Graphic Designer

What Do They Do?

  • When you open YouTube, Instagram, or a shopping app
  • you see posters, logos, and images.
  • Someone designes all of these to make them attractive and easy to understand.
  • That person is called a Graphic Designer.
    • 👉 In simple words: Graphic Designers creates products and brands look attractive and easy to understand.

🎓 How to Become a Graphic Designer

The courses to pursue this career are given below :

After completing 12th, students can study graphic design, visual communication, branding, advertising, illustration, multimedia, and digital media through professional degree courses.

B.Des in Communication Design

Duration: 4 Years

Eligibility: 10+2 pass (Any stream)

Entrance Exam: NID DAT / UCEED / NIFT /SEED

BFA in Applied Arts

Duration: 4 Years

Eligibility: 10+2 pass (Any stream)

Entrance Exam: State-CET, CUET / university-specific fine arts tests

B.Sc / BA in Multimedia & Graphic Design

Duration: 3 Years

Eligibility: 10+2 pass (Any stream)

Entrance Exam: Merit-based / CUET (for some universities)

📝 Exam Details

(Click on the exam name to see full details)

NID DAT UCEED NIFT Entrance Exam SEED Exam State CET CUET Merit-Based Admission

Note: Students can later specialize in branding, UI/UX design, advertising, motion graphics, illustration, or digital media design.

After graduation, students can specialize in advanced graphic design, branding, visual communication, digital media, and creative direction through master’s degrees or postgraduate diploma courses.

M.Des in Graphic Design / Visual Communication

Duration: 2 Years

Eligibility: Bachelor’s Degree (B.Des, BFA, B.Tech, or related fields preferred)

Entrance Exam: CEED / NID DAT (M.Des)

MA in Graphic Design / Communication Design

Duration: 2 Years

Eligibility: Graduation in any field (portfolio preferred)

Entrance Exam: Institutional entrance exams / portfolio review

Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Graphic Design

Duration: 1 Year

Eligibility: Graduation in any field

Entrance Exam: Portfolio review / personal interview

📝 Exam Details

(Click on the exam name to see full details)

CEED NID DAT (M.Des) Portfolio Review Personal Interview Institutional Entrance Exam

This help students learn graphic design, typography, layout design, branding, and commonly used design software.

Diploma in Graphic Design

Duration: 1year

Eligibility: 10th pass

Certificate in Graphic Design

Duration: 11 months

Eligibility: Open to all

Provider: Pearl Academy

Graphic Design Courses

Eligibility: Open to all

Provider: Skill Share

Graphic Design Courses

Eligibility: Open to all

Provider: Coursera

Note:

(Age limits, marks, and admission process may vary depending on the college or state.

Below are some colleges that offer these courses.

These courses are available in many colleges and universities across India. You can choose colleges based on your location, budget, and entrance exams.)

🏫 Colleges offering these courses in India

After Class 12

Pearl Academy, Bengaluru, Karnataka Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, Kerala IDC IIT Bombay Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha MIT World Peace University, Pune, Maharashtra ICAT College of Design & Media, Chennai Manipal Acdemy of Higher Education

After Graduation

NID (M.Des Programs) IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay Sacred Heart College, Kochi Jain University Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology

Short Courses & Certifications

JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka Lakhotia College of Design, Hyderabad, Telangana Pearl Academy Skillshare Coursera
STEP 1

Imagine you are working as a Graphic Designer in a company.

STEP 2

A brand wants to design their contents.

STEP 3

Your job is to create posters, banners, logos, and digital content.

STEP 4

You sketch ideas and experiment with different styles and layouts.

STEP 5

You choose colors, fonts, icons, and images to make the design attractive.

STEP 6

The final designs are used in ads, websites, packaging, or social media.

STEP 7

If you enjoy doing this, then this career may suit you.

Where do Graphic Designers work? (Job Roles + Growth)

Graphic Designers work in : Advertising agencies, Design studios, Branding agencies, Media and publishing companies, Marketing agencies, IT and technology companies, e-commerce companies and as freelance developers .

🟢 Beginner Roles

Junior Graphic Designer

After 10th / 12th / Diploma

Creates posters, banners, logos, and social media designs.

Social Media Designer

After Certification / Diploma

Designs Instagram posts, reels, stories, and online ads.

DTP Operator

After 10th / Diploma

Prepares newspapers, magazines, brochures, and print layouts.

Logo Designer

After Diploma / BFA

Creates logos and simple brand visuals for companies.

🔵 Mid-Level Roles

Visual Designer

After B.Des / BFA + Experience

Creates the visual style, colors, and layouts for brands.

Motion Graphics Artist

After Animation / Design Degree

Creates moving graphics, animated videos, and ad visuals.

Brand Identity Designer

After B.Des / Experience

Designs logos, brand colors, and company identity systems.

UI Designer

After B.Des / UI-UX Courses

Designs screens, buttons, and layouts for apps and websites.

🟣 Advanced Roles

Art Director

After Graduation + Experience

Leads creative teams and decides the overall design style.

Creative Lead

After Senior Experience

Manages designers and checks the quality of creative work.

Design Director

After M.Des / Leadership Experience

Plans long-term creative strategies for companies and brands.

Creative Consultant

After Industry Experience

Gives creative advice to brands, startups, and media companies.

Global Ad Agencies & Design Studios

Work with Pentagram, Landor, or Leo Burnett.

Big Tech & Product Companies

Design user interfaces (UI) for products used worldwide.

Entertainment & Media Giants

Create motion graphics, digital content for OTT and gaming companies.

FMCG & Global Retail Brands

Design packaging, branding for international consumer brands.

Remote & Freelance Marketplaces

Work globally using platforms like Upwork, Behance, and Fiverr.

(Click Yes or No for each question)

1. Do you like drawing?

2. Do you notice logos, posters, or social media designs around you?

3. Do you notice colors, fonts, or designs when you use apps or websites?

4. Imagine you are working as a Graphic Designer for a company. The company wants to promote a new product. You create a poster for the product using pictures, colours, text, and different design elements. You arrange everything so the poster looks attractive and clearly gives the message. Do you like this type of work?

5. A restaurant is opening a new branch and approaches you to design its menu card. You create the menu using pictures, colours, text, and different design elements. You arrange everything so the menu card is easy to read and looks attractive. When the restaurant opens, customers use the menu card you designed to choose their food. Does this type of work interest you?