Can I call myself a graphic designer?

Question

I didn't study arts or design. I just liked using Photoshop as a kid doing those forum signatures back in the day.What I do now is usually layout magazines, book, etc. Mostly the branding or how everything will look. But I feel like a graphic designer can draw. And I can't draw.If you ask me to design a tree icon, I can't do that. Maybe I can if its like a stick figure and I can just trace it from an existing image.I know where to place text and what font looks good. I know how to manipulate photos to make them look good too.

Answer 1

Unfortunately during this point in time you can't be considered a graphic designer without a degree or commensurate experience (4 years in the industry as a professional). What you're describing is called layout artistry, and it is a field of graphic design (though more on this at the end). If you've been working as a layout artist in the art industry for about 4 years and have the expertise of a well-trained layout artist, I certainly think you can call yourself a layout artist! However, you are correct in that a graphic designer typically has a strong handle on drawing and creating graphic elements from the ground up, whether with traditional media or digitally. There's some debate in the art community about whether or not layout artists are graphic designers or if they're their own field entirely, but I suppose the answer to that one is going to be in the eye of the beholder.