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What is Graphic Design?

You’ve got a message. You want to tell the world about your new company. And you’ve got a lot to say. So how do you convey your message to potential customers?

Well, you can do it verbally through radio or by word of mouth. You can write a white paper that tells people in 3,000 or so words about your important message. Or, you can combine words with any visual medium (like photographs, a logo, a splash of color or any kind of artwork) to communicate your message. That communication is graphic design.

Graphic design is everywhere.

Graphic design is all around you. It’s throughout the menu at the diner. It’s on the movie poster, the cover of the magazine, the billboards you passed on your way to work. It’s in tiny spaces: the label in the collar of your shirt, the packet of catsup you used at lunch. It’s in huge spaces, too: the logo on the side of the airplane you boarded for your vacation and the advertisement plastered on the side of the tour bus in the airport parking lot.

Graphic design is creative and intelligent.

What differentiates a mish-mash of colors from graphic design? Someone used creativity and design principles to create something visually pleasing. Graphic is more than just creative, pleasing images, however. In addition to being attractive, graphic design conveys a very focused message. The idea behind the design is to make the viewer feel a particular way about what he’s seeing.

What do you see when you look at Geoffrey the Giraffe at Toys R Us? You see a friendly, fun animal that’s ready to play. Conversely, what do you see when you look at the logo for Chase Bank? A serious financial institution. How were you able to come to those conclusions? By the power of graphic design.

Graphic design is a profession.

Graphic design can be self-taught or learned at design school. Graphic designers learn how to use computer programs such as InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator to lay out artwork and text. They also learn about color theory, drawing and design principles.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 280,000 people in the United States working as graphic designers.

Why hire a graphic designer?

While anyone can learn to be a graphic designer, it takes time, practice and knowledge to be able to communicate a large amount of information with images and text. Successful graphic designers dedicate their lives to their craft. If you’re opening a new business and need marketing materials, a logo, business cards and other items, you might find that it’s best to hire a professional instead of attempting graphic design on your own.