As I have moved through my career as a professional graphic designer, I have participated in some very diverse companies. All have required that I design a myriad of projects but would extend or alter the old classic rules of design. My most recent endeavor is working as a website content designer for an engineering company. When speaking about HTML editing, some might wonder how a graphic designer would get picked for such a position. It’s simple for those who know the language – it’s an art form!
I’m sure some of you are scratching your heads, “did you just say language?” Yes! HTML uses many terms and punctuation to decipher how a website should appear on a viewer’s screen. Some elementary schools are actually teaching their young students this programming language to give them a leg up later in life due to the extent of its influence in the modern day work place. Most all companies now have websites that get updated on a daily basis. However, we are talking about art here; how is this relevant?
If you were to open up the back end of one of your favorite websites, you will see a multitude of colors and line lengths as well as punctuation. It almost appears as a random pattern of sorts. Although these colors and indents actually aid the developer in the organization of the sections of code, one could say that it’s similar to graphic design. This type of art focuses on the organization of graphics and text to communicate an idea to a viewer. An HTML editor prefers to group similar code together so it’s easier to alter down the road with multiple users. For instance, one wouldn’t see a table started and not finished in the same area.
In current society, it’s hard not to interact with the World Wide Web on a daily basis. Coders and graphic designers have become our modern Dali and Picasso. We are now more likely to grab a digital rendering of a painting and place it as a desk top background then go to a local museum and purchase a copy to hang in our home.
Design programs are also feeling the shift. Instead of disc installations, everything can be obtained online. The impact of this breaks down the age old question – Mac or PC? The Apple and Microsoft battle has no impact on the designer if everyone is using an internet browser to attain the right tools for the job.
As I continue on my career, the progress is astounding. No longer am I carrying around a sketchbook and ruler, but more of a laptop and eye glasses. It’s now become all tech - all the time.
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