8 Types of Graphic Design Every Business Owner Needs to Know

Graphic design is the art of creating visual content using typography, images and other graphic elements to convey ideas. It plays a crucial role in communication, branding, marketing, and public relations.

Every business aims to create a distinctive and powerful visual identity. Graphic designers help businesses achieve that. They rely on graphic design principles and their creative skills to create the company’s image and establish its presence in the market.

But not every designer can design every graphic element of a brand. Some focus on designing logos while others specialize in designing the visual aspects of mobile apps.

Yes, there are various types of graphic design that businesses may need, depending on their niche and business model. Understanding the different types of graphic design will help you figure out which ones you need and, therefore, find the right graphic designer for the job.

8 Types of Graphic Design

It’s not the same thing to design a website as it is to design a mobile app. Every area of design in your business requires a different set of skills. So, being able to identify the type of design you need will help you find a designer that specializes in this particular design area.

So, here are the 8 types of graphic design that you need to know about.

Type #1: Environmental Graphic Design

Environmental design involves producing visual content for real-world environments. From retail stores to restaurants and offices, this type of graphic design aims to create an aesthetically pleasing space that conveys the personality and values of the brand. It combines architecture, interior design and graphic design to shape physical spaces.

Environmental Graphic Design Tips

To design both functional and aesthetic spaces, environmental designers take into account the purpose of the space and the user experience. They play with visual elements such as lighting, colour and layout to balance the aesthetic appeal with the functionality of a space.

Type #2: Packaging Graphic Design

Packaging design is crucial for those businesses that sell physical products. The job of packaging designers is to design packaging that truly represents your brand. They also need to consider technical functionality, as the packaging needs to be functional and protect your products during storage and shipment.

Packaging Graphic Design Tips

The job of a graphic designer specializing in packaging design should be to create packaging that makes the customer feel excited to open the box. To do this, they take into account things like the product, its size, the target market, and the brand identity.

Type #3: Web Graphic Design

Your website is a vital part of your marketing efforts and online presence. But designing an effective website isn’t just about selecting the right colour scheme and web design template. It’s about creating an online experience that perfectly captures your brand’s personality. From illustrations to layouts, web design is the key to making your website stand out from the crowd.

Web Graphic Design Tips

When it comes to website design, it’s not just about making it look pretty – you need to make it functional, too. To achieve this, web designers establish a uniform visual hierarchy and take into account the user experience (UX). And let’s not forget about the importance of responsive design. Your website should look and work great on any device or digital platform.

Type #4: Marketing Graphic Design & Advertising Graphic Design

Designing visual material for advertising campaigns such as social media commercials, billboards, print ads, and more is a part of marketing design and advertising graphic design. This type of graphic design is quite tricky as it needs to use the principles of visual psychology to capture your target audience’s attention and convey messages through visual storytelling.

Marketing Graphic Design Tips

Good marketing and advertising graphic design heavily rely on understanding your target audience’s psychographics. Graphic illustrators and marketing designers need to combine their design skills with their knowledge of psychology, marketing, and social media platforms.

Type #5: UI & UX Graphic Design

Creating a positive user experience on a website or an app is the main focus of UX and UI design. UI (user interface) design includes creating visually appealing and functional user interfaces (buttons, menus, icons, etc.). UX design (user experience), on the other hand, focuses on the overall experience of using a website or app.

UI & UX Graphic Design Tips

UI designers and UX designers typically join forces to create beautiful, functional, and easy-to-navigate websites and mobile apps. Together, they find a sweet spot between form and function and create interfaces that are easy to navigate and provide a good user experience.

Type #6: Brand Identity Design

Brand identity design is the process of creating a visual representation of your brand. It involves creating a unique logo, choosing a colour scheme and selecting typography that represents your brand personality.

Brand Identity Graphic Design Tips

Brand identity designers need to make sure that all brand assets have a cohesive and consistent visual identity. This means that everything from business cards to websites and other marketing materials should use the same typeface, colour scheme and other design elements.

Type #7: Motion Graphic Design

Motion design is a form of digital art that combines elements of graphic design, animation, and filmmaking to create visually compelling and engaging content. It involves the use of various techniques, such as 2D and 3D animation, kinetic typography and visual effects to bring static designs to life and create dynamic visual experiences.

Motion Graphic Design Tips

Motion design is used across a range of mediums, including advertising, film, television, and web design, to communicate complex ideas and messages in an easy-to-understand and visually appealing way. Motion graphic designers possess a unique combination of technical and creative skills.

Type #8: Publication Design

The process of producing visual content for books, periodicals, newspapers and other print-related projects is known as publication graphic design. A good publication graphic design can boost reader engagement, make it simpler for them to navigate the piece and enhance the likelihood that they will read and share it.

Publication Graphic Design Tip

Publication design is all about creating designs that captivate and inform your target audience. Typography, images, and layout are the building blocks of any good publication design and should be used in a way that enhances readability and visual appeal.

Which Type of Graphic Design Is Right for You?

We hope that this article has helped you understand the different types of graphic design and figure out which one is the right one for you.

If you’re looking to create a standout logo design or website design for your brand, or need help with establishing your visual brand identity, Creato is an award-winning design agency in Sydney that has a team of skilled designers can help you to figure out which type of graphic design is best suited for you. So what’re you waiting for, Get in touch with us today.