SUNY Orange

Visual Communications
Technology: Graphic Arts/Printing

Arts & Communications Major

OCCUPATIONAL SUMMARY

A Graphic Artist is one who produces art as a commercial service for clients such as advertising agencies, publishing houses, or retail stores. These individuals are usually referred to as "fine artists" because they are responsible for determining the theme, subject matter, and medium of their work. Visual artsts can work in various mediums: ceramic materials, paint (water, oils, acrylics), pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, crayons, pastels, and so on. Other artists work from eclectic materials such as earth, clay, cement, paper, and cloth. Some even like to work with found objects such as car parts, branches of a tree, or other objects. There are ceramic artists, printmakers, painting restorers, illustrators, and art directors.

Then there are those artists who are known primarily as Graphic Artists because their work is intended to express ideas, to convey information, or to draw attention to a particular product. They design a variety of materials including advertisements, displays, packaging, signs, computer graphics and games, book and magazine covers or interiors, animated characters, and company logos. These designers must be familiar with a wide range of art media (photography, drawing, painting, collage, etc.) and styles, but she/he must also know different typefaces and know how to use them for the desired effect. Some designers specialize working as in-house designers for a particular company; some designers specialize in designing advertising materials or packaging; other designers focus on a corporate identity materials. Some work for publishers designing book and magazine covers or layouts. Others work in computer graphics to create still or animated graphics for computer software, videos, or games.

The United States Department of Labor classifies grahic designers with visual artists and predicts this field will have employment growth faster than the average through 2008. This outlook is especially good for those involved with computer graphics, for as computer graphic technology advances, there will be a continued need for well-trained computer graphic designers. About one-third of all graphic designers are self-employed, a higher proportion than is found in most other occupations.

RELATED JOB TITLES FOR
GRPAHIC ARTIST/VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS ARTIST

Environmental Graphic Designer Potter, Ceramist, Sculptor, Clay Artist
Painter Printmaker
Painting Restorer Illustrator
Medical or Scientific Illustrator Art Director
Fashion Artist Cartoonist
Animators Graphic Designer

REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR
SUNY ORANGE GRAPHIC ARTS/FINE ART MAJORS

Leafstone Staffing Build.com
Foto-Wear Nexus Media, Inc.
Cumulus Media of Poughkeepsie Concept Promotions
Ad Tech Computer Solutions WRNN-TV
First Impression Printing Services Nikki Jones Agency
Mobile GraFX Specktrum Graphics
Healey Brothers  

SOURCES

*Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Labor

*America's Top Job for People Without a Four-Year Degree. Fifth edition by J.Michael Farr. 2001 JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

*150 Great Tech Prep Careers. Andrew Morkes, Managing Editor, Career Publications. 2001 Ferguson Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois

*Orange County Community College - College Catalog 2002-2003.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (845) 341-4444

HOURS OF OPERATION

8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri

8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Wed