WHAT IS GRAPHICS DESIGN?
Graphic design is the
process of visual communication and
problem-solving through the use of typography, photography, and illustration.
HISTORY OF GRAPHICS DESIGN
According
to the website Design of History, the history of graphic design began in the
15th century with the invention of Johannes Gutenberg's movable mechanized type and other
developments in typography. Many of these innovations are still referenced today.
Gutenberg's mechanical
printing process was introduced in 1455, which led to rapid changes in
typography and graphic design. The ability to quickly and efficiently print
books and text established the printing industry and led to many developments
in typefaces and printing quality. Many countries, including Italy, France and
the Netherlands, were responsible for huge pushes forward in printing and
graphic design.
Many of the fonts,
typefaces and measurements developed during this time are still in use today.
Graphics design uses visual compositions to solve problems
and communicate ideas through typography, imagery, color and form. There’s no
one way to do that, and that’s why there are several types of graphic
design, each with their own area of specialization.
Though they often
overlap, each type of graphic design requires specific set of skills and design
techniques. Many designers specialize in a single type; others focus on a set
of related, similar types. But because the industry is constantly changing,
designers must be adaptable and lifelong learners so they can change or add
specializations throughout their careers.
TYPES/CATEGORIES OF
GRAPHICS DESIGN CAREER
1. VISUAL IDENTITY
GRAPHIC DESIGN
A brand is a
relationship between a business or organization and its audience.
A brand identity is how the organization communicates
its personality, tone and essence, as well as memories, emotions and
experiences. Visual identity graphic design is exactly that: the visual
elements of brand identity that act as the face of a brand to communicate those
intangible qualities through images, shapes and color. Designers that specialize in visual
identity graphic design collaborate with brand stakeholders to create assets
like logos, typography, color palettes and image libraries that represent a
brand’s personality. In addition to the standard business cards and
corporate stationary, designers often develop a set of visual brand guidelines
(style
guides) that
describe best practices and provide examples of visual branding applied across
various media.
Visual identity
graphic designers must possess a general knowledge of all types of graphic
design in order to create design elements that are suitable across all visual
media. They also need excellent communication, conceptual and creative skills,
and a passion for researching industries, organizations, trends and competitors.
2. MARKETING &
ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN
When most people
think of graphic design, they think of designs created for marketing and
advertising. Companies depend on successful marketing efforts to tap into their
target audience’s decision-making process. Great marketing engages people based
on the wants, needs, awareness and satisfaction they have about a product,
service or brand. Since people will always find visual content more engaging,
graphic design helps organizations promote and communicate more effectively.
Marketing designers
work with company owners, directors, managers or marketing professionals to
create assets for marketing strategies. They might work alone or as part of an
in-house or creative team. Designers can specialize in a specific type of media
(vehicle wraps or magazine ads, for example) or create a broad assortment of
collateral for print, digital, and beyond.
Examples of marketing
graphic design
·
Postcards
and flyers
·
Magazine
and newspaper ads
·
Posters,
banners and billboards
·
Info-graphics
·
Brochures
(print and digital)
·
Vehicle
wraps
·
Signage
and trade show displays
·
Email
marketing templates
·
PowerPoint
presentations
·
Menus
·
Social
media ads, banners and graphics
·
Banner
and re targeting ads
·
Images
for websites and blogs
Marketing designers
need excellent communication, problem-solving and time management skills. In
addition to being proficient in several graphic design, layout and presentation
apps, they must also be familiar with production for print and online environments.
3. USER INTERFACE
GRAPHIC DESIGN
A user interface (UI)
is how a user interacts with a device or application.
UI design is the
process of designing interfaces to make them easy to use and provide a
user-friendly experience.
A UI includes all of
the things a user interacts with—the screen, keyboard and mouse—but in the
context of graphic design, UI design focuses on the user’s visual experience
and the design of on-screen graphic elements like buttons, menus,
micro-interactions, and more. It’s a UI designer’s job to balance aesthetic
appeal with technical functionality.
UI designers
specialize in desktop apps, mobile apps, web apps and games. They work closely
with UX (user experience) designers (who determine how the app works) and UI
developers (who write code to make it work).
Examples of user
interface graphic design
·
Web
page design
·
Theme
design (WordPress, Shopify, etc.)
