When you picture a graphic designer, what comes to mind? Is it someone artistic and trendy, always with a digital tablet in hand? Or perhaps a solitary figure immersed in design software in a dimly lit studio? Maybe you simply think of an artist.
But what does graphic design truly encompass? Is it just about creating eye-catching visuals for websites? While web graphics certainly fall under the umbrella of graphic design, the field is incredibly diverse. A career in graphic design can span a multitude of areas, from designing posters and infographics to book covers, product packaging, logos, business cards, signage, website layouts, mobile apps, and software interfaces—the possibilities are virtually endless.
As Jacob Smith, founder of illustration studio ProductViz, aptly points out, “Every day, we take many of the subtly artistic things around us for granted. But hidden in every magazine, exit sign and textbook lies a set of design ideas that influence our perceptions.”
Graphic designers are essentially visual communicators. They work to convey ideas and messages in a visual format, shaping perception and informing audiences. Most graphic designers work with clients or companies, creating designs that meet specific objectives and needs. It’s also important to recognize that graphic designers are often artists in their own right, blending creativity with strategic communication.
The graphic design industry is vast and ever-evolving. If you have an interest in visual communication and problem-solving, a career in graphic design offers a plethora of exciting paths to explore.
Defining Graphic Design
According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA®), graphic design is defined as “the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content.” In simpler terms, graphic designers create visuals to communicate specific messages effectively. These visuals can range from simple elements like a company logo to complex projects such as comprehensive website layouts.
Graphic designer Alexandros Clufetos explains the role of graphic design succinctly: “Graphic design helps the producer connect with the consumer. It conveys the message of the project, event, campaign or product.”
Businesses leverage graphic design for a wide range of purposes. It’s used to promote and market products through compelling advertising, to simplify complex information using infographics, to build and strengthen brand identity, and much more. While commercial applications are prevalent, many graphic designers also pursue graphic design as a form of artistic expression, creating impactful visuals for non-commercial purposes as well.
Key Elements of Graphic Design
Graphic designers utilize a specific set of visual elements to create their work. These elements can be combined or contrasted to produce striking and impactful visuals, each contributing to the overall message and aesthetic of the design.
The core elements of graphic design include:
- Color: Evokes emotion, creates contrast, and establishes hierarchy.
- Form: The three-dimensional aspect of objects, adding depth and realism to designs.
- Line: Used to create structure, direction, and movement within a design.
- Shape: Two-dimensional areas defined by lines or color, forming the building blocks of imagery.
- Size: Indicates importance, creates visual interest, and affects readability.
- Space: The area around and between elements, crucial for balance and clarity.
- Texture: The visual feel of a surface, adding depth and tactile qualities.
Beyond elements, graphic designers also adhere to principles of design. These principles are essentially guidelines that help ensure a design achieves a harmonious and effective composition.
These key design principles are:
- Balance: Creating visual equilibrium, ensuring no single element overpowers the others.
- Contrast: Using differences in elements to create visual interest and hierarchy.
- Emphasis: Drawing attention to specific elements to highlight key information or messages.
- Movement: Guiding the viewer’s eye through the design, creating a sense of flow and direction.
- Proportion: The relationship between sizes and scales of different elements, ensuring harmony.
- Rhythm: Creating a visual pattern and consistency, leading to a sense of unity and flow.
A proficient graphic designer understands these elements and principles intimately. They know how to apply them intentionally, or even break them strategically, to achieve the desired impact in each design project.
What Does a Graphic Designer Do? Exploring Career Paths
Graphic design is a field brimming with diverse opportunities, catering to a wide spectrum of interests. A career in graphic design can be incredibly versatile, allowing you to work on numerous types of projects or specialize in a niche area that truly resonates with you.
Here’s a glimpse into the variety of tasks a graphic designer might undertake:
Website Design
Creating engaging and intuitive web pages is a core aspect of graphic design. This involves designing the overall layout, selecting a cohesive color scheme, and ensuring seamless navigation for users.
If you’ve ever encountered a website that’s confusing, hides essential information, or is visually chaotic, you’ll understand the critical importance of skilled careers in web design. Web designers ensure websites are not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and effective.
User Experience (UX) Design
UX designers focus on making websites and applications easy and enjoyable to use. They prioritize value, usability, adoptability, and desirability. This field blends technical expertise (like mapping user pathways through a site) with creative thinking (considering every facet of user interaction). UX design is crucial for creating positive and efficient digital experiences.
User Interface (UI) Design
UI designers share the same overarching goal as UX designers—to make digital interfaces user-friendly. However, UI design specifically concentrates on the visual design and layout of an application’s interface. This makes UI design a natural and rewarding career path for graphic designers, allowing them to apply their visual skills to create effective and aesthetically pleasing interfaces.
Motion Graphics Design
Motion graphic designers and animators bring visual elements to life using special effects, video, animation for TV shows, video games, movies, and online platforms.
