lol, quick to throw out that computers and whatever don't make you a graphic designer, I never said that. Don't know how that started. Computer is just one of the tools. Having a hammer doesn't make me a carpenter, but I can build things, and if I build one thing really well, someone sees it and wants me to build it for them too, I could do that and potentially make money - still not building houses or anything, just have that one skill set. I do get what a lot of you are saying, that people that say "graphic designer" usually aren't. It's a term that get's thrown around a lot. Kind of why in the article I wrote, I said it was more than having a computer, or an artistic side. It's about solving problems. A real "graphic designer" goes about creating pieces of art in a process...it's not just thrown together. There is a reason. A reason for placement, whether it's the way the eye reads or design flows. There's a reason for colors in certain pieces to bring out emotions or feelings - why pepsi is blue, mcdonalds is red. For me, like was mentioned before, the term graphic designer ads trust to the person. If I wanted a sign designed, I don't ask a janitor or a receptionist. You ask someone that is a "graphic designer" cause, even though those other people could probably throw something together, you trust what the "professional" is going to do over them. You could ask a receptionist - however, chances are she is reading from some sort of criteria that a designer or someone in production has put together for her to ask, not really making her an expert at it. The video is great. Everyone can create art. Art should be encouraged to show emotion, thoughts or anything - like music. People can relate to it. Anyone can do this. A Graphic Designer should create a piece of art that both looks good that someone can relate to, while keeping whatever client they are representing in mind and getting the end user to perform some sort of action. That takes a certain skill, and there are people that are really good at it and some notsomuch. Maybe the term graphic designer should have some sort of subtext? Ya you may be an engineer, but you're more of a civil engineer. Could call yourself a doctor, but you're more of a chiropractor, orthopedic surgeon or something else.
The article was to kind of say more of what I do. When people do hear graphic design they think slapping things together and not really a rhyme or reason behind it. There is logic/psychology to creating effective marketing assets, which is what the term should encompass.