There are many different types of graphic design, each requiring a unique set of skills, tools, and know-how. Read on to discover the eight fundamental types of graphic design.
Graphic design is a broad and varied field containing many different disciplines.
Professionals in the field may work as graphic design generalists, or they might specialise in a specific type of graphic design—such as graphic design for print, packaging design, or graphic design for marketing.
In this post, we’ll explore the eight main types of graphic design (with examples), as well as the key skills required for each.
By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of different niches and possible career paths within the industry, as well as some graphic design courses and learning options.
Contents:
- 1) What is graphic design?
- 2) The 8 different types of graphic design:
- 3) How to get started in graphic design
Let’s begin!
1. What is graphic design?
Graphic design is the art and science of visual communication.
Graphic designers combine different visual elements such as colour, type, shape, and images to create aesthetically pleasing, on-brand compositions. But, while graphic design is a highly creative discipline, it’s not just about making things look good.
The ultimate goal of graphic design is to relay a particular message or idea to the target audience. Graphic designers translate abstract concepts into meaningful designs that resonate and communicate with the end viewer.
Take the example of designing a poster for an upcoming concert. The design should not only be eye-catching but also tell passers-by something about the band and the genre of music. And, most importantly, it should draw the viewer’s attention to key information such as when and where the concert is taking place.
To create designs that are beautiful, communicative, and on-brand, graphic designers follow a guiding set of fundamental graphic design principles . These include things like balance, contrast, the careful use of colour, proportion, visual hierarchy, and more.
That’s graphic design in a nutshell. For a more comprehensive explanation, refer to this guide: What Is Graphic Design? Everything You Need To Know.
2. The 8 different types of graphic design (with examples)
We’ve defined graphic design as a broad umbrella discipline. Now let’s explore the different types of graphic design.
I. Branding and visual identity
To stand out from competitors, companies must develop a strong brand identity. An effective brand identity captures the brand’s values, builds an emotional connection with the target audience, and creates an instantly recognisable and memorable presence.
Much of a brand’s identity relies on visual communication through elements such as logos, colours, typography, and imagery. The brand is also conveyed through taglines, slogans, and messaging.
Graphic designers who specialise in branding and visual identity work with companies to develop their brands and to create the visual assets that represent them. They may also be hired to refresh or rebuild an existing brand.
Examples of branding and visual identity
- Logo design—think of the iconic Nike “swoosh”, McDonald’s famous golden “M” often placed on a red background, or the instantly recognisable Apple logo.
- Choosing brand colours and colour palettes—consider Starbucks’ green and white colour palette or the iconic Airbnb pink.
- Designing typography.
Key skills
Graphic designers who specialise in branding and visual identity possess the following skills:
- Thorough knowledge of graphic design principles such as colour theory, typography, and hierarchy.
- Knowledge of branding principles such as consistency, storytelling, clarity, and authenticity.
- Brand strategy, brand positioning, and target audience analysis.
Job titles
- Brand designer
- Visual identity designer
- Visual branding consultant
- Logo designer
II. Graphic design for marketing and advertising
Graphic design plays a critical role in marketing and advertising. Just think how difficult it would be for marketers and advertisers to connect with their audience without the help of fun illustrations, on-point infographics, or eye-catching imagery.
As such, graphic design for marketing and advertising is a discipline (and a career path) in its own right. Graphic designers who specialise in marketing and advertising work closely with the marketing and/or advertising team to help them bring their campaigns to life.
This can span both digital and print. Graphic design for marketing usually involves creating assets for blog posts, email newsletters, and social media campaigns, while graphic design for advertising may involve posters, billboard ads, and creating graphics for printed magazines and flyers.
Examples of graphic design for marketing and advertising
- Designing email newsletter banners and templates.
- Creating illustrations and animations for social media posts and ads.
- Designing print advertisements for newspapers, magazines, brochures, and billboards.
- Creating images and infographics for blog articles and whitepapers.
Key skills
Graphic designers in marketing and advertising require the following skills:
- Graphic design fundamentals such as layout, colour, typography, and composition.
- Strong knowledge of marketing, advertising, and branding.
- Specialist knowledge depending on the role—for example, graphic designers focusing on social media will need to be well-versed in different social media channels.
Job titles
- Marketing designer
- Advertising designer
- Social media designer
III. Print design
Print design is, quite literally, graphic design for printed materials. It relies on all the same elements and principles as any other type of graphic design—colour, typography, composition, hierarchy, and so on—but applies them solely to print.
