Summary
Some colleges conduct entrance exams for admission to Communication Design degree courses, while others admit students based on merit
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator by Adobe and InDesign by Adobe are three important tools used by communication designers
Some visuals take your breath away with the way they express a certain message or tell a story. In today’s world, branding, advertising campaigns, book covers, websites and even mobile apps use such visuals to attract the attention of the viewer.
Edugraph caught up with Shaaz Ahmed, associate professor, India Institute of Art and Design (IIAD), who gives insights into Communication Design and its scope.
Edugraph: Could you please tell us something about Communication Design and its purpose?
Shaaz Ahmed: Communication Design is all about Storytelling. Though its mediums, the tools and the methods may vary, it’s all about constructing and presenting a story. This discipline seeks to develop a relationship between the receiver and the message.
Communication designers use design thinking and the elements of design to strategically plan a brand message that is to be delivered to a large audience. They choose the tone and the nuances of the information contained in that message. They also decide where and when to deliver the message to the target audience.
What’s the extent of technology’s influence on Communication Design?
Technological advancements have opened up multiple possibilities for Communication Design. This discipline is now being used to ramp up apps, augmented reality and virtual reality. Now that we are at the cusp of Metaverse, the topic has become supremely important. Design as change and Design as evolution of mediums has become more predominant in the present world.
What are the academic qualifications needed to become a communication designer?
Shaaz Ahmed: Students should clear their Class XII board exams from a recognised board at least 50% aggregate. For admission in Communication Design degree courses, some colleges conduct entrance exams, while others admit students based on merit.
What are some of the essential skills for a communication designer?
Shaaz Ahmed: There are some basic skills that a communication designer must master. Some of these are:
- Storytelling/retelling
- Observation skills
- Individual standpoint and way of seeing/doing/thinking
- Ability to represent ideas — drawing /doodling
- Interest or know-how of computer software
- Articulation skills
- Knowledge of arts.
How does communication design blend technology with art?
Shaaz Ahmed: Technological progress is helping in redefining and evolving arts through the introduction of new tools and their possible representations. Mediums such as ‘projection mapping’ use buildings and structures as their canvas, whereas augmented reality turns 2D images into 3D images. VR is a redefinition of space where the universe is your canvas and your imagination your tool.
“Experiential” is the new buzzword, where everything is being looked upon as an experience — be it shopping at a mall, driving a car, or watching a movie in an IMAX theatre. Communication design is fueling and expanding the experiential design realm and turning each interaction with a message into an experience.
There are multiple options available for internships in Communication Design. Graphic design internships are the best ways to acquire hands-on skills while learning real-world applications and techniques.
- Shaaz Ahmed
After pursuing Communication Designing, what career paths are open to a student?
Shaaz Ahmed: Many companies now want to market their products online. This has opened new avenues for a communications designer. Some of the most popular career options after pursuing this discipline are:
- Graphic designer
- Web designer
- Publication designer
- Animator/Motion graphics
- UI artist
- User experience designer
- Illustrator
- Art director
- Game designer
- Filmmaker
- Video editor
What are the three most important tools in the hands of a Communication Design professional?
Shaaz Ahmed: The three most important tools used by a communication designer are:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Illustrator by Adobe
- InDesign by Adobe
Are there any internships available in this field?
Shaaz Ahmed: There are multiple options available for internships in Communication Design. Graphic design internships are the best ways to acquire hands-on skills while learning real-world applications and techniques.
Most internships will expect the individual to be currently enrolled in a related programme or be a recent graduate. Interns must have demonstrable passion, innovation, and entrepreneurial drive. They must have the right balance of art, business, technology and project management skills.
Could you highlight the contribution of Communication Designing in the upcoming Metaspace?
Shaaz Ahmed: Metaspace is redefining our technological consumption one step at a time. It will open up a huge space for personal branding and identity, and personal design would become a part of everybody's daily requirement. Metaverse will break Communication Design boundaries; it’ll open up a whole new world of reimagining and strategising for effective communication. Newer Branding methods and marketing efforts for a successful communication strategy will be the thing of the near future. We are at the cusp of a huge paradigm shift in the world of communication design. And our imagination is the only limit.
Last updated on 30 May 2022
