Have you ever given a thought as to who are the persons involved in creating attractive, innovative and colorful pictures that you see daily in your magazines, brochures, posters, books, or CDs? Well, then the answer is it is the work of a layout artist who puts in his/her creative vision to deliver such attractive material to its clients.
The layout artist responsibilities thus are related with creating structures and layout as per the client requirements and ensuring that all the details are included in a format that is soothing and pleasing to the eyes. He/she makes effective use of the computers to present their work in an effective manner.
A layout artist may sometimes be referred as the graphic designer; however, there is a slight difference between the two. The layout professional normally tends to focus on the arrangement of page with respect to its images, text, etc., while the latter may include his/her own drawings in the project.
The layout artist generally works for publication houses and is required to present the requirements in a visually appealing way by arranging the images and text in an appropriate format so that the reader is tempted to read it.
Nowadays, the work of the layout artist has become much simpler, as he/she uses various computer software programs to carry out their duties efficiently and speedily. This professional is normally qualified and trained to create text and images that are visually captivating and force the reader to go through its details.
To get a detailed description of the typical responsibilities that need to be handled by him/her, mentioned below are a few points that will throw light on the same:
The layout artist is responsible for developing, structuring, and laying out various elements as per the customers' expectations. He/she is responsible for assessing the visual aspects like the color, type-face, position, formatting, etc., to make sure that the text and images appear in a visually attractive pattern.
He/she may assist in creating templates that may be used by the junior artists. While creating these layouts, he/she applies knowledge of various specialized software packages and uses various type-setting techniques to get the desired visual impact.
Thus, you are now aware of the various duties that need to be performed by these professionals.
To take up a career as a layout artist, one needs to complete an associate's degree in graphic arts or any other relevant field. An additional course in design, layout, typography, drawing, color, or computer technology may also be preferred. Those who have some previous internship experience have better chances for getting selected for this job.
This professional needs to be flexible, as he/she may need to extend his/her work timings beyond the normal business hours in order to meet the project deadlines.
The median average annual salary offered for the individuals in this field is in the range of $44,000. This is the range provide by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It may vary depending on the location, experience, skills, and academic background that the candidate has.
The job outlook for these professionals look promising and once an individual gains enough experience in this field, he/she can move up to higher supervisory or managerial positions or even progress to a still higher post like a creative director.
Therefore, you are now well aware of the various layout artist responsibilities that need to be shouldered and the requisite skills and educational background necessary to make it a huge success and become a complete professional in this field.