What skills should a professional graphic designer have?

A graphic designer is a person who understands what it means “this red is not red enough.” He knows how to translate a client's ideas into colors and pixels and can explain why a logo shouldn't be half the screen. It is he who develops the corporate identity, packaging that the hand reaches out to itself and banners that do not cover. 

This profession requires endless patience and innate perfectionism; otherwise it is impossible to withstand a ton of edits and not tell everyone to go to hell. At Veonix we love such people, take care of them and make sure they have a good rest and sleep, because a good graphic designer is almost an endangered species (by the way, there are only such people in our team). In the article we will tell you what he does, how much he earns and why he is so important for business. 

What does a graphic designer do?

This is a person who translates any ideas into visuals. He comes up with a corporate style, builds an identity, creates layouts for the website, advertising and packaging, selects fonts, colors, composition, works on the brand book and makes sure that everything looks like a single whole. In short, it gives the brand a face and character. 

By definition, a designer creates visual concepts using computer software or by hand to communicate ideas, inspire, inform or enchant consumers. But now his role has gone far beyond “pretty pictures.” The designer is part of a team that is responsible for branding, UI/UX components, animation, web design, social media content and mobile platforms. He works with digital and strategic objectives because online visual is the front where brands win or lose. 

The emergence of neural networks like Midjourney has complicated the task of entering the market: Junes now have a hard time, since all simple visuals can be created in a neuron even without special skills in working with it. But an experienced designer who uses AI tools in his work becomes a top-class specialist. Algorithms can be used to generate ideas, automate routine tasks, and model the reaction of the target audience to each creative option. Research confirmsthat designers are beginning to see AI as a partner for finding alternatives, speeding up sketches and expanding the creative field.

At Veonix, the designer shapes the essence of the brand through visuals. It's like shooting a blockbuster: you can invest millions, but if you don't catch the right mood, set the light incorrectly, even Spielberg's dinosaurs won't save the shot. Every order is a new scenario and a new challenge for us; there are no standard solutions. 

Brand book for the architectural bureau MOA, developed by Veonix studio

For example, in the project brand book for the architectural bureau MOA we felt like Rodin thinkers. The client came with an existing brand book, of high quality, but something didn’t suit him. We rebuilt the system from scratch: we created a calm, confident palette, came up with a pattern from an architectural grid, developed a new logo in the form of a line connecting a house and a pencil, and thought about how the corporate style lives on envelopes, object passports and presentations. Result: a complete 50-page corporate guide and a satisfied customer. 

To make creatives of this level, a designer:

• analyzes the brand and audience;

• forms a visual concept and moodboard;

• creates a logo, corporate fonts and palettes;

• develops templates for print and digital media;

• adapts design for social networks, web, merch;

• prepares a brand book and design system;

• reasons decisions and defends them to the client;

• Ensures visual consistency of the brand;

• and, of course, works as a team. 

And yes! All this does not guarantee that you will hit the client’s heart from the first layout. But you can adjust the sight and hit with the second one. 

Where do graphic designers work?

This is a profession in demand: right now there are more than 2.5 thousand vacancies published on HH.ru, and not only agencies, but also companies are looking for specialists, for example, cosmetics manufacturers - to prepare content on marketplaces, fashion brands - to create presentations, POS materials and work with creatives, and so on. 

Graphic designer vacancies on HH.ru

To summarize: in agencies, designers work in conjunction with art directors, copywriters and marketers: they create corporate styles, identities, landing pages and advertising campaigns. Inside large companies, they monitor the visual consistency of the brand: they design presentations, make templates, update brand books, draw banners, and adapt promotional materials for different channels. In IT and startups, they are responsible for interface design, onboarding screens, promotions and social networks. Publishing houses and printing studios prepare layouts and packaging.

In addition, the profession of a graphic designer allows you to work remotely or go freelance. There is a difference between these formats: remote work means that this is an employee who is hired and simply works from home for the entire week or several days. Freelancing allows you to independently choose projects, collaborate with agencies and bloggers; this is precisely working for yourself, where the list of tasks and the balance between workload and rest are chosen by the designer himself.  

