52120 Graphic designers and illustrators

What this occupation covers

Graphic designers conceptualize and produce graphic art and visual materials to effectively communicate information for publications, advertising, films, packaging, posters, signs and interactive media such as Web sites and CDs. They are employed by advertising and graphic design firms, by establishments with advertising or communications departments and by multimedia production companies, or they may be self-employed. Graphic designers who are also supervisors, project managers or consultants are included in this unit group. Illustrators conceptualize and create illustrations to represent information through images. They are almost solely self-employed.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 17 main duties for this code.

• Consult with clients to establish the overall look, graphic elements and content of communications materials in order to meet their needs
• Determine the medium best suited to produce the desired visual effect and the most appropriate vehicle for communication
• Develop the graphic elements that meet the clients' objectives
• Prepare sketches, layouts and graphic elements of the subjects to be rendered using traditional tools, multimedia software and image processing, layout and design software
• Estimate cost of materials and time to complete graphic design
• Use existing photo and illustration banks and typography guides or hire an illustrator or photographer to produce images that meet clients' communications needs
• Establish guidelines for illustrators or photographers
• Coordinate all aspects of production for print, audio-visual or electronic materials, such as Web sites, CDs and interactive terminals
• Coordinate sub-contracting
• Work in a multidisciplinary environment
• Supervise other graphic designers or graphic arts technicians.
• Consult with clients to determine the nature and content of illustrations in order to meet their communications needs
• Develop and produce realistic or representational sketches and final illustrations, by hand or using computer-assisted design (CAD) software, for printed materials such as books, magazines, packaging, greeting cards and stationery
• Assist in developing storyboards for electronic productions such as multimedia, interactive and digital products and television advertising and productions
• Produce 2-D and 3-D animated drawings or computer illustrations
• May adapt existing illustrations.
• Illustrators may specialize in a particular field such as illustrations for children, advertising, editorials, humour, or medical, scientific or technical illustration, or multimedia design.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 3 of its 17 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 10022 Advertising, marketing and public relations managers
• 52111 Graphic arts technicians
• 52121 Interior designers and interior decorators
• 53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists

Excluded from this code

• Advertising manager (See 10022 Advertising, marketing and public relations managers)
• Graphic arts technicians (See 52111 Graphic arts technicians)
• Interior designers and interior decorators (See 52121 Interior designers and interior decorators)
• Painters, sculptors and other visual artists (See 53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

2D animation artist · 2D animator · 3D animation artist · 3D animator · 3D artist · 3D modeler · advertising art director · advertising art supervisor · advertising artist · advertising designer · advertising illustrator · advertising illustrator chief · advertising layout designer · animated cartoon artist · animated cartoon artist - visual arts · animated cartoon colourist · animation artist · animation layout designer · animator - animated films · art layout designer · artistic illustrator · assistant animator - animated films · background artist · bank note designer

Employment requirements

• A university degree in visual arts with specialization in graphic design, commercial art, graphic communications or cartooning or completion of a college diploma program in graphic arts is required.
• Experience or training in multimedia design at a post-secondary, college or technical institution may be required.
• In addition to the arts, training in biology, engineering, architecture or a scientific field is usually required for medical, technical and scientific illustrators.
• Creative ability and artistic talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, are required for graphic designers and illustrators.