The digital revolution has heavily impacted the printing and publishing industry. Every aspect of the business has already or will be changed radically. Many jobs are undergoing a continual metamorphosis. The design and production artist is at the nexus of this continual evolution. The graphic artist must constantly upgrade skills and techniques or risk being left behind. Often, the only way to progress is to find new employment. If a firm is reluctant to upgrade hardware and/or software, or is loath to invest in seminars and training, the artist must either make the investment or find another employer who is more eager to keep pace with the industry.
Thus I find myself starting anew with a more progressive company. The present employment climate encourages workers to move up to more rewarding positions, and a skilled worker will not be searching long. To position oneself most advantageously for the better situations, I believe it behooves one in my profession to be something of a generalist.
Some graphic artists put all their emphasis on the artist. Perhaps they are, at heart, illustrators who use the computer as a substitute, or in addition to a pen or pencil, charcoal, and sketch pad. I know individuals who have great talent as artists, yet can barely type. They are reluctant to use clipart at all, much preferring to create their own art. It may take them many times longer to create a piece than if they simply used off-the-shelf illustrations.
I have met others who are excellent at design work, but disdain production. They do not wish to know the details of color separations, font management, or cross-platform compatibility. They have the ability to create stunning designs that may be unprintable within the budget specified. |
My new boss decided that I was the artist that he needed because I have broad interests. Though I do not have great skill or talent as a fine artist, I know where to go on the occasion that kind of work is needed. What I do have is an in-depth knowledge of page layout and a working knowledge of all the surrounding draw and paint programs. In addition, I have taught myself about compression software, portable document formats, all the popular graphics formats, word processors, database programs--all the many tools that a graphic artist comes in contact with when dealing with a wide variety of clients.
An artist may be a whiz at Photoshop, but if a Macintosh freeze strangles output, the shop is losing money. Most graphic professionals refuse to get their hands dirty by lifting the hood on their computer and getting intimate with the inner workings. So when something goes wrong with that workstation, the boss has to call in a technician who charges $100 per hour. In most cases, the problem can be solved by an operator who has made it a point to become computer savvy.
So, get curious. Climb out of that niche and discover what your fellow computer specialists are up to. If you hear a term you don't understand, ask or look it up. Make yourself valuable and you will be rewarded commensurately.
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