When you think about Graphic Design, do you think about artistic advertisements? Eye-grabbing graphics on websites? Stunningly fixed spreads in magazines? While these instances certainly fit under the graphic design definition, the term encircles a lot: infographics, posters, book covers, logos, product labels, business cards, signs, mobile apps, website layouts, software interfaces, —the list goes on.
So, what’s Graphic Design exactly? Listing these graphic design examples may be a good start, but it does not paint the complete picture. While covering the main points and intricacies of the whole graphic design field won't be possible in one article. If you are at all interested in becoming an expert graphic designer, keep reading to learn the fundamentals of the field.
First, what’s Graphic Design?
Graphic Design is defined as “the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content.” In other terms, the graphic design communicates certain messages or ideas in a visual way. These visuals are often as simple as a business logo, or as complex as page layouts on a website.
Graphic design is often used by companies to promote and sell products through advertising, by websites to deliver complicated information in a very digestible way through infographics, or by businesses to expand an identity through branding among other things.
Graphic Design basics
To better understand the meaning of the graphic design, it's important to make yourself aware of the principles and elements that form up design. Elements are utilized in conjunction with or opposition with each other to form impactful and designs.
These graphic design elements involve:
Ø Form
Ø Color
Ø Shape
Ø Line
Ø Texture
Ø Space
Ø Size
Graphic designers also adhere to the principles of design, which are basically a set of guidelines that assist design to achieve an effective composition. These basic principles help in creating a balance and stability for the piece of work.
These graphic design principles involve:
Ø Contrast
Ø Balance
Ø Emphasis
Ø Movement
Ø Rhythm
Ø Proportion
You have heard the old saying that “rules are meant to be broken,” which may surely ring true in this case. But, a good graphic designer should initially understand these principles before coming to the conscious decision of breaking them.
Types of Graphic Design
There’s no single graphic design meaning. The graphic design consists of several fields and specializations, starting from print and web design to animation and motion graphics. Graphic design offers options and opportunities for people of virtually any interest.
If you’d asked someone 30 years ago to define graphic design, their reply would have likely been focused on print-related examples like movie posters, advertisements, and magazines. Now we are living in the digital age, which has born to many new forms of graphic design.
Some of the foremost notable modern-day graphic design instances stem from advancements in technology. Here is a glimpse of some of these types of graphic design:-
- User experience (UX) design is concentrated on ensuring a website or application is simple and satisfying to use. These designers emphasize usability, value, desirability, and adaptability.
- Website design includes creating intuitive and engaging web pages for users. This includes overall layout, navigation, and color scheme.
- Motion graphics design—or animation—accompany visual elements to life through special effects, video games, movies, and TV shows.