7 Types of Graphic Design and Their Applications

posted bydopweb28/05/2020

Wondering about the different types of graphic design expertise? Then let's dive right into them in this post! Because graphic design is a fascinating and creative field that has many different specialties, for every type of talent.

Graphic design is the art of conveying messages and ideas through images, words, videos, and other forms of visual design. To summarize, graphic design is essentially about the art of professional visual communication.

It's an umbrella term that covers different types of graphic design specialties, and we'll be presenting 7 of them in this post:

Brand Identity Graphic Design

This type of graphic design refers to the visual elements and graphic guidelines that participate in building brand identity. It helps a brand find its visual identity and communicate it to its audience.

As a graphic designer specialized in branding, you will help a brand find its identity and tell its story and messages to people.

Branding design includes working on corporate design guidelines (colors, typography, texture, shapes...etc.) that different departments from the company will use for communication purposes.

It also refers to visual elements of the brand such as company logos, and image libraries for the brand.

Your role as a graphic designer will include establishing these visual branding guidelines and ensuring consistency throughout company communications.

You'll be able to design creative assets that will communicate the brand's personality to its target audience.

Marketing & Advertising Graphic Design

This is one of the most widely thought of graphic design types, as marketing and advertising visuals can be seen in every communication channel.

Graphic designers create visual content for marketing and advertising purposes in the form of images, videos, graphic banners, and animations.

These visual elements are used to grow a brand's online presence on the web, on social media, and in print. They are also very important elements of every marketing and advertising campaign.

Essentially, as a graphic designer specialized in these fields, you will translate ideas into imagery and scenes to create interest, curiosity, and engagement from your audience.

So if you are interested in working on creating visual elements to help a company communicate better about its products and services, then marketing and advertising graphic design is for you!

User Interface Graphic Design

User Interfaces (UI) represent "the access points where users interact with designs." (Interaction Design Foundation). Designing those interfaces in a user-friendly, simple, and engaging way is the role of a UI designer.

User interface design applies to website design, applications design, games interfaces, website templates design ...etc.

As a UI designer, you will be working on the visual aspect of the interface to ensure that the user has an enjoyable and engaging experience (UX).

You will definitely put yourself in the shoes of the users to design a great interface.

In practice, you'll be working on the design of on-screen elements like menus, buttons, animations, sections layouts, forms...etc. UI designers use prototyping to design and test these visual elements before going live.

Ready to create great user interfaces? User interface graphic design is the field for you!

Packaging Graphic Design

This specialization of graphic design refers to the techniques and methods used to create visual concepts for product packaging.

Whether it is a chocolate bar, a grocery bag, or a laundry detergent, it will need a great packaging design. Product packaging supports a company's marketing efforts by helping to spread its core messages to the public.

As a packaging designer, you will be creating original concepts for different product layers (outer, inner packaging) to highlight the benefits of the product/ the brand.

You will be actively working on various steps of the creative process, from product research, concept work, building mockups, to creating print-ready files. Therefore, you'll be picking up a variety of skills as a packaging designer.

Environmental Graphic Design

Environmental graphic design (EGD) encompasses multiple design disciplines such as architecture, landscaping, interior/exterior, and graphic design in order to "enhance the user experience through the visual translation of ideas in the built environment. " (rsmdesign, 2019).

As an EGD designer, you will be imagining and designing the visual aspects of spaces. In other words, your role will be to connect messages, emotions, and purpose to places to create unique experiences for people.

A lot of environmental graphic designers work on the branding of spaces - highlighting the branding and messages of a company - but it varies depending on the projects.

If you enjoy constantly learning about other disciplines and reimagining spaces, then this environmental graphic design is for you!

Motion Graphic Design

Motion graphic design represents animated graphic design in the form of animated imagery, text, cartoons, icons...etc.

Motion graphic designers create animated concepts for the web, television, and films. The work of a motion graphic designer includes ad campaigns, video explainers, and television and films title sequence.

Motion graphic design is used to bring together all the elements of a story into a visual aspect: the music, the messages, the purpose, the characters.

If you're interested in video and computer animation and you want to work in the advertising, television, or film industry, then motion graphic design is for you!

Publication Graphic Design

Publication graphic design refers to creating layouts and visual elements for printed and digital outlets such as books, magazines, brochures...etc.

Publication graphic design contributes to giving a unique and recognizable look to a printed and/or digital outlet.

As a publication graphic designer, you'll be designing creative layouts (typography, colors, alignment...etc.) and their supporting visual elements such as illustrations, logos, and images.

If you want to design creative layouts and you're interested in printing and digital publishing, then publication graphic design is for you!

Types of Graphic Design Conclusion

As you can see, graphic design is a rich and interdisciplinary field that allows you to constantly learn new skills. You can develop an expertise in one of these 7 types of graphic design, and use it later to learn other related design skills.

If you want to make your brand stand out online, our graphic design experts would be happy to help you!

Our professionals at Dopweb will design a memorable and original logo design for your brand, explainer videos, as well as stunning web pages design for your website.

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