What does a visual designer do?
A visual designer is someone who creates designs for a variety of platforms such as Internet and intranet sites, games, and wearables. The duties of visual designers depend on the specific project or industry in which they are working. Duties include creating user-centered interaction models, working with information technology and business teams to resolve complex issues, and designing logos, icons, and infographics. The qualifications to become a visual designer include possessing strong problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in design.
Visual designer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real visual designer resumes:
- Design, project manage, and build retail stores from sketch to completion.
- Manage website redesign including copywriting and updating all website content.
- Produce and deliver HTML5, CSS3 and graphical items.
- Design team brand and logo for organization.
- Provide approved design in HTML5 to web developer for publishing.
- Utilize expertise in Photoshop CS6, HTML5/CSS, Squarespace, and JavaScript.
- Develop PowerPoint presentations and branding for conferences, training sessions and sales pitches.
- Utilize AutoCAD and redline drawings to design custom residential block and frame homes.
- Produce standard and high-density pixel assets, CSS, and guiding visuals for development.
- Participate in copy writing production of HTML and social media layouts for Net10 and SmartTalk.
- Establish system of templates with integrate CSS for white-label solutions for present and potential partners.
- Design and illustrate multiple characters, establish visual style and branding, illustration, animation.
- Create screen designs, communicate with UI designers, engineers, product development and help maintain external wiki site.
- Develop monthly HTML and illustrations for internal newsletter, providing consistent style while offering seasonal variety in each issue.
- Work directly with the development team on various projects and drive implementation of a responsive, clickable prototyping process.
Visual designer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 19% of Visual Designers are proficient in Sketch, Visual Design, and Graphic Design. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Artistic ability, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Visual Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sketch, 19%
Created visual designs of a web app in Sketch.
- Visual Design, 8%
Created visual design specifications and guidance to phone manufacturers and app vendors, which clarified and expedited development process.
- Graphic Design, 5%
Developed project objectives, corporate/brand identities, graphic design and usability testing to create creative compositions for a project.
- UI, 5%
Conceptualized next generation UI for Wealth Management and personal financial management applications.
- User Experience, 4%
Assisted sales initiatives by designing customized presentations, and analyzing competitor offerings to redesign for better user experience for target consumers.
- Visualization, 4%
Demonstrated professionalism and independence by successfully completing multiple projects as the only in-house visualization designer.
Most visual designers use their skills in "sketch," "visual design," and "graphic design" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential visual designer responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a visual designer to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what visual designers do 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 visual designer resume shows how visual designers use analytical skills: "designed static and interactive information visualization displays for scientific and operational data in the context of large clinical trials research. "
Artistic ability. Another essential skill to perform visual designer duties is artistic ability. Visual designers responsibilities require that "graphic designers must be able to create designs that are artistically interesting and appealing to clients and consumers." Visual designers also use artistic ability in their role according to a real resume snippet: "key areas of responsibility: developed artistic and creative design concepts that support and grow the wally's brand. "
Communication skills. visual designers are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to visual designer responsibilities, because "graphic designers must communicate with clients, customers, and other designers to ensure that their designs accurately and effectively convey information." A visual designer resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "execute presentation design, data visualization, related communication pieces and assist on market research for bomoda group. "
Computer skills. visual designer 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 visual designers do with computer skills on a typical day: "contract web design and computer animation"
Creativity. A commonly-found skill in visual designer job descriptions, "creativity" is essential to what visual designers do. Visual designer responsibilities rely on this skill because "graphic designers must be able to think of new approaches to communicating ideas to consumers." You can also see how visual designer duties rely on creativity in this resume example: "contributed creative ideas, details, and popular design trends to the brainstorming process for visual displays. "
Time-management skills. Another skill commonly found on visual designer job descriptions is "time-management skills." It can come up quite often in visual designer 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 visual designer responsibilities: "outlined schedules with respect to deadlines for multiple design projects concurrently. "
The three companies that hire the most visual designers are:
- Regions Bank55 visual designers jobs
- Google46 visual designers jobs
- Deloitte44 visual designers jobs
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Compare different visual designers
Visual designer vs. Graphic designer, marketing
A graphic designer of marketing specializes in developing creative imagery as part of a company's marketing efforts. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with the marketing team to share insights and strategies, conceptualizing designs in adherence to objectives and deadlines, and preparing presentations. One may also subject designs into various revisions and edits as needed. Furthermore, as a graphic designer, it is also essential to keep abreast of the latest trends and have an understanding of the target audience.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, visual designer responsibilities require skills like "visual design," "ui," "user experience," and "visualization." Meanwhile a typical graphic designer, marketing has skills in areas such as "brochures," "blog posts," "flyers," and "in-house." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Graphic designers, marketing earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $52,640. On the other hand, visual designers are paid more in the start-up industry with an average salary of $121,675.The education levels that graphic designers, marketing earn slightly differ from visual designers. In particular, graphic designers, marketing are 4.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a visual designer. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Visual designer vs. Graphic designer/production
A Graphics Designer in production is the person in charge of designing and interpreting ideas pointed out by the client or the company. The graphics designer must use market standard applications and techniques to produce attention-grabbing designs intended to market a product, service, or company. Graphic designers are an integral part of a company's digital marketing, especially over the internet. The graphic designer must have a good eye for style, typesetting, and the use of colors.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real visual designer resumes. While visual designer responsibilities can utilize skills like "visual design," "ui," "user experience," and "visualization," graphic designer/productions use skills like "signage," "brochures," "product photography," and "posters."
Graphic designer/productions may earn a lower salary than visual designers, but graphic designer/productions earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $59,531. On the other hand, visual designers receive higher pay in the start-up industry, where they earn an average salary of $121,675.In general, graphic designer/productions achieve lower levels of education than visual designers. They're 5.9% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for visual designers in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Sarah Satterfield Ph.D.
Department Chair Visual and Performing Arts, Professor of Music and Humanities, College of Central Florida
Visual designer vs. Graphic designer internship
In a graphic design internship, one of the primary responsibilities is to accomplish tasks while under the supervision of more experienced colleagues. An aspiring graphic designer may use this opportunity to observe and participate in designing for various industries, handle different clients, participate in creative meetings, and learn strategies from experts. Furthermore, there may also be technical tasks involving research and analysis, gathering materials, coordinating with vendors, and producing reports and other necessary documentation. They may also be responsible for maintaining a database and responding to calls and inquires.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a visual designer is likely to be skilled in "visual design," "ui," "user experience," and "visualization," while a typical graphic designer internship is skilled in "graphic design intern," "blog posts," "flyers," and "typography."
Graphic designer interns make a very good living in the professional industry with an average annual salary of $41,614. On the other hand, visual designers are paid the highest salary in the start-up industry, with average annual pay of $121,675.Most graphic designer interns achieve a lower degree level compared to visual designers. For example, they're 6.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Visual designer vs. User interaction designer
A User Interaction Designer works with product management to develop and implement innovative solutions for product direction and visuals. They execute all visual design stages.
Types of visual designer
Updated January 8, 2025
