What is Graphic Design? Understanding the Art, the Artists, and the Misconceptions
Graphic design = art + technology + communication. From the logos we recognize to the websites we browse, graphic design is an integral part of our daily lives.
Humble Onion Creative is proud to be the home of talented graphic designers, several of whom also have a background in journalism and technical writing. This means we’re not just making pretty pictures. We’re researching, understanding the language, and crafting designs that best represent our clients.
What is Graphic Design?
At its core, graphic design is the art and practice of planning and manifesting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. It involves the use of typography, imagery, color, and layout to create visuals that convey messages.
You can see graphic design can in various forms. Think about the advertisements, brands, websites, packages, and flyers you see and use daily. Talented graphic designers made those.
In short, if your business needs anything visual, a graphic designer is who you want!
Who are Graphic Designers?
Graphic designers are creative professionals who use their artistic skills to create visual content.
For Humble Onion, our designers understand the principles of design and how to use design software to create visually appealing and effective designs that complement your business strategy.
Roles and Responsibilities of Graphic Designers
While we can tackle a creative brief or work off of existing materials, there is a lot more we’re capable of!
Conceptualizing Ideas
As graphic designers, we brainstorm and develop creative concepts based on client needs and project goals. This may include a creative brief, but if you don’t have one, we’ve got you covered! We provide branding questionnaires to all our clients. This helps us better understand the history and future of the organization.
Creating Visual Content
We work in the Adobe Creative Suite using tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, to create logos, brochures, websites, advertisements, and more.
When we’re creating these items, we’re always keeping you in mind for easy updating.
Collaborating with Clients
If we had a dollar for every time we heard from potential clients, “our previous contact just doesn’t respond or make updates,” we wouldn’t need a business, because we’d be rich!
Our designers work closely with clients to understand their vision, provide updates, and make necessary revisions. If there’s no communication, there is so much opportunity for projects, details, and brands to fall through the cracks.
Applying Design Principles
We are all passionate about design, and that includes the basics that guide “good” design. Balance, contrast, harmony, and emphasis create aesthetically pleasing and effective designs that don’t need the audience to think. Solid design feels natural and intuitive, and that’s what we aim for with every project.
Staying Updated
While the principles stay the same, the way they’re used is ever-changing. By keeping up with the latest design trends, tools, and technologies, not only do we as graphic designers remain competitive, but we help your business stay relevant and competitive, as well.
What is the Purpose of Graphic Design?
The primary purpose of graphic design is to communicate messages visually. Here are some key objectives of graphic design with examples:
Brand Identity
Graphic design helps create a visual identity for brands, making them recognizable and memorable to consumers. This includes designing logos, color schemes, typography, and brand guidelines.
Marketing and Advertising
Through visually appealing advertisements, brochures, and social media graphics, graphic design plays a critical role in marketing and promoting products or services.
User Experience
In web and app design, graphic design enhances user experience by making interfaces intuitive and visually appealing.
Information Dissemination
Infographics, charts, and diagrams created by graphic designers help in presenting complex information in an easily understandable manner.
Emotional Connection
Good design evokes emotions and creates connections with the audience, influencing their perceptions and decisions.
Common Misconceptions About Graphic Design
Despite its significance, graphic design is often misunderstood. How many of these have you heard, thought, or said?
“Graphic design is just about making things look pretty.”
While aesthetics are important, graphic design is much more than that. It’s about solving problems and communicating messages effectively through visual means.
Good designers understand the principles, and the dos and don’ts.
Great designers understand the data, the customers, the problems, and the solutions. “Making things pretty” is a bonus.
“Anyone can be a graphic designer.”
While many tools are available, being a professional graphic designer requires a deep understanding of design principles, creativity, and technical skills.
Anyone CAN be a graphic designer, but it takes dedication and understanding, development of technical skills, and years of experience in failing up to be successful.
“Graphic design is easy and quick.”
This one CAN be true. But easy and quick seldom reflects quality and thoughtfulness.
Quality design work takes time, effort, and iteration. The process involves research, brainstorming, designing, getting feedback, and making revisions. If the process is easy and quick, you’ve either been working with the designer long enough that you understand each other, or you’re missing something HUGE.
“Graphic designers only work on computers.”
While digital tools are essential, the creative process often starts with sketches and brainstorming sessions that don’t involve a computer.
When we start on a project, we fill pages and pages with sketches (some more crude than others), and the client only sees the final result, which is digital. But being hands-on is in our nature.
While a milliennial founded Humble Onion, she didn’t have a computer until she was six. She didn't use design software until she was 16. Sketchpads and pencils will always be our first step, as it takes us back to an important part in the creative process.
“Graphic design doesn’t impact business success.”
In reality, good design can impact a business’s success by enhancing brand identity, improving marketing efforts, and creating better user experiences.
If you created something in Canva, Microsoft Paint, or another free template software, and it took about 15 minutes, your audience can tell. There is a huge difference between spending 15 minutes on a template versus spending a few hours building from scratch with your client in mind.
And for that, you’ll be more memorable to your audience.
Rethinking graphic design
Graphic design is an important field that blends creativity and technology. It conveys messages and solves problems. Graphic designers play a crucial role in shaping the visual aspects of our world, from branding and marketing to enhancing user experience. By understanding the true nature and purpose of graphic design, we can better appreciate the skill and effort that goes into creating the visual content we encounter every day.
Whether you’re a business looking to enhance your brand identity – we’d be happy to help, by the way – or someone interested in pursuing a career in graphic design, recognizing the depth and breadth of this field is the first step towards appreciating its value and potential.
