What It Takes to Be a Great Graphic Designer: 6 Key Qualities

Emily
5 min readAug 1, 2022

--

When it comes to graphic design, there are a lot of things to consider. The range of skills required can be daunting for some people. But don’t worry! We’re here to help simplify things and make it a little easier for you to understand what it takes to be a great graphic designer.

There are six key qualities that set great graphic designers apart from the rest. In this article, we’ll discuss each one in detail and give you some tips on how you can develop them yourself

Here are some of our top tips that will distinguish a great graphic designer:

Creativity

When it comes to graphic designers, creativity is key. After all, they’re the ones who come up with the ideas that make your business stand out from the competition.

So how can you tell if a graphic designer is creative? One way is to ask them to show you their portfolio. This will give you a good idea of the kind of work they’re capable of producing.

Another way to gauge creativity is to chat with them about their design process. Do they have any interesting stories or anecdotes about how they came up with a particular design? Or are they constantly pushing themselves to come up with new and innovative ideas?

If you’re looking for a graphic designer who can help take your business to the next level, then you need someone who’s creative and has a lot of passion for their work.

Consistency

One thing that all great graphic designers have in common is consistency. They’re able to bring a level of cohesion to their work that makes it look polished and professional. Whether it’s a logo, a flyer, or a website, their work is instantly recognizable.

This doesn’t mean that all their designs will be identical, but they will have a common theme or style that runs through them. This is what sets great graphic designers apart from the rest — their ability to create a unified brand identity for their clients.

Problem Solving

You need to be able to solve problems. This is probably the most important quality of all because as a graphic designer, you’re going to be presented with all sorts of challenges.

It could be something as simple as coming up with a new logo for a company, or figuring out how to make an existing logo look more updated. It might be working with a difficult client who wants everything his or her own way or trying to meet a tight deadline.

Whatever the challenge may be, you need to be able to think on your feet and come up with a solution that works. And you need to do it quickly — because no one has time for drawn-out design processes anymore.

Always Learning

As a graphic designer, it’s important to never stop learning. The industry is constantly changing, and if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you need to be constantly updating your skills.

That doesn’t mean you have to go back to school (although that’s always an option). There are plenty of online resources and tutorials that can help you learn new techniques and keep up with the latest trends.

So what are you waiting for? Start learning today and see how you can take your designs to the next level.

Able to Take Criticism

Graphic designers need to be able to take criticism. This doesn’t mean that they always have to agree with what their clients or colleagues are saying, but they need to be able to listen and understand the feedback that’s being given to them.

If a graphic designer can’t take criticism, then it’s going to be very difficult for them to improve their skills and grow as a professional. And that’s definitely not something you want in a great graphic designer.

Patience

One of the key qualities of a great graphic designer is patience. When you’re working with clients, you need to be able to listen to their needs and then deliver on them. Sometimes this means going back and forth a few times to get it just right.

But it’s not just clients that you need to be patient with. Design is a process that takes time, and you need to be able to let your ideas simmer before putting them down on paper. Rushing through a project is never a good idea — you’ll end up with something that’s not up to your usual standards. So take your time, and be patient with both yourself and your clients. It’ll pay off in the end.

Final thoughts

When it comes to graphic designers, you want someone who is creative and consistent, able to solve problems, and always learning. They should also be able to take criticism and have patience. If these sound like qualities you’re looking for, then keep these 6 key qualities in mind when you’re on the hunt for the perfect graphic designer.

Snapied is a simple yet powerful online graphic design tool that helps both professional and non-designers create amazing designs easily and quickly.

Start a free design:

--

--

Emily
Emily

Written by Emily

Dynamic Integrated Marketing Leader | Creative Strategist | Data-Driven Risk-Taker | SNAPIED