Design for Print vs Design for Screen ?

[Haz]

Hi, I am currently doing a Foundation Degree in 'Graphic Design with Interactive Multimedia'. However, having come to the end of the first term I have the option of transferring to another course which is run in parallel with it; 'Interactive Multimedia with Graphic Design'. Despite both courses having exactly the same words in the title the emphasis in each case is on the first subject in the title. Hence the course I am currently on is mainly Graphic Design based but I will get to do Dynamic Web authoring, build a Flash website and do a bit of 3D animation as well.

I'm really enjoying the graphic design and want to continue with it but Im worried that I will find it difficult to get work in the future; people are saying that design for print is going to die and that newspapers and magazines are going online. And Im not sure that my current course will equip me well enough for web design etc.

If I transfer to the other course I wont get to do any more graphic design but I will get to do a little bit more web design and will also get to do:

-2D and 3D animation
-Video & Audio Post Production
-Interface & Interaction Design

In terms of finding work in the future Im assuming that Video & Audio post production is a pretty niche market, and I guess that animation is a specialist area. Basically my questions are:


1. Do you think there are many jobs around that involve Interface & Interaction design and motion graphics? I'm assuming these jobs are fairly sparse ?
2.I would like to have the option of being self-employed in the future - how easy is it find work being a self-empoyed graphic designer? Would I need to do web design as well?
3.In terms of finding work in the future as an employee do you think there are there more jobs around for web designers than graphic designers?
4. Which course do you think would put me in the best position in terms of finding work in the future?

And sorry for such a vague and long winded post! I have until the end of the week to decide so am panicking!

[JohnRoss]

'm really enjoying the graphic design and want to continue with it but Im worried that I will find it difficult to get work in the future; people are saying that design for print is going to die and that newspapers and magazines are going online.

Print is still alive and kicking, and certainly doesn't stop at newspapers and magazines. I know a little about the editorial design side of things, that being my wife's speciality, and there are more books published per year now than ever before, and though there is no doubt it's a changing world, all those books* still have to be typeset/laid out/designed. Then there is design for packaging (more than ever before), advertising (ibidem), large spaces (from department stores and exhibition centres to car parks, and ibidem again), and a long etcetera.

I also have the feeling - no evidence to back it up, mind - that the web design world is overcrowded, and while there may be more jobs around, there are more people chasing them. Even when a job title is "web designer," the requirements are likely to be programming skills, and entry level pay tends to seriously suck. My reading is that that means the market is saturated.

On the other hand, the animation sounds like fun, audio/video post-production would be nice to have under your belt, and one day in the near future interface design is going to become as important as it should be. So maybe you should go with whatever attracts you most.


*Including e-books.

[SparkCreative]

I agree with John, print is far from dead. And most 'Web designers' haven't got the first clue about design. You can always find someone to code a site for you, but having the design skills to make it really work, look good and be individual is becoming all too rare.

[Kreatif]

Eventhough the world is changing people will always want something tactile and print should survive a few more decades in my opinion, one way to look at it is as the digital age progresses there will just be more media types to delve into ...so a good thing for designers

What I would suggest though is getting some work experience with a printer after you finish your studies as a good knowhow of the printing and finishing process will change the way you design.

Unfortunately there are to many designers out there with no idea of how to get work print ready which is rather annoying for printers ( Im sure a few printers will agree on this one)


In closing there are still to many trees out there so untill we can keep the tree population under control there should still be printed material for a long time...hehe sorry eco bunnies

[DougBarned]

Ignore the possibilities for the future for the time being - go with the option you find more interesting and enjoy and WANT to do. Doing this will mean you are better at it. Being good will take you a long way. There are always jobs out there for people who are top of their game.

Choosing something your not as interested in simply because you think it might be better later will have no positive effects. Best case there is getting a job and being bored because it's not really what you're interested in.

Better to be great at what you do, enjoy it, and struggle a while to get a job you enjoy if you're not lucky enough to get one straight away.

/Doug

[bigdave]

If youre doing an FdA you need a topup year for a full BA Hons. SO why not stick with the course youre doing (its only 2 years anyway), then specialise for your topup? I know alot of people who did that and are now doin really well as theyve got a good understanding of design and graphics and then their specialism on top (eg, animation, videography etc..).