Career Options
Advertising Agencies
These agencies create promotional and support materials for products, institutions, issues and people. They often have in-house art departments whose job it is to conceive and produce visual material to support and enhance the work of copywriters, account executives, and marketing specialists. Artists employed in advertising agencies range from creative art directors to designers, web & information designers, illustrators, and photographers, to production artists.
Design Studios
These independant businesses specialize in such diverse areas as industrial design, package design, web site design, brochure and catalog design, corporate identity, exhibition design, information and interactive design, environmental design and architectural graphics for a wide range of for-profit and non-profit clients. Design studios often offer opportunites for full time, part time, contract or freelance employment.
Publishing
There are several major book publishers in the Boston area that have substantial art departments requiring the diversified talents of graphic designers and illustrators. The in-house designer controls the visual appearance of a book from manuscript through final printing.
Newspaper and Magazines
Most newspapers and magazines have art departments that are responsible for creating an effective and attractive printed page. Designers with strong backgrounds in typography and graphic production techniques are especially needed in this field.
Motion Graphics
Video Production houses create sophisticated computer images and animation for use in advertising and promotional work. Students who are interested in motion design can find employment working in digital video editing, special effects, and animation. Architecture and engineering firms employ computer artists to produce three-dimensional models, and presentation graphics has become an important aspect of corporate work.
Television
Television stations employ artists and designers to develop titles, news graphics, and illustrations for television, film productions and promotions for both film and print.
Industry
Many corporations have their own in-house design departments giving them closer control, both artistic and financial, over publications such as annual reports, sales presentations, newsleters, and compnay advertising.
On-Demand and Offset Printing
Large printing firms frequently supply their clients with design-related services, ranging from simple paste-up and layout to total supervision of projects.
Freelance
Many designers and illustrators work on what is known as a freelance basis; that is to say they supply their services to agencies or individuals on a project-by-project basis. Freelance designers and illustrators work for a variety of different clients and tend to specialize in particular aspects of design. Being a freelance desinger involves basic business management as the freelance designer is often their own boss and runs their own company.