·
Game
interfaces
·
App
design
In addition to
graphics apps, they need knowledge of programming languages like HTML, CSS and
JavaScript.
4. PUBLICATION
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Publications are
long-form pieces that communicate with an audience through public distribution.
They have traditionally been a print medium. Think books, newspapers, magazines and catalogs. However, there’s
recently been a significant rise in digital publishing.
Graphic designers that
specialize in publications work with editors and publishers to create layouts
with carefully selected typography and accompanying artwork, which includes
photography, graphics and illustrations. Publication designers may work as
freelancers, as creative agency members or in-house as part of a publishing
company.
Examples of
publication graphic design
·
Books
·
Newspapers
·
Newsletters
·
Directories
·
Annual
reports
·
Magazines
·
Catalogs
Publication designers
must possess excellent communication, layout and organizational skills. In
addition to graphic design expertise, they need to understand color management,
printing and digital publishing.
5.
PACKAGING
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Products require some
form of packaging to protect and prepare them for storage, distribution, and
sale. But packaging
design can also
communicate directly to consumers, which makes it an extremely valuable
marketing tool. Every box, bottle and bag, even can, container, or canister is
a chance tell the story of a brand.
Packaging designers
create concepts, develop mockups and create the print-ready files for a
product. Packaging designers may be a jack-of-all-trades or specialize in a
specific type of packaging (like labels or beverage cans) or a specific
industry (like food or children’s toys). Their work requires top-notch
conceptual and problem-solving skills in addition to a strong working knowledge
of print and industrial design. They must be flexible to meet the demands of
clients, marketers and manufacturers and be aware of current
trends.
6.
MOTION GRAPHIC
DESIGN
Simply put, motion
graphics are graphics that are in motion. This can include animation, audio,
typography, imagery, video and other effects that are used in online media,
television and film. The medium’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years as
technology improved and video content became king.
“Motion graphics designer” is a somewhat new specialty for designers. Formally
reserved for TV and film, technological advances have reduced production time
and costs, making the art form more accessible and affordable. Now, motion
graphics can be found across all digital platforms, which has created all sorts
of new areas and opportunities.
Examples of motion
graphic design
·
Title
sequences and end credits
·
Advertisements
·
Trailers
·
Presentations
·
Promotional
videos
·
Tutorial
videos
·
Websites
·
Apps
·
Video
games
·
Banners
·
GIFs
Motion graphics
designers begin by developing storyboards and then bring their concepts to life
with animation, video and traditional art. Depending on the industry, a
strong working knowledge of marketing, coding and 3D modeling can be definite
assets.
7.
ENVIRONMENTAL
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Environmental graphic
design visually connects people to places to improve their overall experience
by making spaces more memorable, interesting, informative or easier to
navigate.
Examples of
environmental graphic design
·
Signage
·
Wall
murals
·
Museum
exhibitions
·
Office
branding
·
Public
transportation navigation
·
Retail
store interiors
·
Stadium
branding
·
Event
and conference spaces
Way-finding is a
specific type of environmental graphic design that consists of strategic
signage, landmarks and visual cues that help people identify where they are and
where they need to go so they can get there without confusion. Environmental
graphic design is a multidisciplinary practice that merges graphic,
architectural, interior, landscape and industrial design. Designers collaborate
with people in any number of these fields to plan and implement their
designs. Because of that, designers typically have education and
experience in both graphic design and architecture. They must be familiar with
industrial design concepts and able to read and sketch architectural plans.
8. ART AND
ILLUSTRATION FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN
Art and illustration
are often seen as being the same as graphic design, however they’re each very
different. Designers create compositions to communicate and solve problems,
graphic artists and illustrators create original artwork. Their art takes a
number of forms, from fine art to decoration to storytelling illustrations.
Even though graphic
art and illustration are not technically types of graphic design, so much is
created for commercial use within the context of graphic design that you can’t
talk about one without the others.
Examples of art and
illustration for graphic design
·
T-shirt
design
·
Graphic
patterns for textiles
·
Motion
graphics
·
Stock
images
·
Graphic
novels
·
Video
games
·
Websites
·
Comic
books
·
Album
art
·
Book
covers
·
Picture
books
·
Infographics
·
Technical
illustration
·
Concept
art
Graphic design is an
ever-growing field, and the demand for specialized and skilled designers is on
the rise. When you’re looking for the right person to take on a design job,
knowing the different types of graphic design will help you identify the
specialist you need.
