The exciting field of Graphic Design is an ever expanding market. Artists specializing in this area cover everything from websites, advertising, and making ordinary things extraordinary. By the time a graphic artist is through with his or her task, rusty old pump parts can look shiny and new! There is a great amount of creativity and skill that goes into the graphic design and these skills are highly marketable for anyone looking to broaden the horizons of their career.
Artistic and computer savvy minds are also behind the newspaper ads we see in our newspapers everyday. A skilled graphic designer has the capacity to turn a simple headline, such as 'Scarborough Home for Sale' into an eye-catching advertisement in the classified ads. The placement of the ad within the newspaper itself can have an impact on the readership of the ad. This is one decision that is not always left to the graphic designer, and he or she is usually at the mercy of the editors and the advertising department. Yet whether an ad is on the first page or the ninety-first page, the goal of the graphic designer (and presumably their clients) is to get their ad seen by as many people as possible.
The choice of the text's font is another decision that is planned and mapped out with respect to the overall look and feel of the newspaper ad. Different fonts can lend themselves to different emotions and moods, for example a name like Sophia Tolli can look very elegant and classic when printed in a cursive font with long swirling loops and dramatic flares, perfect for a wedding dress designer; yet this same name would look dominant and foreboding in print if the graphic designer were to choose a bold font with sharp lines and angles.
Often times advertisers will have a specific demographic of the population that they are targeting. By using familiar images or phrases, the ad will attract attention by association. For example, when promoting condo living, the graphic designer may include images of Liberty on the Park, or The Ninety; both of which would attract potential condo buyers with one glance of these breathtaking buildings. In this case, the placement of the ad within the newspaper may affect the viability of the ad. As mentioned already, the graphic designer's mantra is to create an eye-catching ad that the reader cannot easily ignore or skim over in passing. When there is a specific audience in mind for the ad, the graphic designer may attract readers by ensuring that the ad be placed in the proper section of the newspaper as a whole. Therefore if the graphic designer's client is selling gold mutual funds, it may be beneficial to place this ad in the business section of the newspaper, or in close proximity to the stock listings.
Graphic designers have a great deal of creative control over their craft: including everything from choosing the correct fonts and images, to creating an original, thought provoking ad, newspaper ads are truly only the beginning!
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