Starting A Design Career
As you can see, there are many different specialisations within the field of graphic design. Whether you’re interested in branding, marketing and advertising, packaging design, or any of the other specialisations listed below, there are plenty of exciting career opportunities available to talented graphic designers.
Interested in pursuing a career in graphic design?
This field is often thought of as a single discipline, but there are actually many specialisations within the field.
Choices…
- Brand Identity Design:
This specialisation involves creating the entire look and feel of a company’s visual presence. This includes designing the logo and other visual elements, as well as creating brand style and usage guidelines that direct the work of other designers. Brand identity designers are responsible for crafting the visual identity of the companies they work for.
Why It Matters: A strong brand identity is crucial for companies to establish a memorable and consistent presence in the market. It shapes how customers perceive the brand and can significantly impact customer loyalty and recognition. - Marketing and Advertising Design:
These designers create visual content for promotional purposes, including print and digital advertisements, social media graphics, brochures, and more. They need to have a strong understanding of behavioural psychology when it comes to purchasing behaviour, as well as proficiency in design principles and typography.
Why It Matters: Effective marketing and advertising design can drive consumer engagement, increase brand awareness, and ultimately lead to higher sales and business success. It’s a key component in communicating a brand’s message to its target audience. - Packaging Design:
Packaging designers create visually appealing and functional packaging for a variety of products, including food, consumer goods, medical products, and industrial products. They need to consider factors such as branding, consumer psychology, material choice, sustainability, and legal requirements when creating packaging.
Why It Matters: Packaging is often the first point of physical interaction between a product and a consumer. Well-designed packaging can enhance the user experience, communicate brand values, and influence purchasing decisions. - Web and User Interface Design:
Web and UI designers create designs for websites and apps. They need to have a strong understanding of design principles, as well as an understanding of how users interact with digital platforms. These designers are responsible for creating interfaces that are visually pleasing and easy to use.
Why It Matters: The design of a website or app directly impacts user satisfaction, usability, and overall experience. A well-designed interface can lead to increased user engagement and retention, making it a critical aspect of digital product development. - User Experience (UX) Design:
UX designers focus on creating seamless and intuitive experiences for users of digital products, such as websites, apps, and software. They conduct research, develop wireframes, and ensure that the product meets the needs and expectations of the user, ultimately enhancing usability and satisfaction.
Why It Matters: Good UX design ensures that digital products are not only functional but also enjoyable to use. It helps to reduce user frustration and increase customer loyalty by creating a positive and efficient user experience. - Print and Publication Design:
These designers create visually appealing and well-organised print and digital media that is mass-produced, including books, magazines, and marketing materials. They need to be proficient in printing, editorial layout design coordination, and typesetting communication to create cohesive visual media.
Why It Matters: Print and publication design ensures that information is communicated clearly and effectively, whether in a book, magazine, or marketing material. The visual organisation of content can greatly influence readability and engagement. - Lettering and Type Design:
This specialisation involves creating custom typography and lettering for a variety of applications. Lettering and type designers need to have a strong understanding of design principles, as well as proficiency in typography and lettering techniques.
Why It Matters: Typography plays a crucial role in conveying a brand’s voice and personality. Custom lettering and type design can distinguish a brand from its competitors and create a unique visual identity. - Graphic Illustration:
Graphic illustrators create visually stunning artwork for a variety of applications, such as book covers, marketing materials, and social media content. They need to have a strong foundation in drawing and the fundamental principles of form, colour, and composition.
Why It Matters: Illustrations can capture attention and communicate complex ideas in a visually appealing way. They are often used to enhance storytelling, branding, and marketing efforts. - Motion Graphics Design:
Motion graphics designers create animated content for videos, advertisements, and digital media. They use animation and visual effects to bring graphics to life, making them a crucial part of multimedia storytelling.
Why It Matters: Motion graphics add a dynamic element to visual content, making it more engaging and memorable. They are particularly effective in digital marketing, video production, and interactive media. - Data Visualisation and Infographic Design:
These designers create visual representations of data and information to effectively communicate complex subjects. They need to have a strong understanding of design principles and data visualisation techniques, as well as the ability to interpret and present data in a clear and concise manner.
Why It Matters: Data visualisation and infographics make complex information accessible and understandable to a broader audience. They are essential in fields like journalism, education, and business analytics, where clear communication of data is critical. - Environmental and Experiential Design:
Environmental designers create graphics for physical spaces, including signage, wayfinding systems, and displays in places like museums, retail spaces, exhibitions, and public areas. Experiential design also extends to creating immersive experiences through the combination of visual, spatial, and interactive elements.
Why It Matters: This discipline enhances how people interact with physical spaces, guiding them through environments in an intuitive and engaging way. It blends architecture, interior design, and graphic design to create cohesive and immersive experiences. - Interaction Design (IxD):
Interaction designers focus on the interactions between users and digital interfaces, such as websites and apps. They design elements like buttons, menus, and controls, ensuring that interactions are intuitive and meet user needs.
Why It Matters: Interaction design is critical for ensuring that digital products are user-friendly and that every user action is met with the appropriate response, enhancing the overall user experience. - Exhibition Design:
Exhibition designers work on creating visual experiences for exhibitions, museums, and trade shows. They design layouts, displays, and graphics that communicate messages and engage visitors.
Why It Matters: Exhibition design is essential for creating environments that communicate effectively and engage audiences. It combines graphic design with spatial design to create informative and memorable experiences. - Service Design:
Service designers create and optimise service experiences by designing touchpoints and customer journeys. They ensure that services are user-centric and deliver value across all customer interactions.
Why It Matters: Service design is crucial for creating seamless and efficient service experiences that meet customer needs. It helps organisations improve their services and create positive, consistent experiences across multiple channels. - Art Direction:
Art directors oversee the visual style and artistic direction of projects, including advertising campaigns, movies, TV shows, and magazines. They work closely with designers, photographers, and other creatives to ensure the visual consistency and effectiveness of a project.
Why It Matters: Art direction ensures that all visual elements of a project align with the creative vision and communicate the intended message. It plays a key role in defining the visual language and ensuring the success of creative projects.