Print design is another broad umbrella term with a variety of sub-disciplines. It can involve anything from designing billboard ads and posters to designing product packaging (think drink cans, chocolate bar wrappers, or cosmetics bottles); from designing books, magazines, and brochures to creating business cards, stationery, and merchandise (think t-shirts and tote bags).
Ultimately, anything that can be printed onto a physical material falls under print design.
Examples of print design
- Designing print ads for magazines, brochures, and billboards.
- Designing merchandise such as t-shirts and tote bags.
- Designing product packaging for food and cosmetics.
Key skills
Besides graphic design fundamentals, print design calls upon the following skills:
- Designing typography specifically for print.
- Knowledge of different print materials and finishes.
- A thorough understanding of print production and prepress (i.e. preparing a publication for printing).
- Proficiency in print-specific software such as Adobe InDesign for layout design.
Job titles
- Print designer
- Print production artist
- Print production designer
- Graphic designer (print)
IV. Digital graphic design
Digital graphic design relates to any kind of graphic design done specifically for digital channels and devices.
This includes designing for websites and mobile apps, designing graphics for social media, creating assets for digital marketing and advertising campaigns, and designing graphics for video games—to name a few.
Digital graphic design is huge. If you think about all the various digital touchpoints you encounter in your day-to-day life, you’ll see that digital graphic design really is everywhere.
Again, this is another very broad design umbrella which hosts a variety of specialist pathways. For example, you might specialise in digital design for e-books, websites, or games.
Examples of digital graphic design
- Designing logos, icons, typography, and other visual assets for websites and mobile apps. This can overlap with user interface (UI) design—designing the visual and interactive properties of digital user interfaces.
- Creating graphics for video games.
- Designing adverts for digital channels, such as banner ads and social media ads.
- Creating digital illustrations and artworks for distribution across various digital channels (e.g. blogs and e-magazines).
Key skills
The most important digital graphic design skills are:
- Thorough expertise in graphic design principles and techniques and how they apply to digital.
- Proficiency in digital design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and CorelDRAW. Discover all the essential graphic design tools here.
- Knowledge and understanding of user experience (UX) design and user interface (UI) design principles, especially when designing websites and apps.
Job titles
- Digital designer
- Web designer
- UI/UX designer
- Graphic designer (digital)
V. Packaging design
Packaging design does exactly what it says on the tin (excuse the pun!): it’s all about graphic design for product packaging.
Think about all the different products you use or come across in the supermarket, in your local pharmacy, or in big department stores. They’re all packaged in some way, with their own unique visual identity and different materials.
That’s what packaging designers do. They create the visual identity for a product, considering how to ensure it stands out on the shelf whilst clearly conveying essential information such as the name of the product, the ingredients it contains, and its intended use.
Packaging designers may also be involved in choosing the most suitable materials for the product packaging and helping to develop the overall brand identity. This includes choosing colour palettes, designing typography, and selecting or creating the right imagery.
Examples of packaging design
- Designing packaging for food and beverages—think cereal boxes, drink cans, soup cartons, and chocolate bar wrappers.
- Designing packaging and labels for skincare, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.
- Designing packaging for toys and games.
Key skills
Packaging design draws upon all the fundamental principles and techniques of graphic design. In addition, it requires:
- Some knowledge of industrial design—for example, choosing the right materials for a specific use case, as well as knowledge of structural design principles.
- Proficiency in industry tools such as 3D packaging design software.
- Knowledge of the packaging print and production process.
Job titles
- Packaging designer
- Packaging production artist
- Graphic designer (packaging)
VI. Graphic design for editorial and publishing
Graphic design has roots in the publishing industry, and graphic design for editorial and publishing is still a thriving discipline to this day.
This type of graphic design focuses on the design of books, magazines, and brochures—essentially any kind of publication, be it physical or digital.
Graphic design for editorial and publishing involves designing cover artwork for books and magazines, designing typography, defining the hierarchy and alignment of text within the publication, and designing the overall layout of each page.
Most editorial and publishing designers will span both print and digital publications, but some may specialise exclusively in one or the other.
Examples of graphic design for editorial and publishing
- Designing cover artwork for books and magazines (both printed and digital).
- Creating custom illustrations and infographics for print and digital publications such as books, brochures, and magazines.
- Designing typography and typesetting—adjusting line spacing, paragraph indentation, and text alignment to ensure readability of text.
Key skills
Graphic design for editorial and publishing requires the following skills:
- Expert knowledge of typography and typesetting.
