If you are planning to build your career in graphic design, then this article is for you. The concept and fields of graphic design are way too broad, and also a little bit difficult to understand. In this article, we will provide you with brief details of 10 types of graphic design.
But before that, let’s learn the definition of graphic design.
What is graphic design?
In a word, graphic design is digital visual content. Unlike traditional or printed content, graphic contents help to connect with the audience more conveniently. Moreover, they are effective in conveying messages, information, ideas, and new perspectives. A graphic design contains colors, forms, shapes, textures, typography, and more.
10 Different Types of Graphic Design
From creating brand identities to designing user interfaces, the world of graphic design is constantly evolving and developing. Let’s explore some of the most common types of graphic design, along with the skill sets for mastery in the corresponding field and some examples.
1. Advertising and marketing graphic design
Simply put, advertising and marketing design includes designs done for advertising and marketing a product. The goal is to make consumers purchase or sign up for a product or service and increase sales as much as possible.
Designers of advertising and marketing graphics create eye-catching content based on consumer behavioral psychology. Earlier, advertising and marketing design was only print-based, now it includes digital content also.
Advertising and marketing design includes
- Advertisements (online and offline)
- Banners (online and offline)
- Billboards
- Brochures
- Flyers
- Marketing emails
- Pitch decks and presentations
- Podcast cover art
- Posters
- Social media graphics
- Vehicle wraps
Skills Required
- Communication
- Time management
- Problem-solving
- Graphic design
- Print- and online-based productions
Example
McDonald’s billboard ad
Mohawk Airlines poster ad
2. Art and Illustration for graphic design
Art and illustration and graphic design differ from each other, yet they are linked together.
Graphic design may not necessarily require art and illustration all the time. Also, graphic designers create compositions for communication and problem-solving purposes. Graphic artists and illustrators turn those compositions into real artwork.
Besides, not all graphic designers are experts in graphic art and illustration. Art and illustration for graphic design require collaboration with people involved in all graphic design types.
Art and illustration for graphic design includes
- Album art
- Apparels
- Book covers
- Comic books
- Concept art
- Game graphics
- Graphic novels
- Infographics
- Magazines
- Motion graphics
- Picture books
- Posters
- Stock images
- Technical illustrations
- Textile graphic patterns
- Video games
- Websites
Skills required
- Drawing
- IT
- Branding
- Communication
Example
Album art
Concept art
3. Branding graphic design
In this type, designers work on creating the visual identity of a brand or company. A brand identity contains the brand’s history, emotions, personality, message, tone and essence, experiences, and more.
All the visual elements (colors, typography, images, shapes) used on a brand logo represent the brand’s face and help to communicate with the targeted consumers.
Branding design includes
- Business cards
- Company brochures
- Company letterhead
- Logos
- Signage
- Stationery design
Skills required
- Knowledge on current trends, competitors, industries, and market.
- Graphic design
- Communication
- Understanding of concepts
- Adobe Creative Suite
Example
Business card mockup
Signage
Hello Buckwild logo
4. Environmental graphic design
This time, we come up with one of the crucial types of graphic design that merges different types of designs, including architectural, interior, industrial, landscape, and graphic. Environmental design helps people to navigate to places easily. Also, it educates and encourages people to keep the environment clean.
Moreover, it visually presents different stories of the environment. Environmental graphic designers work closely with architects, interior designers, landscape designers to make people’s experience with the environment informative and interesting.
Environmental design includes
- Branding (office, stadium, etc.)
- Conference spaces
- Event spaces
- Exhibition layouts
- Exterior designs (fountains, sculptures, etc.)
- Murals
- Transportation navigations
- Retail store interiors
- Road navigations
Skills required
- Strong and sharp visual sense
- Knowledge and experience in architecture, industrial design, and graphic design
- Sketching, blueprints, digital files
- Communication
- Adobe Creative Suite
Example
Wall mural image
Road signage
5. Information design
Information design includes works that make data or information easily understandable to common people. Graphic designers in this sector handle large data sets and present them in interesting and digestible ways.
Their works are either static or dynamic, colorful most of the time. Information designers collaborate with data scientists, graphic designers, and data managers to collect the required data.
