13). Additionally, in case graphic designers need variable data printing, they need to connect with printers who provide customized services that appeal to the final customers.
The editorial services provided by printing shops polish the graphic designer’s projects before printing as they collaborate in the review, rewriting, and editing of the developed concepts. Furthermore, the design department in a printing shop could interact with the graphic designer in refining the photos, font, and overall artistry work. Additionally, printing shops could offer graphic designers with marketing and distribution services to ensure that the printed projects attain the projected sales and they are delivered to customers on time (Johansson, Lundberg, and Ryberg 112). Therefore, the wide range of services offered by printing and publishing professionals, which range from producing the final product to marketing, complement the functions of a graphic designer.
Illustrators
An illustrator concentrates on the clarification of concepts or the enhancement of particular writing through the provision of visual representations matching the content of the pertinent concept or idea. Mainly, the illustrations seek to clarify texts that seem complex to comprehend and they are usually used in children’s books. Besides children’s books, illustrators also demonstrate their work in greeting cards, posters, manuals, magazines, newspapers, advertisements, and posters (Armstrong 59).
In typical work atmospheres, graphic designers influence the need for illustration where they feel that the audience needs to comprehend their concepts fully. Therefore, the graphic designer presents a desirable image to the illustrator who uses it to create a picture before the two experts decide the positioning of the illustration in the project layout. Essentially, the graphic designer needs the artistic skills of the illustrator to enhance the communication aspect of their projects (Barnard 112). Therefore, as the graphic designer gathers items such as textures, vectors, and photos for the creation of the final piece, the illustrator uses their imagination to polish an idea by hand.
Notably, illustrators assist graphic designers in the development of characters and scenes by referring to images that need to communicate a particular idea. Therefore, illustrators seek the provision of visualizations that correspond to a given theme thereby, facilitate the delivery of the intended message. In this light, the graphic designer expects the illustrators to insert visuals to their text decoratively besides communicating the intended idea to the audience or customers. Thus, by providing visualizations, illustrators reinforce the efforts of the graphic designer including the development of typography, brand, page layout, and an image to attain an artistic piece of art (Lupton and Phillips 55). The essence of illustrators in graphic design artistry lies in the simplification of complex concepts or ideas expressed visually.
Photographers
Photography is an “old school” profession that has existed for over a century, and it has been revolutionized by technological changes that enhance the quality of the captured photos. Photography entails the capture of pictures of places, people, and events. The usual fields of specialization in the profession entail fashion photography, commercial photography, news photography, and scientific photography. Photographers must possess skills that allow them to alter lighting, adjust lenses, or condition environments to attain quality photographs. Interestingly, a high school certification is enough to venture into the profession since the creativity of the photographer is what matters (Lupton and Phillips 154). Today, photographers employ shutter speeds and automatic lenses to realize the desired aspect of pictures.
Graphic designers need to link up with photographers for various purposes including branding. Interestingly, most graphic designers have a photography background since they need to alter some pictures to communicate a given idea. Graphic designers need to use well-composed photos in their projects to attain the desired layout implying that they can deliver perfect projects by collaborating with photographers. Therefore, for the sake of realizing the balance and layout aspects of graphic design, the incorporation of skills from photographers is necessary.
Photographers provide graphic designers with an outdoor experience where they collaborate in capturing the intriguing pictures for a particular project. Besides providing a creative outlet, photographers take graphic designers through the practical aspects of color theory (Lupton and Phillips 76). Thus, the photographic adventures reinforce the graphic designer’s knowledge concerning the color theory coupled with how it influences their work. Moreover, photographers assist graphic designers in lessening their reliance on stock photos, most of which are usually of substandard quality. Therefore, connecting with photographers makes the graphic design profession interesting as it fosters the quality of images, provides a creative outlet and improves their understanding of the different aspects of color.
Interior Designers and Architectures
The art of interior design mainly entails the undertakings that are geared towards designing the inner aspects of a room or building. Through the alteration of the spatial volume and surface treatment of a given room or building, interior designers create the desired experience in a room or building (Lewis 44). Architects are professionals who focus on the development of a building plan, design, and construction processes. Furthermore, architecture encompasses the art and science of building designs and construction.
Graphic designers link up with interior designers and architects to attain the practicality of individual ideas and concepts by revealing their inter-professional relationships. In most cases, interior designers need the input of graphic designers to create a fascinating internal experience in a building. Graphic designers connect with interior designers to determine the right color for items like furniture and appliances in a given building. Additionally, interior designers need to attain a balance concerning the arrangement of items in a building, a skill mastered by graphic designers. Moreover, graphic designers help interior designers in selecting a profound motif for the achievement of a striking ambiance in the entire building (Armstrong 45).
Architects employ the services of graphic designers when they intend to communicate a message about a building economically (Lewis 70). Graphic design projects could be incorporated in architecture to the special definition of a building. In this light, graphic designers contribute to the establishment of new scales and texture in an architectural project that has a tight budget. Moreover, architects link with graphic designers to foster the communication of different themes associated with a particular building (Barnard 125). Therefore, graphical designers play a central role in reinforcing the artistic works of interior designers and architects.
Website Designers and Programmers
The contemporary setting has seen a drastic increase in the number of website designers and programmers due to the onset of unprecedented technological improvements. Website designers incorporate their IT skills and creativity to develop new websites and refurbish old ones. On the other hand, programmers, also referred to as coders or developers, engage in writing computer software. In other words, programmers develop functional computer programs from a computing problem or opportunity.
