What Is a Visual Designer? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.

Visual designers create the layouts and artistic elements of a company’s digital platforms. They apply their knowledge of typography, colors, graphic design tools and other specialized techniques to establish a brand’s unique online look. Visual designers ensure the consistency of brand style across digital platforms, including social media and mobile devices. Here’s what to know about a visual designer’s needed skills, salary and how to become one.

What Is a Visual Designer?

Visual designers create and maintain a brand’s style across digital assets. A visual designer relies on their graphic design and web design skills to create the layout of a company’s website, mobile apps and social media. They often collaborate with graphic designers and UI designers and are responsible for creating the visual brand identity for a company or organization.

 What Do Visual Designers Do?

Visual designers create and design the physical look and layout of digital products for a brand, company or organization. The specific responsibilities of a visual designer will vary depending on the project or the industry, but often include creating wireframes, user-centered interaction models as well as working with IT and business teams to fix design issues.

Visual Designer Responsibilities

• Create the tone and look for a brand’s website, apps, devices or games. 
• Use brand guidelines to design layouts and digital assets to match the brand’s style and tone. 
• Create mockups for digital assets.
• Design logos, icons and infographics.
• Create presentation materials for projects, marketing assets and interactive event materials.
• Manage several projects while meeting expectations and deadlines.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities of a Visual Designer 

• Manage and maintain digital assets. 
• Source images and video for social media. 
• Work with a brand or company’s component library. 

Types of Visual Designers

Visual designers commonly share some skills with UI designers or graphic designers but the key difference is that visual designers are responsible for the style of all a company’s digital assets. Sometimes a visual designer is known as a brand designer, digital designer or web designer.

Visual Designers Within a Company

Since visual designers are responsible for digital assets of a company, they often work under the design or product departments. Visual designers are typically responsible for presenting new design and redesign concepts to leaders in other departments and explain their design’s key features, functions and benefits.

Importance of Visual Designers

Visual designers establish and create the guidelines for how a brand or company is represented visually. This role is crucial to creating recognizable imagery, typography and design that users can easily understand and associate with a company.

What Skills Are Needed to Be a Visual Designer?

Qualifications to Be a Visual Designer

• Strong understanding of design principles.
• Understanding of website design and website accessibility.  
• Basic coding skills. 
• Ability to present design concepts and explain their uses and function.

Visual Designer Prerequisites

• This role typically requires a bachelor’s degree in design, graphic design, art or a related field. 
• Solid portfolio of design work and mockups for websites, marketing materials and more.

Visual Designer Hard Skills

• Photo and video editing skills. 
• Basic coding skills. 
• UX/UI design skills. 
• Graphic design.

Visual Designer Soft Skills

• Communication skills. 
• Strong problem solving skills. 
• Ability to take direction and interpret brand guidelines.
• Presentation and negotiation skills. 
• Ability to multitask and work under deadlines.

Tools and Programs Visual Designers Use

• Photoshop
• Canva 
• JavaScript
• Adobe
• Sketch 
• InDesign
• Illustrator
• AutoCAD

How to Become a Visual Designer

Visual Designer Education and Experience

Visual designers usually have a bachelor’s degree in graphic design,  design, art or a related field. A visual designer should have a strong portfolio of work displaying creative and professional projects ranging from website design to mobile app mockups. Aspiring visual designers should have a firm grasp on website design issues such as accessibility and cross-platform compatibility.

Visual Designer Certificates and Courses

• Visual Design Accelerator
• 21 UI Design Courses and Bootcamps to Know
• UX Design Webinar
• Graphic Design Specialization 
• Graphic Design Masterclass 
• User Experience Research and Design Specialization 
• Visual Elements of User Interface Design
• General Assembly Visual Design Course

Visual Designer Career Path

Like many roles, it’s beneficial to start a career in visual design as an intern or in an entry-level position. For example, a graphic design intern will be able to learn the basics of design principles and have a structured environment within which to develop. Before becoming a visual designer, some of the common titles a person might hold include graphic designer or web designer. Those looking to advance after being a visual designer may progress into user experience designer or creative director roles.

Visual Designer Salary and Job Outlook

The job outlook for graphic design is set to increase by 3 percent through 2031. Although this increase is specifically for graphic design according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, visual design and graphic design are related fields and there may be some correlation. Those working in digital design can expect a 23 percent job growth rate during the same timeframe.

The full compensation package for a visual designer depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average visual designer’s salary.