Understanding Four Types Of Graphic Design

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Some change in life is unexpected and unwanted. Other change in life is desirable. Often, the difference lies in whether or not you choose to make the change. If the change feels like your choice, you embrace it and are excited by it. Education is one change that you do choose for yourself, and that you should find exciting. With the right education, you can pursue the career you want, or even change careers later in life. There's no end to what you can learn, especially if you enjoy learning it. We share more insight into education and development — the best kinds of change — on this blog.

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Understanding Four Types Of Graphic Design

16 October 2020
 Categories: Education & Development, Blog


When you decide to get a degree in graphic design, you may choose a general approach to graphic design, or you may want to specialize in a certain aspect of graphic design. While a solid general education is important for job flexibility, having deeply specialized skills in one of the areas of graphic design can also make you a more attractive job candidate. Below are the four main areas of graphic design you can specialize in. 

Print Design

Print design is also known as traditional graphic design. It ranges from print graphics for books, magazines, and periodicals to designs for promotional materials such as tee shirts and tote bags. It can be large-scale, such as billboard design, or small-scale, such as pin or sticker design. You will also likely work on brochures and business cards. Business logos may need to be adapted to certain print situations. 

Package Design

Package design is a sub-category of print design in which you focus on the unique challenges of packaging materials. This can include labels and boxes as well as plastic packaging. You may also select the packaging material and the arrangement or display of the items within the packaging. This three-dimensional type of design requires a high level of spatial intelligence as well as graphic design skills. 

Digital Design

Digital graphic design is one of the most rapidly growing fields of graphic design. Although print designers use computers to create designs, digital designers create graphics for a digital space. This includes web design and application design. Many digital graphic designers also take courses in digital user experience in order to provide easy-to-navigate designs. As a digital designer, you may make infographics, banner advertisements, and website wireframes. You may work in logo design, adapting older logos to digital situations. 

Animation Design

Animation design is a specialization within digital design. It involves making short animations. These can include things such as moving icons to informational GIFs to short promotional videos. Most graphic designers who work in animation work with two-dimensional programs. However, some designers may choose to work with three-dimensional programs, in which case you can either pursue a graphic design degree or an animation degree. 

If you are interested in graphic design, you should check out the many fields a graphic design degree can open for you. However, you may not have to make a career decision immediately. Many design programs allow you to take a year of basic design classes before selecting a specialization. 

To learn more, contact a resource that offers an online bachelor's degree in graphic design.