To begin with, what is graphic design?
More than just producing beautiful visuals is involved in graphic design. It’s a sort of visual communication that informs, inspires, and persuades the audience to think from different angles.
Designers can utilize their talents to increase sales in a marketing campaign, develop a cute cartoon character, or invent a useful product that addresses a need. These creative experts utilize their visual work to engage people through their design abilities.
How graphic design has changed throughout time
The Interaction Design Foundation attributes the field’s origins to cave drawings that precede Egyptian hieroglyphs, therefore graphic design has been around for thousands of years. More recently, the print industry created the word “graphic design” in the 1920s to express fundamental design components including typography, logo design, and color theory.
Although these fundamental components of design have generally not altered over the last century, the industry has seen several additional changes, most notably with the introduction of the digital age and new design software.
Since the 1987 release of well-known design tools like Adobe’s Photoshop® and Illustrator®, graphic designers have combined their artistic talents with technology. Today’s graphic designers have access to more tools than ever because of the growth of new technology. No matter what branch of graphic design they choose, designers who keep up with developments in design tools might find themselves in an excellent position to continue growing their careers.
6 areas of graphic design
As you learn more about this industry, you’ll probably hear about some of these kinds of graphic design. However, you’ll also see that some of these job descriptions are similar. Graphic designers, like many other professions, can put their talents to use in a number of jobs, depending on the business or sector they work in.
Your expertise in graphic design is adaptable and valuable in various settings. Look through the selection to find which kind of graphic design you like.
1. Product design
Product designers employ their creativity to study, design, and develop new products. Depending on the sector they work in, the things they produce might range from toys to tools to technology. To ensure that their product will appeal to the intended market and won’t infringe on rivals’ intellectual property rights, these designers perform market research. Before putting their concepts into production, they will first produce early sketches and prototypes.
2. Brand design
Corporate design that focuses on a company’s or product’s visual identity is known as branding. These designers need to be aware of both the target demographic and the marketing message that a business wishes to convey. Every element of branding design must support these objectives and blend in with the organization’s overarching style. Graphic designers that specialize in this field use all of their abilities to create a visual brand that will resonate with the target audience and convey the proper message about the firm. Branding is frequently what influences how consumers perceive a company.
3. Web design
Nearly every website you visit and app you download is the work of a graphic designer. For their websites to be as user-friendly as possible on desktops and mobile devices, these design professionals need to have a thorough understanding of user experience (UX) design. They employ all of their talents to create user-friendly, SEO-compliant, visually appealing and branded online environments for their clients.
4. Print design
There is still a demand for print even if the digital revolution has altered graphic design’s landscape. Specialized in producing artwork that is intended to be physically viewed, by graphic designers. These designers are able to produce digital designs that transcend screens and successfully adapt to the actual world, be it billboards or business cards.
5. Publishing design
Graphic designers who work in the publishing industry typically work on books or magazines. They’re responsible for creating eye-catching covers that will appeal to the market audience, as well as designing page layouts that present information in a way that’s appealing and easy to read. They work closely with writers and editors to achieve just the right look for a project, whether it’s designing an eye-catching edgy photo spread for a magazine or selecting just the right font for the next bestseller.
6. Animation/Motion design
To make everything from animated social media images to cartoons, animation and motion designers require specialized tools. The visuals that these designers produce can entertain viewers through TV shows or video games, promote a business’s social media presence, or instruct viewers through animated educational films. To transform their first designs into fully animated works, animation designers collaborate to develop their creative concepts.
Which graphic design style is best for you?
These several graphic design styles demonstrate the wide range of alternatives available to prospective designers. You can choose any from the options above.
