8 Types of Graphic Design | Tools and Best Practices

Graphic design is everywhere, shaping how we interact with the world through visuals. From creating eye-catching logos to developing user-friendly websites and apps there are different types of graphic design. This article is perfect for anyone curious about graphic design’s role in our daily lives and the creative processes behind the visuals we love.

What is Graphic Design?

Graphic designing is the art of visualization and the creation of user-illustrative designs. It involves displaying texts through beautiful fonts and aesthetic figures that convey the idea behind the template in a better, illustrative, and interactive way. It involves combining technical and design skills in a professional and conveyable way.

For more: Everything You Need to Know about Graphic Design

Types of Graphic Design

Graphic design is a broad field, that cater to different aspects of media, communication, and advertising. Here are some of the primary types of graphic design:

1. Web Design

One of the major fields of development is Web Development and any website looks plain and dull with no styling and designing. This all comes under design, in the context of Web Development, it falls under CSS – Cascading Style Sheets. It involves adding graphics, animations, transitions, etc. This gives an enhanced look to the website.

Graphic Design Examples for Web Design:

• E-commerce: Amazon – Product listings and easy checkout.
• Educational: Khan Academy – User-friendly learning materials.
• Social Media: Twitter – Profiles and news feeds for interaction.

Key skills for web design include a strong understanding of design principles, proficiency in web design software like Adobe Creative Suite, knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as UX/UI design principles.

2. UI (User Interface) Design:

User interface design, the name itself suggests imparting user interactive styles that increase engagement and involvement with the web page, or post. This part of design is essential as it involves not only engagement but delightment of users who are able to co-relate with the contexts of posts and the ideas behind them.

Graphic Design Examples for UI Design:

• Mobile Apps: Instagram’s intuitive photo feed and editing features.
• Web Applications: Google Docs’ clean document editing interface.
• Dashboards: Spotify’s personalized music discovery dashboard.

Key skills such as proficiency in design software (e.g., Adobe XD, Sketch), an understanding of user experience principles, creativity in visual design, and a good grasp of front-end development basics is required from a UI Designer.

3. Advertising Design

This aims to interact with the audience and compel them to buy the product which the advertisement design is all about. It works as a piece of attraction that attracts the audience with it’s persuasive and compelling designs.

Graphic Design Examples for Advertising Design:

• Billboards: Large outdoor ads for high visibility.
• Print Ads: Magazine and newspaper advertisements.
• Online Banners: Digital ads on websites.

Key skills include creativity, understanding of marketing principles, proficiency in design software like Adobe Creative Suite, strong communication, and teamwork abilities.

4. Game Design

With the youth of India much inclined towards gaming sector, Game designs aim to create influential and engaging pieces of work to elevate the level of excitement and thrill while playing games. This helps in better engaging audience with the game and it’s layout.

Graphic Design Examples for Game Design:

• Platformers: Super Mario Bros – jumping and running gameplay.
• First-Person Shooters (FPS): Call of Duty – immersive shooting experience.
• Role-Playing Games (RPGs): The Witcher 3 – story-driven exploration and combat.

Key skills for game design include creativity, technical proficiency in programming languages and game development platforms, strong storytelling abilities, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

5. Animated Design (Motion Design)

The transitions and transformations, the interactivity and interfaces, all are created by animation designs. The different functionalities created by different buttons and sites create visually stunning experiences for the user.

Graphic Design Examples for Animated Design:

• Animated logos
• Explainer videos
• Website animations (like hover effects)
• Social Media GIFs

Animation or motion design requires a blend of creativity and technical skills in software like Adobe After Effects and Blender, storytelling ability, attention to detail, and strong communication skills.

6. Packaging Design

Packaging design is about making products look good and easy to understand when you see them in a store. It helps products catch your eye and tells you what they’re all about.

Graphic Design Examples for Packaging Design:

• Food Packaging: Cereal boxes with bright colors and nutritional information.
• Beverage Bottles: Soft drink cans with logo and unique shape.
• Cosmetics Packaging: Makeup boxes with sleek design and product benefits.