Information design includes
- Brochures
- Data tables
- Excel sheets
- Flight Information Display System (FIDS)
- Graphs
- Infographics
- Manuals
- Pie charts
- Restaurant menus
- Wayfinding visuals
- Website dashboards
- Website statistics pages
Skills required
- Basic knowledge, understanding, and experience of data science
- Graphic design
- Problem-solving
- Knowledge of print and digital display
- Microsoft office (most importantly Excel)
- Technical writing and editing
Example
Pie chart image
Flight schedule image
6. Lettering and typeface design
Though the lettering and typeface design is not as popular as the other graphic design types, it cannot be entirely ignored either. Lettering designers create text designs either by hand or digitally, sometimes they transform hand-lettered designs into digital files. On the contrary, typeface designers create typefaces or fonts.
Lettering and typeface design includes
- Hand-lettered designs in signs, murals, and wordmark logos.
- Custom-made or random typefaces.
Skills required
- Understanding of type anatomy, typographic principles and legibility.
- Graphic design
Example
Lettering design
List of typefaces
7. Motion graphic design
Motion graphic designers put digital graphics in motion or rotation. This type of graphic design is used in television, online media, websites, apps, and other digital sectors.
Compared to still graphics, motion graphics communicate with viewers in a more compelling way. Animation is a niche of motion design, which is mainly children-oriented.
Motion graphic design includes
- Advertisements
- Animated logos, text, movies, informational and promotional videos, etc.
- Apps
- Brand animation
- Cartoons
- GIFs
- Motion graphics for online videos, presentations
- Movies
- News productions
- Online banners
- Television shows
- Title sequences and end credits
- Trailers
- Video games
- Websites
Skills required
- CAD software
- Video editing
- Storyboarding
- Teamwork
8. Packaging graphic design
For industries like food, skincare, children’s products, cookware, retail, and packaging graphic design is highly important.
It involves the work of presenting a product in an artistic way to communicate with consumers. In this type of graphic design, competition, meeting consumers’ needs, and developing a durable product package are the key aspects.
Packaging graphic designers create concepts, develop preliminary package designs, and finalize print-ready files for a product.
Packaging design includes
- Beverage cans or bottles
- Food boxes, packets, item packages, etc.
- Labels
- Makeup containers and boxes
- Plastic, metal, or other packages of items
Skills required
- Deep knowledge and understanding of print and industrial design, current trends, branding, manufacturing, laws and regulations of packaging, package elements, consumer behavioral psychology, etc.
- Conceptual and problem-solving skills
- Illustrations
- Photoshop
- Color management
- Typography
Example
Beverage bottle image
Makeup kit image
Kellogg’s corn flakes info
9. Publication Graphic Design
Publication graphic design was print-based earlier, now it also covers online-based works. Those who work in this sector aim to create attractive and informative content to communicate with the mass audience. They research the audience’s psychology and interests and work closely with writers, photographers, editors, and publishers to achieve the goal.
Publication design includes
- Annual reports
- Books
- Brochures
- Catalogs
- Comics
- Covers (printable and digital)
- Directories
- eBooks
- Email newsletters
- Flyers
- Journals
- Magazines
- Menu designs
- Newspapers
- Posters
- Stationery
Skills required
- Communication
- Deep research
- Understanding on market and publication types
- Typography
- Color management
- Design and layout
- Illustrations
- Infographics
- Photoshop
Example
Catalog image
Comics image
10. Web and UI graphic design
Though slightly different, the goal of web and UI designs is to improve a user’s experience with the technology. A web graphic designer designs a website or app by choosing the best layout, theme, images, typography, color, and more.
A UI designer designs on-screen graphical elements (buttons, menus, micro-interactions, etc.) for websites/apps and interfaces of hardware devices (mouse, keypad, printer, etc.).
Web and UI design includes
- App/software and website designs
- Interface designs
- Page designs (landing, hub, home, dashboard, etc.)
- Marketing websites
- Theme design
Skills required
- Basic coding
- Color management
- SEO
- Problem solving
- Wireframing
- Visual design
Example
Marketing website template
Landing page template
To Wrap Up
Apart from these common types of graphic design, there are more graphic design types that exist in the design world. No matter which graphic design you choose to work with, try to develop the basic skills first – like creativity, research ability, drawing, sketching, basic knowledge of coding and graphic software, color knowledge, communication, and problem-solving skills. These will help you to complete your projects faster.