- Strong knowledge of layout, composition, and page design principles.
- An understanding of the book and print production process (if working in print).
- Proficiency in specialist software such as Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, and Affinity Publisher.
- Illustration (if creating cover artwork).
Job titles
- Book designer
- Layout artist/layout designer
- Editorial designer
- Publication designer
VII. Environmental graphic design
Environmental graphic design is the design of physical spaces. This type of graphic design used to be called “architectural signage”—which gives you an immediate clue as to what it entails.
The goal of environmental graphic design is twofold: first, to connect people with the places they visit and experience, and second, to make it easy for them to find their way around.
Environmental graphic designers may be responsible for the visual design of shop fronts and signs, for designing signage and wayfinding systems that help people to navigate a particular building or space, for designing branded displays (for example, in a department store), or designing installations for conferences, exhibitions, and other events.
Examples of environmental graphic design
- Signs and shopfronts.
- Murals.
- Branded stands and displays for department stores.
- Museums and exhibitions.
- Signage systems to help people navigate.
- The design of public transport systems.
Key skills
Environmental graphic design requires a unique skill set that combines graphic design and architectural design. The most important skills include:
- Expertise in wayfinding and signage design.
- Thorough knowledge of accessibility standards and regulations pertaining to the design of physical spaces.
- Knowledge of branding and visual identity.
- Understanding of architectural design concepts such as lighting, space, and different materials.
Job titles
- Environmental graphic designer
- Wayfinding designer
- Exhibition designer
VIII. Motion design and animation
This type of graphic design is a subset of digital graphic design. While graphic design typically involves static images, motion design, and animation is all about creating moving graphics and dynamic visual effects.
Motion graphics and animations are used in a range of digital media—from websites and video tutorials to social media posts, adverts, and games. Often, motion design is all about storytelling; connecting with the audience to deliver a message in the most engaging way possible.
Examples of motion design and animation
- Creating animated logos, icons, and other moving graphics for websites.
- Illustrating and animating characters for movies and games.
- Designing animated infographics and data visualisations to convey complex information in a memorable and engaging way.
Key skills
Working in motion design and animation requires the following skills and knowledge:
- Fundamental graphic design skills and principles, including colour theory, typography, and layout.
- Core principles of animation such as squash and stretch, timing, anticipation, and staging.
- Storytelling and storyboarding.
- Proficiency in specialist software such as Adobe After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Adobe Animate.
Job titles
- Motion graphics designer
- Animator
- 3D animator
- Visual effects (VFX) artist
For more graphic design job titles (including those covered throughout this post), check out this in-depth guide to the top graphic design jobs and their salaries.
3. How to get started in graphic design
That concludes our round-up of the eight different types of graphic design. As you can see, it’s a broad and varied field offering a whole host of unique career paths and opportunities.
If you’re new to graphic design, start by learning the fundamentals. Once you’ve got those in place—and gained some initial experience in the field—you can start to think about where and how you might specialise. Here are some resources to get you started:
- Learn some basic graphic design theory with any one of these free graphic design courses.
- Level up with a professional qualification in graphic design. We’ve rounded up the best full graphic design courses in this guide.
- Follow this step-by-step guide to becoming a graphic designer.
- Gain initial experience in the field with a graphic design internship.
If you’re already well-versed in the fundamental theories, principles, tools, and techniques of graphic design, you can start adding to your existing skill set. Here’s how:
- Learn new tools and software. If you want to specialise in animation, for example, start learning Adobe After Effects. If you’re keen to branch out into publication design, follow some Adobe InDesign tutorials.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the different types of graphic design, especially those you’re most interested in pursuing. We’ve rounded up some inspirational examples of graphic design for print, digital, and branding here.
- Work on relevant projects in your desired field and add them to your graphic design portfolio. You can refer to AND learner Prakshyat Mahapatra’s portfolio for inspiration and depper insight.
And remember: there’s no need to restrict yourself to just one type of graphic design. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of graphic design and gain hands-on experience before you settle on a particular pathway. Once you’ve acquired the fundamentals, the world really is your oyster!
4. Next Steps:
Ready to get started with graphic design? Here are some additional resources you can consider:
- Watch this session by design veteran and AND’s Academic Head, Prachi Mittal, and our Course Lead, Soumya Tiwari.
- Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our courses.
- Pursue our Graphic Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive classes by industry experts, and some even offer a Job Guarantee.
- Take advantage of the scholarship and funding options that come with our courses to overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.
Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.
