Graphic design is a growing, ever-changing industry with numerous specialties and disciplines living under a wide umbrella. Here are the core principles of the craft and the types of graphic design to which they apply.
Graphic design is a fascinating field with many possible career paths. Some designers have successful careers with a deep knowledge and passion for one area of design, while others are flexible, multi-skilled “generalists.”
With a strong foundation in the principles of design, concept development, aesthetics, and experience, you can develop expertise in any (or all!) of these design applications.
What Is Graphic Design?
Here’s the official definition of graphic design, according to the US Census:
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in planning, designing, and managing the production of visual communication in order to convey specific messages or concepts, clarify complex information, or project visual identities. These services can include the design of printed materials, packaging, advertising, signage systems, and corporate identification (logos). This industry also includes commercial artists engaged exclusively in generating drawings and illustrations requiring technical accuracy or interpretative skills.
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I couldn’t have said it better myself! Of course, this description is by no means complete. Design is a growing, ever-changing industry with numerous specialties and disciplines living under a wide umbrella. What could a user interface designer and a magazine designer possibly have in common?
Quite a lot, actually. A single designer who is educated in the principles of graphic design and has a solid understanding of typography and layout can easily wear multiple hats.
Principles of Graphic Design
Understanding the formal principles of design is essential for serious graphic designers. Even if you have a great idea, you can sabotage yourself with sloppy execution due to a poor understanding of this foundation.
These basic principles apply whether you’re designing an app or a billboard. They help you arrange visual elements in a more intentional and aesthetically pleasing way to communicate the message of your design.
Balance
Balance is a universal visual experience. Similar to our experience of the natural influence of gravity, we perceive every element within a composition to have visual weight and direction.
Balance has a profound impact on the perception of your work. It can make it appear harmonious or tense, depending on your choices. Intentional balance of positive and negative space creates focal points and guides the eye through the composition.
Alignment
Alignment refers to organizing elements so that their edges match up in shared rows or columns, or along a central axis. My first design professor referred to alignment as the glue that holds any design together. Without it, a design can be perceived as chaotic and difficult to understand.
Designers use an underlying grid to organize, structure, and create hierarchy in their designs. For simpler designs, make sure you are at least using your alignment tools for precision.
Hierarchy
Hierarchy is the order of importance of elements within a design. The simplest way to create hierarchy is with scale. Manipulating colors, shapes, or weight can create hierarchy in a specific part of your design system.
Emphasis
With emphasis (through color, contrast, scale, etc.), specific elements in your design catch the viewer’s attention. Hierarchy and emphasis go both ways—you can intentionally downplay elements by making them lighter and inconspicuous.
Proportion
Proportion is the size relationship between visual elements, and it’s crucial to establishing hierarchy in your design.
Larger, heavier elements have more emphasis. They’re usually perceived as more important, while the smallest elements are the last to be observed by the viewer.
Contrast
Contrast is the noticeable difference between elements in design. It applies to color, size, shape, and texture.
It can be as stark as the relationship between black and white values or as subtle as a single bolded word in a paragraph of text.
Deliberate use of contrast can create emphasis and visual interest.
Repetition and Rhythm
When you commit to a system of design choices, you know that your decision will be repeated over and over. Repetition of elements and style reinforces your design system and creates structure in your design.
Consistent spacing and timing of those repeated elements creates rhythm. Engaging designs establish a consistent rhythm, with intentional interruptions to seize the viewer’s attention.
Movement
Movement is the path of the viewer’s eye through your design. Through intentional placement of elements and leveraging the design principles above, you can guide your viewer from one element to another.
White Space
Alternatively known as negative space, this is the part of your design that is left intentionally “empty” so that the individual elements can breathe. Intentional white space aids in the appearance of a clean, uncluttered design.
But Wait, There’s More!
Of course, the list of principles and foundational graphic design skills is longer than these top nine. I recommend picking up a copy of Graphic Design: The New Basics and The Universal Principles of Design to learn more.
Each project you start is an opportunity to sharpen your conceptual ability and deepen your understanding of color and typography.
As you progress in your career and grow your creative skills, you’ll find that different types of design have their own principles and industry standards that scaffold on top of this visual foundation.
1. Branding and Visual Identity Design
It’s a common misconception that branding design and logo design are the same thing. In his book The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier famously clarifies, “A brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what they say it is.”
A brand isn’t a logo, it’s your customer’s perception. Every touch-point between a company and its audience builds a brand, so it’s important to be consistent and intentional.