GRAPHIC DESIGN RESOURCES
·
Templates
·
Vectors
·
Inspiration
·
Browser
extensions
·
Icons
·
Mockups
·
Fonts
·
Design
Tutorials
JOBS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN
·
Print Designer
·
Web Designer
·
Logo Designer
·
Package Designer
·
Advertising Designer
·
Branding Designer
·
User Interface Designer
8 ESSENTIAL
SKILLS FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN
1.
Creativity
Creativity is one of, if not the most important skill for graphic designers. After
all, it’s hard to come up with new ideas and innovative designs if you don’t
know how to tap into your creative resources. Having a visual eye is essential
no matter what medium you work in.
2.
Communication
Understanding what a
client wants from a design is the key to creating a successful product. But, in
today’s digital age, where everyone is so individually focused on their phones
and electronic devices, a lot of people don’t know how to talk to clients, thus,
being able to listen well, process feedback, and explain
design elements—without getting technical—will give you a big advantage.
3.
Typography
The ability to make
written language not only legible but also visually appealing is “more
important today than ever,” anonymous “These days, pretty much anyone can access every kind of font
imaginable online, but someone who has been highly trained and understands how
fonts are made and utilized is going to be a more effective designer.”
4.
Interactive media
“Interactive media” is
a catchall term for design products that actively engage a user through mediums
like text, moving image, animation, video, audio, or video games, says Sue
Jenkins, a graphic design professor at Marywood University. “It’s best to be exposing
yourself to as many different types of media as possible,” she says.
5.
Coding
Though you don’t need
to be an expert at coding for most graphic design jobs,
“having at least a basic understanding of HTML is important, since it teaches
you how to understand what goes into creating a website,” Jenkins says. Learning
the fundamentals of Java and C++ will make you even more marketable.
6.
Branding
This business skill is critical for graphic designers.
Indeed, to be able to understand a client’s needs, you have to first understand
your client’s brand. Branding through social media, in particular, applies to
many graphic design jobs right now.
7.
Delivering presentations
Graphic designers are
essentially storytellers, says Jenkins. So, having the ability
to take complex data and present it in a clear, digestible way to customers or
clients will make you a more valuable employee.
WHO IS A GRAPHICS DESIGNER?
A Graphic designer is one who create visual
concepts, by hand or using computer software, to communicate ideas that
inspire, inform, or captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and
production design for advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports.
DUTIES OF A GRAPHICS DESIGNER
Graphic designers typically do the
following:
·
Meet with clients or the
art director to determine the scope of a project
·
Advise clients on
strategies to reach a particular audience
·
Determine the message the
design should portray
·
Create images that
identify a product or convey a message
·
Develop graphics for
product illustrations, logos, and websites
·
Select colors, images,
text style, and layout
·
Present the design to
clients or the art director
·
Incorporate changes recommended
by the clients into the final design
·
Review designs for errors
before printing or publishing them
A Graphic designer
combines art and technology to communicate ideas through images and the layout
of websites and printed pages.
They may use a variety of design elements to
achieve artistic or decorative effects. A Graphic designer work with both text
and images.
They often select the type, font, size, color,
and line length of headlines, headings, and text. Graphic designers also decide
how images and text will go together on a print or webpage, including how much
space each will have. When using text in layouts, graphic designers collaborate
closely with writers who choose the words and decide whether the words will be
put into paragraphs, lists, or tables. Through the use of images, text, and
color, graphic designers can transform statistical data into visual graphics
and diagrams, which can make complex ideas more accessible.
Graphic design is
important in the sales and marketing of products, and is a critical component
of brochures and logos.
Therefore, graphic designers also referred to
as graphic artists or communication designers, often work closely with people
in advertising and promotions, public relations, and marketing.
Frequently, designers specialize in a
particular category or type of client. For example, some create the graphics
used in packaging for various types of retail products, while others may work
on the visual design used on a book jacket.
Note: Graphic designers also need
to keep up to date with the latest software and computer technologies to remain
competitive.
