What Are the Different Types of Part-Time Graphic Design Jobs?

The different types of part-time graphic design jobs span a broad array of advertising collateral and product packaging commissions, as well as freelance work designing websites. Newspaper and periodical publishers often employ part-time graphic artists for pagination and ad layout. Some part-time designers produce works of fine art, while others specialize in a particular niche, such as book-cover design. Crowd sourcing is another type of part-time graphic design work that may also offer a fledgling designer the opportunity to build a portfolio. At times, graphic design artists choose to work part-time on a long-term basis, due to the perceived benefits of pursuing an avocation.

Advertising agencies often use the services of graphic designers, and a significant number may work part-time at some point in their careers. Freelancers are often awarded contracts to design websites, since once the site is completed, the amount of work needed on an ongoing basis declines. Part-time designers, much like their full-time counterparts, may design a full spectrum of advertising materials. These often include items such as flyers, brochures, or print advertising appearing in magazines. Many part-time designers receive commissions to design or revamp websites.

The print-media industry employs freelancers and part-time employees to work in page layout and advertising design. Due to the tight publication schedules of daily newspapers, graphic artists may be hired part-time to work a few shifts a week. Since newspaper work is highly competitive in terms of available openings, part-time graphic design jobs may present an opportunity to gain a toehold in the industry. Student internships present another way to obtain part-time graphic design jobs, and are regularly offered by publishers of printed materials.

Sometimes a part-time artist will receive a commission for producing a work of fine art. This may take weeks or months to complete. Other part-time graphic design jobs, like book-cover design, may be finished quickly.

Crowd sourcing design work is one of the newer types of part-time graphic design jobs. The typical arrangement in crowd sourcing graphic design works is to issue a call for graphic artists to submit artwork on spec. Sometimes this results in a job or assignment offer, but at other times the graphic artist receives no compensation for the efforts put into producing the artwork. In some other cases, it presents an opportunity to gain artistic recognition and build a portfolio.

Part-time employment is relatively common in the graphic design industry. As the actual work of graphic design may be done on a computer at home, or in a small studio, moonlighting as a designer often proves a fruitful pathway to a full-time graphic design career. Even though there are frequently a wide variety of clientele, and a diverse array of applications for graphic design works, creative jobs tend to be highly coveted. Yet, due to the piecemeal and unpredictable nature of the work, a self-employed graphic artist may eventually seek full-time employment.