Young designers, fresh out of school with an arsenal of digital design skills, may think they have the world by a string. In reality, they better brush up on their print skills, as print projects will likely play a large role in their careers moving forward.
“First, print remains crucial as to how professional graphic designers make a living,” explains this article in GDUSA. “More than 9-in-10 designers work in print as part of their mix and roughly 3-in-4 projects involve a print component.”
The article, sponsored by the Verso Corporation, cites results from the 52nd annual reader’s survey on print design. The survey uncovered that designers feel “strongly and positively” about print, noting that designers “value print for its classic strengths and how these can be effectively leveraged to convey a message or a feeling.”
“Print works,” the article continues, “because it creates a human connection and a trustworthiness missing from the ephemeral, desensitizing, often anonymous world of digital communications.”
An interesting note is that “designers see the move away from print and the embrace of all things digital as having moved too far and too fast. Everyone appreciates the cost and reach advantages of digital communications but believe that print belongs in the mix.”
“People are people,” one respondent noted. “They want something tangible.”
That certain something for designers is a solid understanding of print design. An all-digital resume, just like an all-digital marketing plan, is sadly lacking.