Branding designers are usually creative directors and art directors who work with their clients to craft an overarching concept, message, and strategy to influence their audience’s perception of the product or service. The intention is to communicate the company’s values, personality, and unique selling points.
All of the areas of design mentioned in this article, when executed under strong creative direction, are part of branding. Having a strong logo design as part of a well-crafted visual identity system is only part of the branding equation.
Individual components of a visual identity system include logos, color palettes, typography, and other visual elements, like photography and illustration style. These are often assembled in a brand standards document that clarifies correct usage and explicitly states the rules of the system to ensure consistency.
Consistent use of these components creates a cohesive visual language across all channels to build trust and familiarity with the audience.
Software and Tools Needed for Visual Identity and Branding
In order of priority, you’ll need your brain, pencil and paper, extensive research, and the Adobe Creative Suite. When it’s time to design the logo, Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard for vector graphics. Avoid misusing other Adobe products such as Photoshop, which are better suited for editing raster imagery like photography.
Alternatively, there are web-based design tools like Adobe Maker for non-designers who are looking for a templated logo solution. Just keep in mind the potential drawbacks of using a template if your goal is to stand out from the crowd.
Examples of Effective Branding and Visual Identity Design Work
Make sure to bookmark BrandingStyleGuides.com for an incredible archive of branding guides that break down the visual design systems of major brands, from their logo usage to fonts to the smallest of visual assets.
Brand New by Under Consideration is another insightful resource that critiques recent logo redesigns.
Finally, Logo Lounge is a treasure trove of logo design inspiration and trend analysis.
2. User Experience and User Interface Design (UI/UX)
User Experience Design—aka UX—involves extensive research to understand the habits, needs, preferences, goals, and limitations of the intended audience. UI/UX teams generally create digital interactive experiences like app designs and websites.
Both UI and UX designers build off a foundation of user experience principles, the UX design process, UI design patterns, and more. User experience research informs the content, information architecture, functionality, and general layout of the design.
User Interface—aka UI—designers will leverage this information to first create simple wireframes which later become realistic prototypes. The entire team collaborates and works iteratively to test the product with users and revise as necessary (even after it’s launched) to ensure a satisfying user experience that also meets the goals of the client.
Software and Tools Needed for UX and UI Design
There are many competing products for wireframing and prototyping, but in recent years Figma has established itself as the industry leader for user interface design.
UI/UX teams can use the companion browser-based app Figjam to collaborate, document research, sketch out user flows, and even doodle low-fidelity wireframes.
Visual elements such as logos or illustrations are still created in the Adobe Creative Suite and placed in Figma/Figjam files.
Examples of Effective UX/UI Design
Laws of UX is an excellent resource for new user experience designers who want to learn UX/UI best practices and the psychological principles behind them.
For aesthetically pleasing UI inspiration, I recommend checking out Awwwards for website design and Dribbble for just about everything.
Accessibility Considerations for UX/UI Design
In UI/UX, accessibility isn’t an afterthought, rather a central tenet of design that ensures a better experience for everyone, regardless of their ability. The U.S. government has created ADA guidelines for web accessibility, and not adhering to them can be a liability.
The World Wide Web consortium also maintains Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (known as WCAG) to make Web content more accessible to people with disabilities. Special care must be given to website architecture and content so that screen readers can navigate the content which, in turn, creates better SEO.
There are also many online checkers and tools available to ensure you are using appropriate type sizes and contrasting colors in your design to meet WCAG standards.
3. Editorial and Print Publications Design
Although the market has changed dramatically since the dawn of the internet, editorial design and print publications are still a major part of the design landscape.
Editorial and print publication designers are responsible for creating visually appealing layouts that clearly communicate content. This can include the design of newspapers, magazines, books, brochures, and even digital publications.
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Is print dead? Graphic design students are taught about the advent of printing in the western world with the invention of movable type, resulting in the Gutenberg Bible in 1455. Over the past 560+ years, printing technology and literacy have rapidly increased all around the world, driving the demand for printed communication in the form of books, magazines, and newspapers.
Each evolution in printing technology created (and eliminated) trades and career paths. The mass-produced magazines that we know today rely heavily on print-ad revenue and have been impacted by digital alternatives and post-pandemic complications.
According to the US Census Service Annual Survey, between 2002 and 2020 newspaper publishing revenue fell by an estimated 52%. Periodicals, including magazines, saw an estimated 40.5% drop in revenue.
The death of print is more of a reincarnation. The enduring appeal of print books persists, with increasing book sales each year. Printed books outsell eBooks by a significant margin in most countries, contributing to a thriving multi-billion dollar industry.
