I’m a Designer Too!:
A Threat to the Graphic Design Industry
In society today, many people have a do it yourself mentality. Lots of people think they are a designer because they know how to use some Photoshop. This devalues the graphic design industry and giving un-needed competition to it. People think that just because designers create beautiful things, work with shapes, text, and colors, that everyone can do it. They do not understand that designers are not just creating art. They are conveying meaning and delivering messages to their viewers. Society doesn’t see the underlying process that happens in the designers head and the time spent to study design. They only see the end result. They only think that using adobe products, such as Adobe Photoshop, is everything that is in a designer job.
These assumptions have cost the value of the graphic design industry and has developed competition from those who claim the title designer. The American Institute of Graphic Arts needs to invest two million dollars for a national design certification system that uses experience, professional competency, business practices, and education to distinguish graphic designers.

Graphic design has evolved from the late 19th century to the present day. When looking back at the history of graphic design, especially advertisements, the designs largely reflect what was occurring in the world at the time.The design styles are different, because viewers needs were different. The neon geometric patterns of the 80s could not be used to instill a sense of patriotism in people after World War II. That would have seemed ridiculous at that time.Taking a look at some of the iconic designs through the decades, it’s easy to see how much graphic design has evolved as the world around us changed. In the 1940’s, design became more sporadic in

terms of graphics, icons and text. There were less copies being included, and instead, ads were relying on often startling slogans. Design in the 50s had a bit of everything. The entire decade was packed full of interesting and often bizarre designs. In the 60’s, cultural wars and activism were everywhere, and everything from human rights to drugs and the environment were being heavily debated. Advertising was taking a more modern turn rather than bold images and taglines, clever ideas and big concepts were portrayed. Music proved to be one of the defining features of the 1970s, and many of the most iconic band posters and album covers come from this time. The experimental style that emerged in the 60s continued to flourish along with its typography. Technology was also coming into the spotlight in a major way during this decade,
Having more color photography used in designs due to advancements in camera technology. The
1980s was an interesting time for design and had its own very distinct style. It consisted of geometric patterns, complementary color schemes and technology as a glimpse into the future.
Another notable aspect of 80s design, was that it was beginning to speak more to women, and in ways it hadn’t before. The 1990’s was a quirky time for design. Everything from the ad campaigns to television to fashion seemed to be like the lovable next door neighbor. Everything was a strange mix of funny and embarrassing. Now in the twenty first century, graphic design consists of advertisements, industry designs, logos, layouts, type, and more. Graphic design comes in many different forms.

Graphic design is everywhere. It is in the morning paper, on commutes to work, and on the covers of favorite books. The most common forms of graphic design include logos, websites, business cards, advertisements, books, brochures, billboards, product packaging, posters,

magazines, and greeting cards. This list barely cracks the surface. These and countless other products and everyday items all utilize graphic design but there is more to graphic design than what meets the eye. Under the surface, graphic design is a very precise and