How to Become a Graphic Designer in Indianapolis, Indiana

With well over 800,000 local residents and none less than 90,000 commercial businesses, the city of Indianapolis, Indiana is roaring with artists pursuing careers in Communications Design.  All kinds of companies in Indianapolis employ graphic design professionals for a wide array of visual tasks.

Indianapolis Schools and Training Programs for Graphic Design

Quite a few excellent Indianapolis colleges and Universities feature degree programs in graphic design.  Popular local favorites are Purdue University, Ivy Tech Community College, Lincoln Technical Institute, Marian College and Indiana Business College.  Some aspiring Indianapolis graphic designers earn their degrees online.  Successful colleges with online graphic design degree programs include The Art Institutes, ITT Tech, University of Phoenix and DeVry.

Indiana designers usually major in Communications or Fine Arts.  A graphic design degree program at a typical Indianapolis college might include computer science, website design, digital media, traditional media, photography, animation, technical drawing, typography and printmaking techniques, as well as marketing, psychology and other relevant topics.

Working as a Graphic Designer in Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis maintains a strong economic demand for professional graphic designers.  Design jobs available to qualified Indianapolis graphic artists include company logos, visual product descriptions, promotional art, educational materials, book covers, web pages, commercial packaging, road signs, textile prints, assembly instructions and more. 

In addition, many leading Indianapolis ad agencies employ local graphic designers.  Some examples are 360-Group, Boxfire, Caldwell van Riper, Criterion, Floyd-Stanich, Mail South and Yellow Book.  Other local designers team with Indianapolis motion picture producers like Baxter Communications, Bowen Technovation, Creekside Studios, Imagenation and Perennial Pictures, to name a few.

Other Indianapolis companies hiring graphic designers include photography studios, art galleries, news syndicates, software developers, colleges, book publishers, retailers, manufacturers, industrial contractors, architects, realtors and internet start-ups. 

Roughly around half of all professional graphic designers employed in the United States earn between $30,000 and $60,000 annually.  American companies currently support at least 250,000 professional graphic artists.  Starting salaries for specialists in communications design are based heavily on education, experience and skills.  Employers also review design portfolios when deciding who to hire.  A design portfolio is a thoughtful selection of the artist's best professional work. 

Skills of a Graphic Designer

Graphic designers are trained to communicate specific visual messages by way of arranging and manipulating design elements, including backgrounds, to achieve a particular result.  The majority of  graphic design work involves layout, which is selecting the appropriate size, color, location, orientation and other physical features of images on a page, as well as the physical features of the page itself.

Communications design professionals understand the importance of subtle considerations like juxtaposition of form, how colors affect mood, the psychology of symbols and the location of the observer.  Graphic artists are visual perfectionists who always color inside the lines.