Key skills for a career in Packaging Design include creativity, knowledge of packaging materials and processes, proficiency in design software (like Adobe Illustrator), and understanding of branding and marketing principles.

7. Environmental Graphic Design

Environmental Graphic Design combines elements of architecture, interior design, and graphic design to enhance the user experience of spaces. It focuses on making places more navigable, informative, and engaging through signage, murals, and exhibition designs.

Graphic Design Examples for Environmental Graphic Design:

• Wayfinding systems in airports
• Mural art in public spaces
• Interactive exhibits in museums.

Key skills include proficiency in design software, understanding of materials and production processes, and the ability to visualize concepts in three-dimensional spaces.

8. Print Design

Print design focuses on creating visual materials for physical media, such as brochures, posters, and business cards. It combines elements like typography, images, and colors to convey messages effectively in a tangible format.

Graphic Design Examples for Print Design:

• Brochures
• Business cards
• Posters
• Magazines
• Packaging labels

Key skills include proficiency in design software like Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, a strong understanding of typography and layout, and the ability to work with color separations and print specifications.

Tools for Graphic Designing

Graphic designers use a variety of tools to create visuals that communicate ideas effectively. Here’s a list of essential tools for graphic design:

• Canva: Canva is a user-friendly app perfect for a range of graphic design tasks from simple social media posts to professional presentations, suitable for beginners and advanced users alike.
• Adobe: Following Canva, Adobe Express and Photoshop offer advanced tools to transform basic designs into stunning visuals through intricate layouts and illustrations.
• CorelDRAW: CorelDRAW is especially favored in the fashion industry for its capability to design detailed clothing, fabrics, and accessories, showcasing its importance in technical design applications.

Best Practices for Graphic Designing

Here are some of the best practices for Graphic Designing to keep in mind:

• Keep it simple: The key idea to creating beautiful designs is following the rule of simplicity. Most of the clients prefer subtle and minimal design looks. Adding too much of vibrancy and light on the design affects the eyes of viewer and hence, the design looks too radiant. Subtle and lively designs always impress the viewers.
• Follow the color theory: Choosing appropriate colors that augur well with each other, and set a harmony of design make it look vivacious. Choosing altogether different colors won’t help, but selection of a color and it’s different gradients make the design look interactive and eye appealing.
• Add graphics and images: Try to use more of the white spaces, and add high quality images that comply with the title. Also add frames, or small graphics using shapes, arrows and other infographic images.

What Practices to Avoid?

These are some of the practice one should avoid while doing Graphic Designing:

• Do not add a lot of text to the design. It no more reflects the vibrancy of design, and rather becomes a document. Consider adding good amount of images and minimum text, and try to convey the text through use of graphics as much as possible.
• Do not use different kinds of fonts. Select one simple font for the whole design, and try using Bold, Italics or Underline at the place of headings. Shifting fonts again and again will make the design look highly cluttered.
• Do not consume all of the space, and remember to leave a bit of white spaces too. Neglecting white spaces may make the design look jumbled and disorganized. Leaving white space shows a visually structured, balanced and efficient design with captivating looks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, graphic design offers a diverse range of types, tools, and best practices to create compelling visuals. Whether you’re designing logos, websites, or motion graphics, using the right tools like Adobe or Canva is crucial.

As the design landscape evolves, staying updated and adaptable is key. Keep exploring, learning, and creating to unlock the full potential of graphic design.

Types of Graphic Design – FAQs

What are the 7 types of graphic design?

The seven types of graphic design are:

1. Visual Identity Design
2. Marketing & Advertising Design
3. Web Design
4. Publication Design
5. Packaging Design
6. Motion Graphics Design
7. Environmental Graphic Design

Which type of graphic designing is best?

The best type of graphic designing depends on the specific needs and objectives of the project or business. Each type has its own strengths and applications, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

Which tools are essential for graphic designers?

Essential tools for graphic designers include Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Canva, Sketch, and Procreate.

What are some best practices for graphic design?

Best practices for graphic design include keeping designs simple, maintaining consistency, focusing on typography, prioritizing readability, and embracing white space.