Graphic designers and illustrators

NOC

52120

conceptualize and produce graphic art and visual materials to effectively communicate information for publications, advertising, films, packaging, posters, signs, web sites and more.

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Full NOC Description

Graphic designers conceptualize and produce graphic art and visual materials to effectively communicate information for publications, advertising, films, packaging, posters, signs and interactive media such as Web sites and CDs. They are employed by advertising and graphic design firms, by establishments with advertising or communications departments and by multimedia production companies, or they may be self-employed. Graphic designers who are also supervisors, project managers or consultants are included in this unit group.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Graphic designers

Consult with clients to establish the overall look, graphic elements and content of communications materials in order to meet their needs

Determine the medium best suited to produce the desired visual effect and the most appropriate vehicle for communication

Develop the graphic elements that meet the clients' objectives

Prepare sketches, layouts and graphic elements of the subjects to be rendered using traditional tools, multimedia software and image processing, layout and design software

Estimate cost of materials and time to complete graphic design

Use existing photo and illustration banks and typography guides or hire an illustrator or photographer to produce images that meet clients' communications needs

Establish guidelines for illustrators or photographers

Coordinate all aspects of production for print, audio-visual or electronic materials, such as Web sites, CDs and interactive terminals

Coordinate sub-contracting

Work in a multidisciplinary environment

Supervise other graphic designers or graphic arts technicians.

Illustrators

Consult with clients to determine the nature and content of illustrations in order to meet their communications needs

Develop and produce realistic or representational sketches and final illustrations, by hand or using computer-assisted design (CAD) software, for printed materials such as books, magazines, packaging, greeting cards and stationery

Assist in developing storyboards for electronic productions such as multimedia, interactive and digital products and television advertising and productions

Produce 2-D and 3-D animated drawings or computer illustrations

May adapt existing illustrations.

Illustrators may specialize in a particular field such as illustrations for children, advertising, editorials, humour, or medical, scientific or technical illustration, or multimedia design.

Also Known As

3D animation artist
advertising designer
animator - animated films
bank note designer
cartoonist

commercial artist

graphic artist

graphic designer

graphic designer - multimedia

illustrator

layout designer

medical illustrator

multimedia illustrator

scientific illustrator

Requirements

Employment Requirements

A university degree in visual arts with specialization in graphic design, commercial art, graphic communications or cartooning or completion of a college diploma program in graphic arts is required.

Experience or training in multimedia design at a post-secondary, college or technical institution may be required.

In addition to the arts, training in biology, engineering, architecture or a scientific field is usually required for medical, technical and scientific illustrators.

Creative ability and artistic talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, are required for graphic designers and illustrators.

Provincial Regulation

Not Provincially Regulated

Employment by Sex

The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

Data legend

50.3%

Female

49.7%

Male

Employment by age

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

Data legend

10.4%

15-24

25.3%

25-34

27.3%

35-44

22.7%

45-54

11.0%

55-64

3.2%

65+

Employment by highest level of education

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

Data legend

2.0%

No Certificate, Diploma or Degree

9.2%

High School, Diploma or Equivalent

2.6%

Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma

55.6%

College or University Below Bachelor Level

30.7%

University - Bachelor Level or Above

Employment by Industry

The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

Data legend

48.4%

Professional, scientific and technical services

13.7%

Manufacturing

7.8%

Information and cultural industries

30.1%

All Other Industries

Employment by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

Data legend

10.50%

Northeast

38.60%

Southeast

17.00%

Southwest

25.50%

Central

8.50%

Northwest

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Data legend

$54,000

Northeast

$49,600

Southeast

$48,000

Southwest

$42,000

Central

$48,000

Northwest

Economic Regions

Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Salary

The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

Employment Outlook

The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

Occupational Profiles