Layout designer: personal qualities and job responsibilities

There are many interesting and exciting professions in the world that involve many varied responsibilities. One of these is the position of layout designer. This work includes knowledge in various fields, as well as creativity and creativity.

The job of a layout designer includes several aspects. The responsibilities of an employee may differ depending on the work format. Many specialists work in various publications: books, magazines, catalogs and other printed materials. There are also html specialists who deal with websites, programs and other software. Specialists work on the design of calendars, booklets, modular advertising and other printing. The responsibilities of these employees include many tasks related to editing images and text.

Once the layout is complete, the publication director or project manager evaluates the layout. If necessary, editing is carried out in order to make the material more interesting for acquaintance. A special part of the activity is the typesetting of the text. It is a complex work that is a whole typographic science with many terms and rules. A specialist must clearly understand this for a competent design. The text should be not only stylish, but also readable and comfortable for perception.

Many publications are looking not just for a layout designer, but for a specialist who will understand the prepress of a product. Many professionals acquire the necessary skills on the job and become versatile craftsmen. Also, designers can do color correction and layout.

Layout of tables is a separate segment. This work is carried out according to special rules and has technical difficulties that the master should be aware of.

Each profession has its own pros and cons. The advantages of working as a layout designer are as follows:

• growing demand for specialists;
• the ability to work both independently and for large companies remotely;
• mastering the profession and raising the level of qualifications on their own;
• multifaceted and interesting work, including knowledge and skills from other professions.

There are also negative sides:

• the workflow includes sitting in one place for a long time, for example, working at a PC;
• there is some uniformity in the profession.

The personal characteristics of each person play an important role in the process of becoming a specialist. To become a successful layout designer, you need to have the following qualities:

• responsibility and attention to detail;
• excellent memory and fast learning;
• perseverance;
• creativity and artistic taste;
• desire to improve and develop.

Also, a specialist cannot do without special skills and knowledge. To become a true professional, you must have at least a basic level of design skills.

According to modern employers, the following skills are mandatory for a layout designer:

• ability to work in graphic editors (Photoshop, InDesign and other programs);
• knowledge of building compositions and structures;
• knowledge of the basics of typography (verst of images and text elements).

A big plus for the employee will be the presence of a portfolio. When compiling it, it is better to use only the most successful and high-quality works.

A specialist can fulfill a variety of responsibilities depending on the level of the position held and the project on which he is working.

The responsibilities of the layout designer include the following:

• development of original visual objects;
• creation of sketches of various subjects and directions;
• study of project tasks;
• drawing up a layout and agreeing it with higher authorities;
• completion and editing of existing layouts and finished projects;
• work with the visual component of the text.

If we are talking about an html layout designer, then the duties of an employee are as follows:

• programming in various languages;
• preparation of products for printing;
• processing of images and photographs, including (in some cases, designers personally carry out photography);
• layout of ready-made templates, taking into account the resolution of monitors and screens of mobile devices;
• layout of material intended for distribution by e-mail;
• integration of the prepared templates into the content management system;
• SEO-optimization of the material (in some cases).

General provisions of the job description include the following items.

• The employee works under the direction of the managing editor or other supervisor and is obliged to obey him.
• The specialist performs job duties according to the instructions. It specifies the authority of the employee, and what he is responsible for.
• If an employee is absent from the workplace, the assigned employee performs his work duties. The person receives all the necessary rights and obligations.
• When officially taking office, an employee begins work in accordance with the current legislation.

The main set of knowledge and skills for an employee is associated with the design sphere. The employee must professionally develop layouts and stylize printed products... You can learn all this with the help of special courses. As they learn, future masters are taught the basics that they must develop and hone.

Training with the help of courses can be combined with main work or study, which is very convenient. A lot of useful training materials are stored in the vastness of the World Wide Web. It can be both paid and free content in the public domain. Also online trainings and seminars are held. As they learn, students complete assignments, honing the knowledge gained in practice. Some companies agree to hire employees without work experience who have only basic skills. Once assigned, workers gain skills on the job. Thus, the management is confident in the professionalism of the employees.

As for html-coders, even in this case, you can become a specialist through preparatory courses and seminars. They teach future masters to work in special programs and give directions for further development. After completing the training program, a novice specialist can try his hand at remote work, working on any project. After a couple of years, with due diligence, a beginner can become a pro.

For this specialty, you can also get public education. On the territory of Russia, you can find educational institutions with corresponding faculties. There is a publishing and printing college in the capital, on the basis of which you can get the necessary knowledge. Higher education can be obtained at institutes and academies where there is a design department.

Given the growing demand for this position, it is not difficult for a layout designer to find a job in their specialty. Many specialists have decent wages... The level of income significantly depends on the experience of the employee, his skills and the scale of the project. On average in Russia, workers receive about 15-20 to 75-80 thousand rubles a month. As for remote and project earnings, it all depends on the amount of work performed by the employee.