A Day in the Life of a Graphic Designer

By Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@graphicdesignschoolreview.com
Graphic Design School Review Columnist

Peter is a graphic designer who works for a marketing and public relations firm. His firm is a one-stop shop for all types of communications and marketing materials, from brochures and web sites, to logos and advertising campaigns. Peter has a couple of years of graphic design experience, but has not yet reached the ranks of management.

Peter arrives to work on Monday morning and listens to his voice messages. The first is from David, a potential client from a local film production company that needs help designing a marketing brochure. Another message is from Amanda, a co-worker, who asks if he can make a 2:00 meeting about a large web development project the firm is working on for a nonprofit organization. Next, Peter looks at his computer calendar and is reminded of a pending deadline on a project he's managing, developing a new logo for a small computer services company.

Peter immediately calls back David from the production company to determine what services he needs. He asks David a few questions about the type of brochure his organization would like. Peter closes the conversation by telling David he'll send him a project proposal in a couple of days that will provide information about the graphic design project, including the cost and the amount of time it will take to complete.

After lunch, Peter attends the 2:00 web development meeting. He learns from Amanda, the project leader, that Peter's help is needed in completing the graphics on the web site. Peter looks at his schedule and notices that his week is already pretty jammed, but he savors the pressure and unpredictability associated with consulting work.

That afternoon, Peter works with his computer, using various design tools, such as Photoshop, to put the finishing touches on the graphics for a computer technology company's logo, a project he alone worked on from the start. By day's end, he'll finish the logo and drive home with the satisfaction of knowing he completed something tangible and that tomorrow he can start another day working on a whole new set of design challenges.

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who lives in Arlington, Virginia.