What does a graphics specialist do?
A graphics specialist is an expert at conceptualizing and developing visual art for businesses or individuals, typically for marketing or information purposes. Moreover, there are also opportunities for employment in the web and media industry. As a graphics specialist, their responsibilities include liaising with clients to identify their needs, understanding the purpose and message of the project, developing proposals, coordinating with team members, and conducting revisions as needed, all while adhering to the goals and deadlines set by the client or management.
Graphics specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real graphics specialist resumes:
- Lead the development and execution of several overhead presentations, advertising design, brochure marketing, and desktop publishing initiatives.
- Create graphics / artwork for screen print, dye-sublimation, embroidery, apparel, fliers, and web graphics.
- Prepare page layouts for posters, signage, handouts, brochures, business cards, stationery, and direct mail pieces.
- Edit HTML for menu systems in CBT courses.
- Work with large format digital printers, plotters, and lamination machines.
- Create an HTML template defining the look and feel for UNITEC's intranet.
- Create and handle all graphics for multiple clients' print and promotionalproducts - prepare for print, silkscreen, and embroidery.
- Create and produce PowerPoint presentations and posters for scientific meetings and conferences.
- Design brochures for various charitable functions and prepare quarterly pipeline reports for management.
- Create brochures and marketing collateral to effectively communicate bonus programs and sales contests.
- Develop creative art and media using in house and freelance photography, photo/image manipulation and video editing.
- Recognize and correct potential production problems contain within design files and accurately process marketing campaign photography for web and print use.
- Design, layout and production of banners and signs using plotter cut vinyl.
- Establish design standards for use in CSS (cascading style sheets).
- Determine and ensure availability of outlying VTC sites for participation.
Graphics specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Graphics Specialists are proficient in Graphic Design, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Artistic ability, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Graphics Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Graphic Design, 12%
Designed and implemented intranet platform for graphic designers to communicate the status of key initiatives across multiple functions.
- Adobe Illustrator, 9%
Designed websites and print materials for clients, photographed events, filmed interviews and taught a weekly Adobe Illustrator class.
- Adobe Photoshop, 7%
Learned Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to improve visual appearance of presentations by incorporating design into end product.
- Adobe Indesign, 5%
Created monthly and quarter end presentation materials in PowerPoint and Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.
- Adobe Creative Suite, 5%
Created direct mail materials, business forms, fliers and brochures using Adobe Creative Suite CS5.
- Visualization, 5%
Composed 3-dimensional visualization animations and renderings of proposed systems utilizing 3D Studio MAX.
Common skills that a graphics specialist uses to do their job include "graphic design," "adobe illustrator," and "adobe photoshop." You can find details on the most important graphics specialist responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a graphics specialist to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "graphic designers must be able to perceive their work from their consumers’ point of view to ensure that the designs convey the client’s message." Additionally, a graphics specialist resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "maintained lotus notes intellectual property database technical support for ibm global services department digital photography, multi-media presentations"
Artistic ability. Many graphics specialist duties rely on artistic ability. "graphic designers must be able to create designs that are artistically interesting and appealing to clients and consumers," so a graphics specialist will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways graphics specialist responsibilities rely on artistic ability: "used basic design skills and artistic creativity to implement two or three dimensional animation in support of training objectives. "
Communication skills. This is an important skill for graphics specialists to perform their duties. For an example of how graphics specialist responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "graphic designers must communicate with clients, customers, and other designers to ensure that their designs accurately and effectively convey information." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a graphics specialist: "maintain communication with csrs for various companies to ensure proper delivery and design on pos materials. ".
Computer skills. graphics specialist responsibilities often require "computer skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "most graphic designers use specialized graphic design software to prepare their designs." This resume example shows what graphics specialists do with computer skills on a typical day: "create computer aided design and animations for all tenant improvement projects of design alliance. "
Creativity. Another common skill required for graphics specialist responsibilities is "creativity." This skill comes up in the duties of graphics specialists all the time, as "graphic designers must be able to think of new approaches to communicating ideas to consumers." An excerpt from a real graphics specialist resume shows how this skill is central to what a graphics specialist does: "developed creative art and media using in house and freelance photography, photo/image manipulation and video editing. "
Time-management skills. Another skill commonly found on graphics specialist job descriptions is "time-management skills." It can come up quite often in graphics specialist duties, since "graphic designers often work simultaneously on multiple projects, each with a different deadline." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day graphics specialist responsibilities: "managed computer graphics and print design departments while meeting constant deadlines - developed and delivered marketing projects to clients on time. "
The three companies that hire the most graphics specialists are:
- The Freeman Company LLC14 graphics specialists jobs
- ManTech4 graphics specialists jobs
- FOH Holdings, Inc3 graphics specialists jobs
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Compare different graphics specialists
Graphics specialist vs. Designer
A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between graphics specialists and designer. For instance, graphics specialist responsibilities require skills such as "visualization," "photography," "posters," and "brochures." Whereas a designer is skilled in "sketch," "customer service," "powerpoint," and "html css." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Designers earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $87,754. On the other hand, graphics specialists are paid more in the finance industry with an average salary of $67,322.On average, designers reach similar levels of education than graphics specialists. Designers are 1.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Graphics specialist vs. Freelance designer
Freelance designers are creative, independent contractors who create visual and graphic designs for their clients. They develop text and illustrated versions of brands, messages, and communications with strong visible influence with their clients. Typical activities include networking, seeking projects, and negotiating prices to their customers. They manage client proposals, develop concepts, present solutions, and ensure the timely completion of projects. Freelance visual and graphic designers are creative, self-motivated as well as result and deadline oriented.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real graphics specialist resumes. While graphics specialist responsibilities can utilize skills like "graphic design," "visualization," "flyers," and "animation," freelance designers use skills like "sketch," "art direction," "website design," and "design concepts."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Freelance designers tend to reach similar levels of education than graphics specialists. In fact, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for graphics specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Michelle Lockwood
Associate Professor, Graphic Design Art, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Graphics specialist vs. Assistant designer
Assistant designers act as administrative support to senior designers in creating innovative designs by negotiating with the vendors about the prices of decoration materials. They are keen and up-to-date to the latest fashion and trends by conducting surveys and research. They are exceptionally creative and innovative and have excellent IT skills as they use illustration, typography, and photography layouts in the design process. However, being an assistant designer, career development relies on his/her /her specialism, reputation, and experience depending on how its opportunities are influenced by the company he/she works for.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from graphics specialist resumes include skills like "graphic design," "adobe indesign," "adobe creative suite," and "visualization," whereas an assistant designer is more likely to list skills in "sketch," "tech packs," "line sheets," and "trend research. "
Assistant designers earn the best pay in the construction industry, where they command an average salary of $57,526. Graphics specialists earn the highest pay from the finance industry, with an average salary of $67,322.When it comes to education, assistant designers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to graphics specialists. In fact, they're 1.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Graphics specialist vs. Interactive designer
An Interactive Designer takes the business product and transforms it into a product that the user interacts with perfectly. They support engineering efforts to develop designs and get the details right.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between graphics specialists and interactive designers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a graphics specialist might have more use for skills like "adobe illustrator," "photography," "posters," and "brochures." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of interactive designers require skills like "sketch," "user experience," "ui," and "interaction design. "
The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for interactive designers, with average annual pay of $126,017. Comparatively, the highest graphics specialist annual salary comes from the finance industry.In general, interactive designers hold higher degree levels compared to graphics specialists. Interactive designers are 8.0% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of graphics specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
