New book reveals prying details about life in graphic design

The answers form the book, Graphic Design Surveyed, and the results are intriguing, thought-provoking, frank and often funny. They uncover an industry of exhausted, but relentlessly passionate, people.

The survey revealed a young, hard-working and enthusiastic population of graphic designers — for example, 85% were under forty, 78% worked more hours than they were paid for, and 83% highly recommended graphic design as a career.

It provoked debate on tricky subjects like finance — in the UK men were six times more likely than women to earn over £60k a year, in the US designers were more likely to describe themselves as financially comfortable, and across both sides of the Atlantic, designers disagreed with free pitching.

Unafraid to ask difficult questions, and with participants who were unafraid to answer them, the book explores themes of art, business, gender, age, money and above all, passion.

Graphic Design Surveyed was edited by industry experts Lucienne Roberts, Rebecca Wright and Jessie Price, with the help of social scientist Nikandre Kopcke and data artist Stefanie Posavec. Unsurprisingly, it is designed to a high standard — data is presented in a thought-provoking style and the cover is printed on Orange 021, the most popular Pantone colour according to the designers surveyed. This insightful book strikes at the heart of what it means to be a graphic designer today.