Our first thoughts when we hear the term graphic design are different. Someone may think of web design and mobile applications, someone may think of business cards and brochures, and someone may think about packaging design and brand identity. The objective of graphic design as a communication skill is to visualise and interpret the message. Graphic design can be psychedelic, digital, or anywhere in between. In today’s highly competitive world, graphic design is an integral part of every business.
Today’s competitive market has made graphic design an essential part of every company. It plays a crucial role, by combining technology, aesthetics, and creative thinking, you can communicate your message so that it keeps its original impact on your audiences. From the morning cereal box to the process of booking an apartment for an upcoming vacation, design is everywhere you look. Nevertheless, there is one thing to note, Each type of graphic design requires a specific set of skills and design techniques.
Many designers specialize in one type, while others specialize in a set of related, related types. As often overlapping as they are, designers usually specialize in a specific area of design, and they build their skills over the years, so don’t expect the web designer to be able to edit videos as well as someone who has been doing this for years. The above example was just to illustrate my point.
We have highlighted eight types of graphic design so you can better understand each design area and hire a designer who has the right skills for your project. Let us begin.
1.Visual Identity Graphic Design
Small, medium, or large businesses alike have a different story to tell. In order for their audience to hear this story, they have a brand identity. Visual identification graphic design is exactly that: the visual elements that act as the face of a brand to communicate these intangible qualities through images, shapes, and colors.
Graphic designers who specialize in visual identity graphic design create assets such as logos, typography, color palettes, and image libraries to communicate the personality of a company. In addition to business cards and correspondence, these designers develop visual brand guidelines that explain best practices and provide examples of visual branding conducted across different media platforms.
The visual brand guidelines are designed to provide examples of how the brand should be applied across various media, such as business cards, letters, and memos, in addition to standards for business cards and memos. They facilitate brand consistency across various media and ensure consistency throughout future applications.
The division of marketing and advertising design is similar to what we already have mentioned, with the printed advertisements that we see on posters, billboards, flyers, catalogs, packaging, cardboard stands, and other materials that pass through the printing machine, as well as the digital advertisements that we see on television and on cell phones in the form of banners, video ads, and promotional posts on social networks.
The visual identity graphic designer must be knowledgeable of all forms of graphic design so that they can create designs that will work across a variety of mediums. They must also possess excellent communication skills, conceptual and creative skills, and a passion for researching industries, organizations, trends, and competitors.
Visual identity graphic designers are usually also skilled in marketing and advertising graphics because, when creating a visual identity, the designer should always consider how it will compare with that later on in marketing and advertising.
2.Marketing & Advertising Graphic Design
Throughout the day, advertisements bombard us on TV screens, blast from store shelves, and occupy every available available space in public areas. Clearly, the result of successful advertising is the sale of the product or service the advertiser promotes, but have you ever wondered how much time it takes to develop a campaign that is effective and a compelling advertisement that perfectly tells the story?
There are not just hours involved, rather days or even months of brainstorming, researching consumer behavior, and creating visuals, that is why marketing designers are expected to have excellent communication, problem-solving, and time management skills. They must also be aware of the brand and its target audience and be knowledgeable about a particular product or service.
The designers who create advertisement are not only talented in creative work but they also know how to sell a product and capture the minds of consumers. This means they work alongside company owners, directors, managers, or marketing professionals to create assets that will help market the business. They may work alone or part of a team, depending on the budget that invests in the advertising.
3.Web Design
Probably you have heard the terms UI and UX, but do you have a thorough understanding of their meaning? A user interface (UI) is the way a user interacts with a device or application, while UI design is the process of designing applications to be easy to use and provide a pleasant experience for the user. User interfaces include all of the elements with which a user interacts –the screen, keyboard, and mouse. However, UI design focuses more on the user’s visual experience, as well as on the design of on-screen graphic elements, such as buttons, menus, and microinteractions.UX (user experience) designers and UI developers work together to find ways to make the app work while balancing aesthetic appeal with technical functionality. UX designers figure out how the app works and UI developers write the code necessary to make it work, while UI designers create desktop apps, mobile apps, web apps, and games.
The mobile industry is growing very fast, Companies are offering their content and services via applications, With the right mobile app design, you are responsible for not only making a product look beautiful but also building a relationship between the app and the user, Professional App designers are aware of the latest trends, They know how to design an app with an elegant interface, perfect icons, and excellent art.
4.Publication Graphic Design
Back in the old days, print media was the preferred medium of communicating news and information. The printing industry was in full swing, releasing a large range of printed products such as books, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and more. But the times are changing, and technology is advancing. Modern day digital medium is at the top, the average user spends 5 hours per day on their mobile devices, so we should not be surprised not to find people reading newspapers or reading online news, replacing books with ebooks, following fashion trends on social networks, and shopping online.
In publications, graphic designers work with editors and publishers to create layouts with carefully selected typography and corresponding artwork, which may include photography, graphics, and illustrations. Publication designers can work as freelancers, creative agency members, or in-house, as part of a publishing company. Publication designers should possess excellent communication, layout, and organizational skills. In addition to graphic design skills, they should be knowledgeable about color management, print, and digital publishing.
5.Packaging Graphic Design
Packaging designers develop concepts, develop mockups, and create print-ready files for products, which is done with expert knowledge of print processes, along with a thorough understanding of industrial design and manufacturing. Packaging plays a dual role to protect products while storing, distributing, and selling them, as well as to communicate directly to consumers. To accomplish this they need to be knowledgeable about print processes and understand industrial design and manufacturing. They must stay abreast of trends and competition.
When a product is placed in a retail store next to its competitors in the same color and shape it won’t stand out at all; consumers will find it difficult to spot it or they may not even notice it. Packaging must be unique, must stand out, and must encourage consumers to buy that product.
6.Motion Graphic Design
In today’s world, companies often display their products and services with short animations in a variety of ways. In addition to marketing purposes, animations are used in video games, applications, banners, animated texts, and subtitles.
Nowadays, a gif is eminently popular with young people, meaning “motion graphics designer”. This is a relatively new specialty for designers that can be located across the board on all digital platforms, which has opened up lots of new opportunities.
Also, we will mention 3D graphics design because is becoming increasingly important these days. It is among the most popular effects used in almost all industries. 3D artists possess a strong computer and technical background. First, they are trained in photography and different computer-aided software. After that, they are taught lighting techniques, effects, and animation techniques.
7.Environmental Graphic Design
We are not even aware of how environmental graphic design affects us in everyday life, regardless of whether we are talking about office branding, public transportation navigation, or retail store interiors. Environmental graphic design visually connects people to places to improve their overall experience by making spaces more memorable, interesting, informative, or easier to navigate.
Environmental graphic design is a multidisciplinary field that includes graphic, architectural, interior, landscape, and industrial design, Designers work with people in several disciplines to come up with designs. Because of this, designers typically acquire education and experience in both graphic design and architecture.
8.Illustration For Graphic Design
It is important to understand the difference between a graphic designer and a graphic artist. Graphic designers create composition for communication and problem solving, while graphic artists create original artwork.
To create their work, graphic artists combine any combination of media and techniques and collaborate with writers, editors, managers, marketers and art directors from all aspects of graphic design. Often graphic designers have a foundation in fine arts, animation, or architecture. Overlapping skills and apps mean that graphic designers can work as illustrators and graphic artists simultaneously.
