Magazine/Catalogue Designer

By Shaynah Peterson

There are a lot of skills needed to become a magazine/catalogue designer. You need an education and natural talent. If you look at a magazine or catalogue, many things are needed to make something that will attract a wide range of people’s attention. There are many steps that need to be taken to become a successful magazine/catalogue designer.

Generally, a person would need a Bachelor’s degree to be a magazine or catalogue designer/art director. There are many community colleges or technical schools that have short-term programs for the degrees in computer design, drawing art, etc. One would need to take classes and courses related to this career and study in the graphic arts field. If you were to become successful in this field, the average wage per hour is about $20.25. The average annual income is around $72,000. The employment outlook is above average. It has grown about 11.8%. Magazines are used everywhere. Airports, doctor’s offices, and teenage girls will continue to need magazines.

The required skill set is very large. You need to understand the fundamentals of visual communication and design, which includes color, composition, and the use of symbols. The knowledge of image acquisition and processing tools is very useful as well as computer skills and using applications like Photoshop. There must be natural talent in capturing people’s attention and knowing what is visually good-looking. You need to be able to create artwork that conforms to the style and content specifications.It is best that you have the ability to stay aware of trends in the design field and magazines, as well as be able to be creative, meet short deadlines, and understand various audiences. It takes a lot of skill to be able to be a magazine/catalogue designer.

The future of this industry largely depends on the people and the economy. The magazine industry took a toll recently due to the rough economy in the United States. However, it is predicted that there will be a slight comeback for 2010. If not, the industry will just stay the same. So it does not look like the industry will be going down anytime soon. As long as doctor’s offices and airports exist, so will the magazine industry, I think. Not to mention, teenage girls.

To become a magazine/catalogue designer, you really have to start at the bottom and work your way to the top. Create a portfolio that shows your experience and expertise, so a potential employer can see your abilities and skills. It is also great to get experience from internships or through art schools. Some schools have connections with certain magazine companies, which will make it easier to attain an internship. For most of your career you will be working your way up. Most magazine art directors begin as assistants and become successful by gaining experience with the company.