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Knowledge Mushohwe
Trained visual artists complain that their craft has now been devalued because armature designers are cropping up on every street corner. The educated and experienced creative personnel may use theories and literature to justify their work, but the new ‘kiya-kiya’ brigade has absolutely no such worries. There are people out there with computers and a way to install design programmes that are giving potential clients the impression that they are graphic designers.

Just about every printing company, or one dealing in photocopying, laminating and scanning, is finding it easy to employ a guy with any level of graphics knowledge to help with visual arrangement of electronic data.

There is practically a ‘graphic designer’ at every corner of the CBD.
The main reason for this is that the graphic design industry by its very nature, is not regulated and there is no regulatory body determining who can become one and who cannot.
Graphic designing is an art genre and its relevance differs from person to person, making regulation of such subjective matter rather difficult.

Anyone can do whatever they want and still get positive responses from a section of potential audience.
By contrast, there is a lot of discipline in regulated occupations.

Legal or medical professionals for example are aware that any actions on their part deemed unethical or illegal may lead to them losing the privilege to continue practising.
It is not the same when it comes to unregulated professions.

There is no regulatory body for prophets and if there was one, people within this sector would find it hard to retain their jobs after performing ‘miracle abortions’ or unsolicited sexual practices. There are no clear standards for one to become a prophet, and their routines would never be similar.

It appears very easy for one to become a prophet these days.
Somehow people are finding a way to communicate with the spiritual world and attract big crowds that believe in miracles. Similarly, some people are finding a way to use pirated design programmes to earn the title ‘graphic designer’. Though anyone can call themselves a graphic designer, having no knowledge of the technical aspects of visual communication such as principles and elements of design gives one a distinct disadvantage.

It is, however, not a given that the trained graphic designer is always better because some art graduates rolling out of universities and colleges can barely come up with a coherent, creative composition.

One has to have both the talent and the passion before receiving formal training.
But even without training, a born artist can figure out how to use design computer programmes to benefit a community. Today’s wider graphic design problem is not caused by the trained artists or the untrained but talented ones.

It is a challenge caused by the proliferation of design programmes and tools, the wide availability of pirated design software to anyone interested, resulting in people with limited potential believing that they are at the same level as professionals.

The upgrading of design software is also blurring the thin line between the very talented and the average designers.
Design programmes are now equipped with amazing tools and better-than-standard templates that make creating products like logos and letterheads too easy to do.

The upgrading of design programme versions every year leaves graphic designers with less and less to do as templates become the preferred option as foundation for creative computer work.

Making graphic design easier may be good for design software companies but it is not good news for the graphic artists. The more design products look similar regardless of the creator, the less creativity required.

And if designers all look and behave the same, they cease to exist as creative individuals.
The upgrading of design software and the availability of pirated installation discs may be making the graphic design field densely populated but these factors offer the real digital artists with the opportunity to accentuate their uniqueness.

Graphic designers have the opportunity to be unique through personal stylistic expression.
Similar to drawing, painting or sculpturing, graphic designers can set themselves apart from the rest through highlighting and personalising specific parts of their style so that they retain ownership of how they present visual information. Anyone can design a wedding or business card but doing it well takes style and finesse.

Clients such as big businesses recognise talent and creativity and for that reason, few stick to one advertising agency for a long period of time.
If one is a talented graphic designer, finding out that there are loads of pseudo-designers flooding the downtown area of the city can be disheartening and demoralising.
But knowing that development of one’s style can create unique compositions that if business clients like it, they will be coming back for more every time.

Just like in the industry where prophets exist, there are no guarantees, but being as clear and to the point as possible, and to the satisfaction of the client, has its long term rewards.