With video and animation becoming increasingly prevalent in advertising and digital content, motion graphics designers possess a highly sought-after and specialized skillset for these dynamic mediums.
Print Media Design
Print media is still a significant part of our visual landscape. Think of billboards, brochures, textbooks, restaurant menus, signage, magazines, and print advertisements—print design is everywhere. And behind each piece is a graphic designer.
Visual communication in print can be incredibly diverse, ranging from designing elegant catalogs that showcase products to creating clear and informative signage systems that guide people through complex spaces like airports.
While we often think of user interfaces as digital, physical interfaces in print are equally important and require skilled graphic designers.
Marketing Materials of All Kinds
Graphic designers are instrumental in creating visually compelling marketing materials across virtually every industry. A graphic designer in healthcare might develop a commercial to announce a new medical facility, while a designer in manufacturing could create a brochure that effectively explains complex equipment to potential business clients. From digital ads to printed brochures, graphic designers shape how businesses communicate visually with their target audiences.
Industry Stability and Growth in Graphic Design
With constant technological advancements introducing new avenues for graphic design, the field is experiencing a continuous emergence of new job opportunities. However, the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) has also raised questions about the future stability of creative professions.
Despite these technological shifts, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a steady growth for graphic designers, estimating a 3 percent increase in employment from 2022 to 2032. This growth rate is on par with the average for all occupations. The BLS anticipates approximately 22,800 job openings for graphic designers annually, on average, over the next decade.
According to the BLS, the largest employers of graphic designers are specialized design services companies, and advertising, public relations, and related service industries.
Importantly, the core skills of graphic designers, especially those involving creative problem-solving and strategic visual communication, are not easily replicated by AI. Effective visual media needs to resonate with an audience and drive action, which requires more than just aesthetic appeal. Many graphic designers are optimistic about the integration of graphic design AI, viewing it as a tool that can automate less creative tasks and free them to focus on higher-level strategic design work.
Essential Tools for Graphic Designers
A graphic designer’s toolkit is diverse, ranging from traditional methods to cutting-edge technologies. One of the most fundamental and cost-effective tools is the humble sketchbook. A strong foundation in traditional art and sketching can be incredibly valuable in graphic design, allowing for quick ideation and visual problem-solving.
However, contemporary graphic design heavily relies on computer software. Proficiency in design software like Adobe Photoshop®, Adobe Illustrator®, and Adobe InDesign® is often a prerequisite for many graphic design roles. As the best graphic design software is computer-based, comfort and fluency with computers are essential, often beyond just using phones or tablets.
Beyond technical skills and software proficiency, a successful graphic designer needs a range of soft skills. These include effective time management, clear communication with clients and team members, adaptability to feedback and collaborative environments, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Freelance graphic designers also need business acumen. This includes client acquisition, budgeting projects, invoicing, managing finances, and developing a strong professional portfolio that showcases their best work and desired specialization.
As you can see, a successful career in graphic design requires more than just an artistic eye. Technical skills, a solid understanding of design principles, and continuous learning of new software and technologies are all critical components.
Fortunately, acquiring these essential skills is a core focus of a comprehensive graphic design program. These programs provide structured learning environments to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for a thriving career in graphic design.
Shaping Your Future in Graphic Design
As we’ve explored, graphic design is not confined to a single, rigid definition. It’s a dynamic and multifaceted field with countless avenues for creative problem-solving and inspiring visual communication. The breadth of the industry offers extensive options for specialization and allows you to shape your career path according to your passions and interests.
You might be surprised to learn that not all graphic designers are ardent artists in the traditional sense. In fact, strong problem-solving abilities are often cited as one of the most crucial soft skills for success in graphic design. The field is often misunderstood, and many common perceptions about graphic design are not entirely accurate.
However, one thing is certain: a career as a graphic designer can be incredibly fulfilling and rewarding for individuals with the right blend of creativity, technical aptitude, and problem-solving skills. Could that be you? To explore further, consider reading “Should I Be a Graphic Designer? 6 Questions to Help You Find Your Answer.”
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AIGA® is a registered trademark of American Institute of Graphic Arts CORPORATION NEW YORK 19th Floor 222 Broadway New York NEW YORK 10038
Adobe InDesign® is a registered trademark of is a registered trademark of ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 345 Park Avenue Legal Department San Jose CALIFORNIA 95110
Adobe Illustrator® is a registered trademark of ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED CORPORATION CALIFORNIA 345 Park Avenue Legal Department San Jose CALIFORNIA 95110
Adobe Photoshop® is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated CORPORATION CALIFORNIA P.O. Box 7900 1585 Charleston Road Mountain View CALIFORNIA 940397900
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, [accessed 10/9/2023]. www.bls.gov/ooh Information represents national, averaged data for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries, and employment conditions in your area may vary.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in 2017. It has since been updated to include information relevant to 2023.