The different aspects of Website design particularly, logo design, information architecture, accessibility and navigation design, flash animation, and advertising could borrow the concepts and ideas of graphic designers. In other words, all the graphic aspects of web pages require the incorporation of skills possessed by graphic designers (Lupton and Phillips 133). Thus, website designers expect graphic designers to create aspects that attract or hook the right customers to the site. Moreover, graphic designers develop an exceptional layout before presenting it to the Website designer who uses it for the website’s functionality.
Likewise, programmers provide graphic designers with an opportunity to foster the general user interface (GUI) of the developed software (Armstrong 80). The visual indicators and icons created by designers enhance the interaction of the users with the software in a computer device to meet their expectations. In this light, the undertakings of programmers and web designers highly depend on the skills of graphic designers to produce appealing websites and software.
Advertising Agencies
An advertising agency focuses on the provision of services that seek to promote the products and services of their clients. Professionals in advertising agencies concentrate on the creation of promotional concepts and design advertisements for media platforms such as the internet, television, radio, and print. Primarily, advertising agencies facilitate the sales and marketing aspect of the business, and thus it could be appropriate for graphic designers to link with advertising professionals to promote their products.
Graphic design paired with advertising provides broad exposure to the exchange of ideas and concepts. Graphic designers need to understand that advertising agencies need them to create objects that have meaning to the firm and its customers. Therefore, advertising provides the graphic designer with a chance to enhance their aesthetic consciousness and visual vocabulary to a greater by expressing it to a broader audience. Further, the advertising agencies employ the skills of graphic designers to facilitate the compatibility of the advertising story and that of the product to create substantial meaning. On the other hand, graphic designers also need to collaborate with advertising agencies to promote their ideas and concepts (Barnard 98). Therefore, the inter-professional relationship between the two bolsters mutual benefits, essential for growth.
Calligraphers
Calligraphy entails the art of ascribing form and meaning to signs by portraying expression, skill, and harmony. As a visual art, calligraphy is considerably associated with writing. Calligraphers engage in lettering design and execution using writing instruments like a brush or a broad tip pen (Turgut 41). Contemporary calligraphers use fine-art pieces and functional inscriptions to develop art pieces. The incorporation of calligraphy and graphic design reinforces the quality of projects thus, appeal to the customers or intended audience.
Calligraphers could borrow the skills of graphic designers to create letters artistically and based on a particular theme. Graphic designers help calligraphers in maintaining the execution of curves in all the aspects of their work. Furthermore, the graphic designer’s input in calligraphy is embraced when balancing the weight of the individual elements in a written piece (Turgut 43). The intimate nexus between calligraphy and graphic design manifests today in the form of signs that represent a particular meaning in the corporate world. Firms embrace the skills of graphic designers and calligraphers to develop unique signs that represent their brand image in a way that enhances competitiveness.
In instances where graphic designers need lively and distinct expressions, they embrace the services of calligraphers since handwritten and computer-aided expressions vary in quality. In this light, graphic designers enhance their skills in developing ideas and concepts by hand. Likewise, calligraphers need to keep in line with the technological advancements in the industry thereby require to create a collaborative working relationship with graphic designers (Armstrong 76).
Paper Companies
Paper companies engage in the manufacture of a variety of papers required for printing among other purposes. Such companies manufacture papers of different quality and texture to meet the specific requirements of their clients. The art and design sector relies on paper substantially to express their ideas and concepts as a final product. Graphic designers express most of their projects using paper as seen in their works that include posters, greeting cards, and magazines among others.
Graphic designers need to connect with paper companies to make the desired specifications suitable for their printed media. In turn, the paper companies ensure that graphic designers acquire papers that suit the product’s function, quality, and feeling (Lupton and Phillips 133). Therefore, before a graphic designer commences their project on the computer, they need to make a choice of paper to streamline the overall experience. The choice of paper matters a lot owing to the nature of different projects.
Since the final product matters, the printing company and the graphic designer connect to choose the appropriate paper for products such as books, flyers, or posters. The durability of the paper that the graphic designer uses ought to be taken into account. In this respect, the paper company would advise the graphic designer on the kind of paper that would suit its purpose for a day or years. For example, the paper for a flyer would not be the same for a book to be read for a long period. Additionally, paper companies provide the products that have the capability of communicating a particular feeling to the clients or audience. For example, different paper types have the capability of delivering a feeling that ranges from a fancy one to the traditional. Moreover, paper companies could recommend graphic designer whether to use coated or uncoated paper for different projects.
Conclusion
The creation of visual concepts and ideas undertaken by graphic designers achieves the desired quality and functionality through connection with the relevant or affiliated professions and agencies. In this respect, graphic designers collaborate with an array of professionals in areas like publishing, web designing and programming, architecture, calligraphy, advertising agencies, and paper companies. The existing inter-professional relationships reinforce the fields mutually. In various ways, graphic designers need to borrow some inputs from other professions and return the favor by lending their contributions to related fields. Therefore, graphic designers need to consider the insights of other professions in their line of work appreciatively since they cannot survive in the industry on their own. In so doing, the visual art projects created by graphic designers realize the artistic aspects of information, inspiration, and captivation.
Works Cited
Armstrong, Helen. Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2012. Print.
Barnard, Malcolm. Graphic Design as Communication. London: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Johansson, Kaj, Peter Lundberg, and Robert Ryberg. A guide to graphic print production, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.
Lewis, Karen. Graphic Design for Architects: A Manual for Visual Communication. London: Routledge, 2015. Print.
Lupton, Ellen, and Jennifer Phillips. Graphic Design: The New Basics: Revised and Expanded, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2015. Print.
Turgut, Ă–zden. “Calligraphic Forms in Contemporary Typographic Design.” Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 122.2 (2014): 40-45. Print.