What do graphic designers do/ how much do they make/ what courses should I take in high school and major in?

[thankfulpopcorn455]

I'm thinking about becoming a graphic artist what does it take, what do they do exactly, what courses should I take in high school, and what would I major in for college and what college would I even go to?

[chasingpaper]

I would say start looking at jobs and companies that come close to what you see yourself doing. If you go into fashion/ advertising industry design.. be prepared to harden yourself .. the job market is fierce, the portfolios have to be tough and your moral/ ethics will take a beating...
This is just web design , desktop publishing, and editing / effects software...Adobe Photoshop and illustrator with indesign. Learn to distribute through print, internet , phone and upload to blogs..


Journalism/ mass communication digital media designers requires less sleep...stuff has to be turned over fast and accurately. .. unless your working for a section where it really doesn't matter like third handed news sources - radio.. internet bloggers..that are just spitting out what is safe and just scandalous enough to attract ratings and click through.
Join the audio visual club at your school, newspaper, join art, photography clubs or even yearbook is good for learning layout/desktop publishing stuff. Intern at local paper or tv channel or radio station.. be prepared for unsympathetic people, people that think they are celebrities and etc.. behind the scenes people are thought of as expendable.. highly expendable.. network.. be friendly.. don't get close tomany of these folks.. narcissism/ croniyism runs high .. develop a thick skin.. take nothing personal.. these people will hate you, ignore you some days and love you on the next.. :T

In college major in communications, digital media, desktop publishing, web design or an interdisciplinary humanities degree where you can pick and choose through any of those categories.
Requirements..learn to use Adobe Production and Creative Suite( If you can bite and get the Master Suite do so). 3d studio max, Maya studio, learn to code with HTML5, CSS, XTML, or what ever it by the time you escape schoolage.. Learn Mac and PC.. really most companies use old versions of these.. and get use to trouble shooting/ backing up equipment a lot.. learn how to distribute your media through broadcast, internet FTP, to social media, phone apps ..etc..
Sony/ Nikon/ Canon digital cameras and camcorders are so good many people can't tell that major corps use these consumer end hi def products to produce their media with.
While in college: take audio editing, filmography, photography, lighting, storyboarding, animation/ motion graphics, desktop publishing, technical writing, creative writing, advertising design, commercial art, take some studio art, art appreciation and art history courses.. for foundation, take an ethics class or law class regarding communication, media and internet.. and it helps to slip in a sociology class or consumer behavior class...learning how your audience behaves can help make your designs more effective, addictive... Do not stagnate.. learn from as many cultures, learn about gender roles..history and respecting demographic traits as much as possible.. diversity is key to being able to attract viewers and retention..
You could just learn web, photography and some composition from art.. ..by the time you graduate college the industry will have changed at the rate of technological advances.. so I emphasize keep an eye on classified job descriptions.. by the time I got out of my bachelors.. I needed to expand into multimedia because the businesses had started scratching the surface of multimedia, lol!
Having your own gear, software and mobile laptop and back ups will spare you the heart ache of working for companies with sucky behind the time gear... of course they will want best but won't give you good gear to work with.. When times are down like now. you can sell your own footage, do your own sites and allow people to link back to you.. or use your own site to supplement like so many people have done.
good luck.. once your in network.. find your support.. and don't count on the jobs lasting a long time.. if it does great!!!