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Graphic Design – Different Types Of Graphic Design
What is Graphic Design?
Graphic design is the art of creating visual content to communicate messages. Applying visual hierarchy and page layout techniques, graphic designers use typography and some pictures to meet the user’s specific needs and focus on the logic of displaying elements in interactive designs to optimize the user experience.
Each type of graphic design requires a 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 quickly changing, designers must be adaptable and lifelong learners so they can change or add specializations throughout their careers.
Whether you are an aspiring designer or seeking graphic or web design services for your business, understanding the different types of graphic design will help you find the right skills for the job.
1. Visual identity graphic design
A brand is a relationship between a business and/or organization and its audience. A brand identity is how the organization communicates its personality, 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 different images, shapes, and color.
Designers that are specialized 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 stationery, designers can often develop a set of visual brand guidelines that describe best practices and provide examples of visual branding applied across various media. These guidelines help to ensure brand consistency throughout future applications.
Visual identity graphic designers must have 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. Corporate Design
When it comes to starting a business, you get to hear terms like “Differentiator,” “Brand Recognition.” But there is one term that doesn’t get much attention, and that’s “corporate design.” Every business whether it’s small, medium or large has a different story to tell. The story is about their vision, mission, strength, USP, etc.
When we talk about corporate design, it is more than traditional graphic design. It is a broad term that is used to cover two main elements: design (like the logo, colors, typography) and strategy (like branding). Let’s discuss them in detail:
- Logo: A logo is a graphic mark or a symbol used to identify the company, product or brand. The importance of graphic design is demonstrated form the design of the logo. A planned logo design attracts potential clients. It is instantly recognizable and memorable.
- Color: Along with the logo, a graphic designer should also take into consideration the colors to be used in designing a logo. The selected range of colors should get fit in the logo as it is used on a website, advertising, signage, packaging, etc.
- Typography: A well-designed logo is a combination of business and art. With the help of typography balance between the two can be achieved easily. Fonts play a significant role in logo design. Selection of the wrong font can ruin your brand image.
- Branding: Branding has become one of the biggest buzzwords of the decade. A good brand identity design differentiates your product or services from your competitors and provides customers with a strong reason to choose your product. From the logo design to various marketing collaterals, graphic designing skills are used.
3. Website Graphic Design
Your site is a digital salesperson. Good website design can help you in attracting potential customers and increase sales. A professional graphic designer helps your company to build a user-friendly and athletically pleasing website for your company. He is a visual communicator whose job is to put together all the elements such as text, images, layout, etc. and design a website that can arouse the curiosity in the customers to dive in further.
There are a lot of drag-and-drop website builders available but hiring a professional graphic designer can save a lot of time. If you are a budget-conscious and want a professional graphic design service, then you are at right place.
4. 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. While traditionally print-centered, this role has grown to include more digital assets, especially for use in content marketing.
Examples of marketing graphic design are 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 retargeting ads, Images for websites and blogs.
5. User interface graphic design
A user interface (UI) is how a user interacts with a device or application. The 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 are Web page design, Theme design, Game interfaces, App design, etc.
6. Publication graphic design
Publications are long-form pieces that communicate with an audience through public distributions. 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 the 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.
7. Packaging graphic design
Most products require some form of packaging to protect and prepare them for storage, distribution, and sales. But packaging design can also communicate directly to consumers, which makes it an extremely valuable marketing tool. Every box, bottle, and bag, every can, container, or canister is a chance to tell the story of a brand.
Packaging designers create concepts, develop mockups and create the print-ready files for a product. This requires expert knowledge of print processes and a keen understanding of industrial design and manufacturing. Because packaging design touches so many disciplines, it’s not uncommon for designers to find themselves creating other assets for a product such as photography, illustrations, and visual identity.
8. 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, Animated logos, Trailers, Presentations, Promotional videos, Tutorial videos, Websites, Apps, Video games, Banners, GIFs.
9. Environmental Web
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.
10. Art and illustration for graphic design
Graphic 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.
Are you looking to hire a professional graphic designer who can handle some of your tasks? Contact Us now to find out how we can work together.
