The Tribune

Are you naturally creative? Do you have a knack for thinking outside the box? Do your friends often come to you for tips on colour palettes or accessorising outfits?

If the answer to these questions is ‘yes’, working in the design industry may be one way to turn your imagination and originality into a career. There are many areas that fall under the design industry. For example, a fashion designer is different from textile designers, and both are very different from an interior designer.

While they share similarities, there are distinct differences in these fields. Understanding these distinctions is an important part of determining what type of career you would like to pursue. However, if you are looking for an opportunity to combine your love of technology with your passion for design, you will probably find yourself faced with a tough choice: Graphic design versus web design.

Based on my personal experiences and in-depth research, I have broken down into ‘bite-sizes’ the differences between these professions. These should help you make a more informed decision about which career suits you best.

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS:

• Put the art first

• Have a one-way relationship with their audience

• Are more artistic (they sketch with a pen and paper)

• Emphasise visual theory in their designs

• Must focus on how a design communicates a message to the intended audience

• Need to know how each element of a design translates to print

• Have one shot to get a design right once it is printed

WEB DESIGNERS:

• See the art as a way to leverage technology

• Have a mutual interaction with their audience

• More technical (coding and programming)

• Employ an engineering approach to their designs

• Must predict how a design will make their audience feel and react

• Need to know how to design for versatile mediums (ilaptop, tablet, smartphone)

• Can develop and enhance their work over time

After comparing graphic design versus web design on multiple levels, you should be able to confidently determine the field in which you will excel. So who is a designer or developer, and can you be both?

As much as these two disciplines are different, they are both complementary to one another. Many graphic designers work as web designers, and many web designers also delve into web development.

My advice to new bloomers is: Be certain that you are passionate about your career choice. And here is a tip: ‘Passion makes the job feel easier’. Decide whether you are pursuing a career to feed your family, or to feed or satisfy the opinions of others.

Once you have decided which creative path you are interested in travelling, take a moment to learn more about it to jump start your journey. Graphic design or web developer? It is important to have a comprehensive understanding of both to determine which best suits your personality.

Do not just join a herd which is not going anywhere, and never delve into a field because it looks good on paper. You will regret it much sooner. Reality?.... Money wasted, time lost. Be real. Be true. Use wisdom. Competition is fierce.

Although job growth and salary potential are definitely important, they should not be the determining factors in your quest for the perfect career. Until we meet again, fill your life with memories as opposed to regrets. Enjoy life and stay on top of your game.

• NB: The columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

ABOUT THE COLUMNIST: Deidre Marie Bastian is a professionally trained graphic designer/marketing co-ordinator with qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc.

She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical Centre, Success Training College, College of the Bahamas, Nova South Eastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas.