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Graphic Design has been around as long as man has been making marks; first on stone canyons or dry earth, now ephemerally and globally on the World Wide Web. Graphic Designers work designing print, environmental (signage systems) or electronic forms of visual information, as for an advertisement, publication, or website. All this is managed by a skillful use and understanding of type, color, and image and sound to create visual solutions to communications problems.

The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) has done a nice job of explaining the field of graphic design for two audiences.

• Jessica Helfand and William Drenttel created a beautiful, poetic homage to graphic design. Visit http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/what-is-design
• A catchy video and step-by-step guide for students explains what is needed to become a graphic designer and what to expect starting out in the field. http://whatintheworld.aiga.org/how.html 

Working with Others: Graphic Designers may spend many long hours alone at the computer but to bring a project to completion they are part of a team. The creative team consists of one or more of the following professionals in related fields:

• Writers and editors
• Marketing and Public Relations Specialists
• Advertising and Sales Representatives
• Illustrators
• Photographers
• Art Directors and Creative Directors
• Computer Software Engineers
• Architects and Interior Designers
• Printers and Prepress technicians
• Motion Picture Producers

Technology has made it possible for the team to work remotely but good communication skills are still a must for a solo practioner to stay in business.

Clients and Projects: The range of clients and types of projects a graphic designer will work on are extremely diverse. Many graphic designers spend their career in on area of practice refining their skills; for example as a book designer at a publishing house. Yet others will grow with changing technology or personal desires: A sampling of projects a graphic designer may work on during their career include:
Logo for a local realtor

• Specialty holiday greeting card for a Chief Executive Officer
• Commerce website for a jewelry designer
• Movie title graphic for a feature film
• Interpretive labels for a museum
• Brand Identity for a global auto manufacturer
• Signage and Wayfinding for a metropolitan transit system
• Users manual for farming equipment
• Surface design for a skateboard manufacturer
• Advertising campaign for a university
• Diagrams and schematics for a pharmaceutical company

The US Government Bureau of Labor Statistics has good news for those getting started in the field of graphic design. Opportunities are expected to expand as visual media is integrated more and more into our lives. Designers who seek to keep their skills aligned with the growing market trends should be able to practice graphic design well into the next decade.

Article Reference: http://graphicdesign.about.com