9 Skills All Graphic Designers Should Obtain by the End of 2019

The key to becoming a successful graphic designer is to adapt to an ever-evolving tech ecosystem, along with nurturing the existing skills. If you are thinking of immersing yourself in the graphic design industry, or you are a graphic designer seeking ways to improve your skills, here are 10 skills every designer needs to adopt by the end of this year.

1. Obtain a solid grasp of the popular software

If you work for a company, it is expected from you to know programs such as InDesign or Photoshop, and these programs are a must if you are a freelancer. If you are passionate about 3D modeling, you may want to try Blender, or After Effects to build your abilities in motion graphics and animation.

2. UX design

More and more companies realize the significance of the user experience. Adding some UX design skills to your resume makes you more desirable to employers. Study proper UX methods and use A/B testing to figure out which elements work best for each website.

3. Learn AI

It is well known that artificial intelligence and machine learning are changing the digital and design landscapes. Open-minded designers with a firm grasp on AI and machine learning will be able to add value to any modern design team.

4. Learn to code

Nobody is expecting someone focused on graphic design to build a website from zero - that would transform them into a web designer. However, the more familiar you get with the coding process, the better you will collaborate with developers on your digital designs. Something as basic as HTML is pretty easy to comprehend. There are numerous websites offering online courses such as udemy.com or W3Schools that can help you learn the basics.

5. Understand digital typography

If you are working as a graphic designer, we believe that you already know the basics of typography. However, as graphic design slowly transitions from print to online, the need to understand the principles of digital typography has never been greater. There are numerous high-quality tutorials and blogs that cover typography for apps and the web.

6. Soft skills

Soft skills are harder to measure than technical skills but are extremely valued in the workplace. UX designers must have certain "soft skills" such as empathy, communication, collaboration, and curiosity.

7. Improve image editing skills

In the age of Instagram and Snapchat, where people get more visually oriented, editing and retouching images is becoming an increasingly important part of graphic design jobs. Mainly done using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom, it's about everything from small touch-ups to full-on image manipulation on enhancements.

8. Print design

Designers' skills should go beyond digital knowledge, and focus on print media as well. The skill of designing artistic projects and finishes for printing is a skill that continues to be in high-demand. Understanding how to properly set up your screen designs for the real world is still a vital part of a designer's knowledge base.

9. AR/VR

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are the most vibrant technologies to hit the visual design industry. These technologies operate in conjunction with AI to create patterns, visual aesthetic and animated effects.