What a graphic designer should be able to do

A graphic designer is a person whose left and right sides of the brain multitask. He must be an artist, an engineer, and a little bit of a psychologist in order to sell his elephant to the most difficult client. We made a list of skills that he will need. 

Hard skills 

• Proficiency in graphics programs: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and analogues, sometimes Blender or other software for 3D modeling, animation and rendering.

• Knowledge of principles of composition, color, typography and visual hierarchy.

• Ability to work with different formats - from business cards and packaging to landing pages and applications.

• Understanding of the fundamentals of UX and interface thinking: how the user reads, clicks and perceives the screen.

• Preparing layouts for printing: color profiles, bleeds, bleeds, CMYK.

• Skills in creating adaptive layouts and design systems.

• Working with neural networks: generating references, stylistic directions, testing visual hypotheses.

Soft skills

• Creativity and ability to find non-standard solutions.

• Communication - explain why gold and black increase click-through rates, conversions and brand awareness. 

• Strategic thinking is seeing the brand's goal and designing a path to it.

• Time management - be able to meet deadlines and not lose inspiration.

• Empathy is understanding what the client wants, even if he himself does not know.

• Self-learning - the world of design is changing faster than the new iPhone comes out, and you always need to keep your finger on the pulse.

Just in case: our designers are fluent in this entire set, and some of them graduated from Hogwarts with honors. Otherwise, how can they explain that in an emergency situation they can come up with a corporate identity in the morning, assemble a landing page in a day, perfect the layout overnight, and brilliantly present it to the customer at a morning meeting. 

How much does a graphic designer earn?

The salary of a graphic designer in 2025 depends on experience, specialization and work format. According to HH.ru, the median income in Russia ranges from 90 to $1,800 per month, but for strong specialists with a portfolio and knowledge of motion graphics, income can reach 250–300 thousand. In freelancing, income depends on the flow of orders: beginners charge from $15–$30 per layout, experienced ones - from 5,000–10,000 and above, especially if the project is related to identity or packaging.

The numbers are higher abroad. According to PayScale, the average income of a graphic designer is 53 thousand US dollars per year, with a senior-level income of 70 thousand or more. 

Additionally, income is affected by:

• knowledge of 3D and motion design;

• ability to work with neural networks and automation;

• fluency in English for international projects;

• presence of large brands in the portfolio.

How to become a graphic designer  

You can go according to the classics: after school, finish college or university and enter the market with crusts. But now this is not enough, companies (and us too) are looking for specialists who are involved in real projects right from the start. No one will let a junior train on the client’s brand book, the slightest mistake due to inexperience, and that’s it, the client left, the contract for thousands and millions of rubles fell through. Therefore, even if you have a university diploma, we advise you to think about courses, preferably from real design studios. See the description of the program; many include the creation of projects for a portfolio along with the certificate. You can also do projects yourself. Open any exchange, see what customers want, and do it “on the table.” You will draw 100 layouts, throw out 99 of them, and the hundredth will go to your portfolio. 

Pros and cons of the profession

Pros:

• Freedom of creativity, the opportunity to realize ideas and form your own unique style. 

• Visible result: sketches and layouts are turned into websites, product packaging, outdoor advertising. 

• Flexible schedule - you can choose between the office, freelancing or working in a hybrid model. 

• Opportunity to enter the international market - visual people understand all languages. 

• Income growth along with skills - if you have mastered motion, 3D or AI, you can increase your paycheck and expand your portfolio. 

Cons:

• High competition, especially among beginners. Portfolio and personal style matter more than a diploma.

• Undervaluation of labor. There are still customers who think that a logo for $2 is normal.

• Edits. Sometimes at the final stage all that remains from the first layout is the company name, and everything needs to be corrected yesterday. 

• Artificial Intelligence. AI tools take away simple tasks but provide more ideas and concepts. 

• Growing demands. A modern designer must learn constantly; the technology market is updated daily. If you fall behind, you will lose income. 

• The importance of balance. Clients, deadlines, and flashes of inspiration can all lead to burnout. To work well, you need to rest well. 

See examples of cool designs at our portfolio. And if you want the same, just fill out the brief.