A designer is a person who designs. In its widest sense a designer is also a person who makes things (sometimes even objects) in order to be used. Designing is simply the systematic process of coming up with ideas or concepts and then putting them in a form that can be used. Thus a designer does not just paint a picture, paint it on paper or design a work of art but rather uses his or her mind in order to devise a concept or idea and then brings it into reality.
A designer is usually trained as a designer before graduating from a school or college. The most common places to train as a designer are in graphic design, industrial design, interior design, film design and sculpture. In most cases a designer will be required to have some degree in his or her chosen field of study so as to be able to enter a professional school or college of the designer’s choice.
Designers range widely in their specializations and often find themselves working in various fields of specialty. These specialized areas are architecture, industrial design, photography, painting, film production and sculpture as well as interior design. In order to qualify as a designer in any of these fields, designers must attain specific degrees such as a Bachelors or Masters Degree, at least 75 hours of college-related training and experience, and pass a comprehensive test which assesses one’s abilities and knowledge in those particular fields. Some designers may work in more than one area at a time.
Industrial designers usually work in manufacturing plants as an assistant to the director or owner of the facility. They may also be employed by architectural or industrial designers who are designing entire buildings or complexes. The typical duties of industrial designers include drafting drawings, designing and detailing of products, preparing accurate blueprints, and testing strength and durability of products. The majority of industrial designers do not perform renovation or building construction tasks. They are usually found operating machinery such as sewing machines, woodworking machines and compressors.
Web designers include graphic designers and web developers who create and edit web pages for clients on the Internet. Their job involves creating unique web content and interfaces for websites. Web designers range widely in their specializations as website designers create websites from scratch or work with a team to achieve pre-existing designs. Web site developers to create the software that allows users to interact with the site such as registering, completing sign-up forms and submitting images or text. Web designers can also specialize in creative web page layouts, logo creation and illustration, as well as user experience optimization.
Fashion designers usually focus on product design such as clothing, cosmetics, athletic gear and accessories, jewelry and fashion. A large number of fashion designers also focus on creative user experience design, where they help create the unique visual appeal of products or services. Fashion designers can work in a high volume and fast paced environments as many product design firms employ only a handful of people to be produced in-house. Many designers also have small or non-product-based businesses, where they design websites and online promotions for corporations and other businesses. Other designers may work in academic settings such as educational institutions or museums and create computer software or interface design for school systems.