As a daughter of two engineers and graduating from a high school known for its quality education, many people found it quite baffling that I, the girl with a 3.95 GPA, would go into the College of Fine Arts. You would be lying if you claimed to never hear the jokes about being an art student. Many, the majority of people, in my opinion, believe that it is a waste of time to major in something such as art. And while I have no personal deserve to major in any other art major other than Graphic Design, the shaming of these majors themselves is undeniably wrong.
Everyone has a right to major in whatever they desire and where their talents preside. With that being said, the fact that Graphic Design would be considered a debatable, "laughable" major is absurd to me.
So what exactly is Graphic Design? The standard definition of Graphic Design is "the art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, or books." However, a more descriptive definition of Graphic Design is "the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. The form it takes can be physical or virtual and can include images, words, or graphics. The experience can take place in an instant or over a long period of time. The work can happen at any scale, from the design of a single postage stamp to a national postal signage system. It can be intended for a small number of people, such as a one-off or limited-edition book or exhibition design, or can be seen by millions, as with the interlinked digital and physical content of an international news organization. It can also be for any purpose, whether commercial, educational, cultural, or political."
Although you might have simply read the word "art" and continue to believe that it is simply being an artist, you would be wrong.
Graphic Design is like artsy marketing.
Think about it. Someone has to make the poster for that cheeseburger look so appealing. And somebody has to make that flyer that not only has all of the necessary information but also commands a viewer's attention. There is so much thought and principles of design that go into even the "simplest" of designs. As Graphic Designers, it is our job to communicate messages through design.
In fact, art and design are not even entirely the same thing. "Good art is a talent, but good design is a skill." A skill needed for any business or organization. Therefore, it is wrong in so many ways to claim that Graphic Design should be a major that is frowned upon. Let alone to frown upon any major that allows the individual to chase a dream of theirs.
