Choosing Careers: Deciding Between Web Design and Print Design

by Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@webdesignschoolreview.com
Web Design School Review Columnist

Graphic designers who started before the Internet are faced with a choice: Expand their portfolio into web design or continue focusing on print design, their original creative medium. If you are facing the same choice in your work, you may benefit from considering the pros and cons of careers in print design as well as those in web design.

Of course, there is one very strong practical reason to extend your reach as a print designer and venture into professional web site design. That reason, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is that graphic designers who are able to work in a web platform will have more job opportunities.

On the other hand, firms will continue to hand out brochures and other marketing collateral material at trade shows, conventions, meetings, and other business-driven events. Most designers agree that there will still be strong demand for professional print design services.

But with the introduction of the Internet more than 10 years ago, and the millions of websites that have emerged since then, it’s hard to imagine a career as a graphic designer that doesn’t involve some web design.

Easing into Professional Web Site Design

So it seems that most graphic designers have little choice but to embrace web design, accepting it as a serious medium in which to communicate ideas.

How does an established graphic designer become a professional web site designer?

The good news is that you can still do your print design work as you always have, using tools like Photoshop, InDesign, and Adobe Illustrator. The tougher work of professional web site designers comes next: building a web site design using HTML and XHTML. This is where the learning comes in, where you need to understand how to use Cascading Style Sheets, Javascript, and DHTML.

If you don’t have time to pick up these skills on the job, consider taking a class after work or on the weekends. Before long, you’ll be able to promote your skills as a print and web designer to prospective employers.

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who specializes in postsecondary education and career development.

Posted at 11:10 AM on February 22, 2007

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