According to College Surfing, assistant designers generally help the main designer with his workload. Those who want to become a full-fledged designer start off as an assistant designer. The title "assistant designer" can exist in a variety of fields, including fashion design, graphic design, set design and interior design, says College Surfing. Simply Hired determined that the overall average salary, across all fields, for an assistant designer in the United States is $56,000.00 per year.

Qualifications

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College Surfing says that a successful assistant designer "needs to be creative in a number of ways [and be able to] think outside the box." Usually a college degree in the particular field is required. For example, a job search for assistant designer positions on Simply Hired yielded results stating that an assistant fashion designer needs a university degree in fashion design. An assistant designer who wants to move up the ladder needs to be willing to constantly learn from her mentor. Generally, experience with relevant computer programs, including Illustrator and PhotoShop, is a necessity. Finally, attention to detail and being able to work in a fast-paced environment are essential qualities.

Demand

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According to College Surfing, as professionals move up to head designer positions, there is a need for assistant designers to fill these vacancies.

Assistant Fashion Designers

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An assistant fashion designer assists the head designer with any tasks required and learns as much as possible from him. According to Great Sample Resume, the assistant researches current fashion styles and customer demand. She creates spec sheets that include all dimensions and sketches of the clothing pieces. Designs, specs and layouts are entered into a software system to preserve and access later. The assistant helps the production team create sample clothing pieces. She may also have to make changes to prototypes based on the head designer's request.

Assistant Designers in Theater

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For a successful stage production, several assistant designers are required to make sure the show runs smoothly. Mount. Holyoke College describes the following roles for its student-run productions, which are comparable to any professional movie or stage set. The assistant costume designer finds in-stock costumes for actors and helps them with fittings. He may shop for materials, modify costumes or make elements for outfits. The assistant set designer is a liaison between the lead costume designer and the person in charge of props. She plays a large role in setting up all elements on the stage and making final changes to the set during dress rehearsal. The Assistant Sound Director is responsible for producing and editing sound effects and music for the performance. He keeps detailed paperwork of sound requirements and timing for the whole production.

Assistant Graphic Designer

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At Alameda Contra Costa Transit District, an assistant graphic designer supports the graphics arts and marketing directors. She is responsible for designing and creating a variety of publications, including brochures, flyers and signs. She also prepares presentation slideshows and adds print media forms to the company website. She collaborates with illustrators, writers and photographers and lays out their content for print and online media. The assistant graphic designer frequently uses software programs, including Illustrator, PhotoShop, PowerPoint and QuartXpress.