And, what is no longer being circulated in print is often reimagined as a digital publication or, at the very least, a well-designed PDF. As long as there is a story, a designer will be needed to help tell it.
So, what’s an aspiring editorial or print publication designer to do? My advice is to pursue your passion. While there may not be as many opportunities, a solid foundation of type and layout will give you flexibility in any design job.
Software and Tools Needed for Print Publication Design
Adobe InDesign is the industry standard for designing multi-page layouts and print ads. Publication designers set up their files with parent pages, paragraph styles, and other automations to make a high-volume design job efficient and aesthetically pleasing.
Print designers follow a preflight checklist to ensure that each job comes back from the printer looking great. For digital publications, Adobe InDesign allows the inclusion of links, buttons, and multimedia in a dynamic PDF.
Some of the interaction design tools above, like Figma, can be considered for the design of digital publications.
Examples of Great Print Publication Design
The Society of Publication Designers is a member-based organization dedicated to visual storytelling and features the best of contemporary publication graphic design.
Also, the professional association for graphic design, AIGA, holds an annual 50 Books 50 Covers competition, which makes a great archive of book covers to peruse for inspiration.
4. Illustration Design
Illustration is the artistic creation of images that accompany, clarify, or independently communicate an idea, story, or message. Illustration design can take many forms, including drawings, paintings, sketches, diagrams, collage, and other digital images created by a graphic artist.
It can depict anything from original brand characters to stock illustrations to product illustrations. The illustration itself may even be the product, opening up the designer for licensing opportunities.
Graphic illustrators can enhance any form of visual communication, including advertisements, editorial content, books, and websites. Custom illustrations infuse personality and visual interest into the overall design, making it more memorable to the audience and helping to differentiate a brand or product from competitors.
Software and Tools Needed for Digital Illustrations
The toolbox for an illustrator depends entirely on their interests and expertise. Physical media and digital methods of illustration are equally valid.
To dabble in digital illustration, all one needs is a tablet with a stylus and an art app such as Procreate or Adobe Fresco.
As the name implies, Adobe Illustrator is your best choice for creating vector graphics. It’s available on both desktop computers and tablets.
Examples of Effective Designs with Illustration
Behance and Dribbble are excellent resources for all sorts of inspiration, including designs that incorporate illustration. In any creative discipline, it’s important to know some history along with following successful contemporary illustrators on social media.
The Society of Illustrators is the oldest U.S.-based member organization dedicated to the art of illustration, and past members include big names like Rube Goldberg and Norman Rockwell.
5. Motion Graphics and Animated Design
We see motion graphics anywhere there is video content—title sequences in movies, detailed overlays in sports broadcasts, animated logos in advertisements, subtle micro-interactions in apps, and so on.
Animated design builds on foundational graphic design practices with its own guiding principles of motion design that influence the behavior of each movement.
Software and Tools Needed for Motion Graphic Design
Many applications have animation capabilities, but most professional motion graphic designers use Adobe After Effects. Prototyping web applications like Figma allow for animation within web or app design projects.
Procreate has animation capabilities as well, if your goal is to bring your illustrations to life. Even Adobe Photoshop can create simple frame-based animations, which is perfect for those who aren’t familiar with more complicated programs like After Effects.
Examples of Effective Motion Graphics Design
The Art of the Title is a collection of film title sequences through the ages. Stash is another great resource for curated inspiration that includes motion design and animation.
6. Packaging Design
Almost every product we purchase comes in packaging created by a designer. Designers have to consider the physical construction, industry-specific regulations, and aesthetics to create a viable design. Packaging design not only keeps physical products safe in transit and on shelves, it must also sell the product within.
Packaging designers use different materials and print production methods to create an alluring design that stands out from the competition and drives sales. Even if your packaging is a simple bottle with a label adhered to it, your packaging communicates something about your brand.
Packaging can be a designed experience, like these elaborate boxes for limited-edition sneaker releases that inspire collectors, or this understated sustainable plantable packaging that’s loaded with seeds to create new organic life after the packaging is no longer useful.
Software and Tools Needed for Packaging Design
Packaging designers use Adobe Illustrator to make both the dieline (schematic) of the packaging and the artwork that’s printed on it. CAD software can also be used for more elaborate packaging designs.
Examples of Effective Packaging Design
The Dieline is my first stop for all types of packaging design inspiration, case studies, and trend reports. Packaging of the World is another great resource showing successful package designs across the globe.
Sustainability in Graphic Design
In the simplest terms, sustainable packaging design is the intentional creation of packaging that reduces its impact on the environment.
This can be achieved in many ways, including using less material in the design, selecting recycled or sustainably sourced material, avoiding harmful non-recyclable materials, managing the production process to reduce carbon footprint, and even creating packaging that is meant to be reused.
7. 3D Graphic Design
3D graphic designers use modeling software to create three-dimensional shapes and objects. 3D design involves the use of specialized software and techniques to construct precise models that can be viewed from multiple angles, rigged, and/or animated.
It allows designers to create accurate visual representations of their product/service, or to create an immersive depiction of a particular concept or idea.
3D modeling is widely used in industries like physical product design, gaming, film and television production, architecture, interior design, and even packaging design.
Software and Tools Needed for 3D Graphic Design
The more popular professional 3D graphic design programs include Autodesk 3DS Max, Autodesk Maya,and Cinema 4D. Blender is a free, open-source 3D creation software that is a great starting point for beginners.
To save time and avoid starting from scratch, professional 3D designers can leverage resources like TurboSquid for its extensive library of models, which are compatible with this industry-standard software.
Faux three-dimensional effects can be achieved even with 2D software like Photoshop if you are clever with styles and shading.
For those who want a real 3D look but aren’t comfortable with 3D software, PixelSquid is a quick and easy library of pre-made 3D objects to use in your design, and includes a handy Photoshop plugin.
Even Adobe Illustrator has easy 3D tools to give your artwork dimension.
Examples of Effective 3D Graphic Design
Again, Dribble and Behance are my go-to sources of inspiration for 3D design, especially as it pertains to graphic design and illustration.
Stash.tv frequently features notable 3D design, and many designers actively share their work and behind-the-scenes process on social media.
8. Marketing Design
Whether employed by a creative agency or working in-house for a corporate design team, chances are that most graphic designers function as marketing designers at some point.
Marketing design is a specialization which involves the development and execution of marketing campaigns with specific strategy, messaging, and visual content.
Graphic designers, in collaboration with account executives, writers, and managers, work iteratively on visual representations of their concept and sell their idea to stakeholders for buy-in.
Marketing design materials for the end-campaign may encompass traditional print ads and digital designs, such as email newsletters, microsites, banner ads, social media posts, and social media ads.
Any method of communication can be leveraged in marketing design.
Software and Tools Needed for Marketing Design
The tools needed for marketing design are the usual suspects in the Adobe Creative Suite: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign.
Small businesses who aren’t yet in a position to employ a professional designer may seek out web-based design tools like Adobe Maker for templated solutions.
Examples of Effective Marketing Design
Ads of the World is a curated archive of marketing design and ad campaigns, with an emphasis on video content.
Additionally, the American Advertising Federation hosts a national competition known as the ADDY awards, which recognizes the best of the best in advertising design, marketing, and graphic design—all of which is archived on their website for convenient viewing.
9. Out-of-Home Advertising, Poster and Billboard Design
Poster and billboard design is a subset of advertising or marketing design. Categorically, promotional materials displayed in public spaces are considered “out-of-home” (OOH) or outdoor advertising.
Posters and billboards are effective marketing tools because, if placed in a high-traffic area, they have the ability to reach a large audience. These designs are ideally part of a larger campaign designed to communicate a specific message or call-to-action.
Effective poster and billboard designs have concise copy, quick-hitting visuals, and a clear objective. In the absence of those things, an eye-catching gimmick or an expensive 3D display will also do the trick.
Software and Tools Needed for Poster and Billboard Design
The billboard and poster designer’s toolbox is no different from the print designer’s. Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are the go-to programs for large format designs, but the preflight/file prepping standards are different, depending on what you’re printing.
Your print vendor will provide you with guidelines to set you up for success.
Examples of Effective Poster and Billboard Design
Outdoor advertising often does not get as much love as its smaller print and digital counterparts. Occasionally, a disruptor like the viral Dracula billboard captures everyone’s attention, or an unexpected twist on the traditional billboard takes us by surprise.
The Texas-based gas station Buc-ee’s is a master class in minimalist billboards featuring quips that built a cult following. (The Buc-ee’s love is so strong that fans even forgave the brand for famously misspelling “howdy” on one of its iconic billboards.)
In Summary
Graphic designers wield tremendous power in shaping visual culture and creating real solutions for people. We aren’t thing makers, we are problem solvers. Even this article isn’t an exhaustive list of everything a designer can do!
Our training and experience does not limit us to one medium or type of deliverable, and the more designers are involved in strategy and decision-making, the better the result will be for everyone.
If you’re new to design, just remember to be open, stay curious, and put in the work. Good luck on your journey!
License this cover image via Olga S L.
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