The field of graphic design is ever-evolving and has become one of the most lucrative careers for people across the globe. Graphic design is debated by art critiques, as to whether or not it is a true art form. As technology advances, you can find new tools and software that make it easier for graphic designers to develop their skill set and produce high-quality work. The term, ‘graphic design’ was first used by William Dwiggins in 1922. Since then, it has come a long way and is now crucial to the success of branding and marketing strategies.
In the digital age, almost everything you see around you, be it a logo, website, illustration, is associated with graphic design. With time, there are certain facts or assumptions which may have become popular about the field. However, not all of them might be true. If you think about it, graphic design includes a lot of visual elements such as colors, contrast, shapes, texture and imagery..
It can be easy to get confused between the applications on different print and digital mediums. In fact, you might end up assuming or believing some things about graphic design which are not true. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Graphic Design Is Only About Logos
This is one statement that is not true at all. If you ask a graphic designer in detail about the nature of their work, you will realize that graphic design is much more than just logos. While a brandmark is a very important part of the field and central to the brand identity of a business, there are many other specialties as well. Since a good and creative logo design is a combination of graphic design elements like typography, color palette, icons and lines, this assumption might be more common than you think.
Now, graphic design goes beyond that and includes web pages, flyers, brochures, infographics, covers and sometimes even social media posts. So there is no truth to the belief that it is only about logos. However, you should keep in mind that graphic design has a lot to do with how impactful a symbol or an icon turns out to be.
For example, when designing construction logos , you need unique and professional graphics to convey to your audience what the business is about. Without the right imagery, text or scheme, the brand identity design might confuse the audience and it could be tricky to come up with a strong branding or marketing strategy.
Graphic Design Focuses On Still Visuals
It is also entirely incorrect and has led to a few misconceptions in the industry. Some people assume that graphic design has less to do with animations, slideshows or videos and focuses on images that are still. Well, this is not true. Nowadays, designers are responsible for coming up with GIFs, short videos for social media marketing and dynamic logo designs.
Such visuals can actually help brands tell their story effectively and stay in memory for a long time too. With an animated video or a teaser, you can market your business to a wider audience as more people are interested in watching such content instead of still images.
Also, it's important to know that typography is always significant when creating graphics.
Graphic Design Needs To Follow Trends
While you will come across some people arguing in favor of this, it is not true. Just like with everything else, graphic design is also influenced by current and past trends, and designers do follow them closely. However, assuming that it should or needs to be trendy can certainly create a lot of confusion. If you look back at a few trends in the past three to four years, you will realize that most of them are inspired by previous ones.
Take minimalism for example here. This is one graphic design trend that has been prominent in the industry for a long time and can be seen in logos, websites and other promotional material as well. Now, businesses and brands may follow the latest trends but sometimes this might not lead to the desired results.
It is important for visuals and graphics to be relevant to the organization and reflect its core values in the best way possible. If your brand identity design or web page confuses the audience or they cannot figure out the message, then you may need to make a few changes. So ultimately, following trends doesn’t always work out well in graphic design.
It Requires Expensive Tools And Software
There are two sides to this statement, one says it’s true and the other believes it’s not. The work of graphic designers can certainly become better and improved with advanced technology and tools. However, these can cost a lot of money and require a big investment in the beginning. In order to work on such software or programs efficiently, people need training and expertise. All of this can increase the expenses and make people think that good design is all about spending more money.
Well, you may be surprised to know that it isn’t entirely correct. While you need to invest in your branding and keep a budget for it, graphic design requires creativity and inspiration. You can work within a small amount as well and get a professional website that attracts traffic or eye-catching brochure design.
There are also free tools or software which require a minimal investment and are easy to use as well. When it comes to expensive or advanced design programs, you don’t necessarily have to work with those. Given that, some designers do prefer them as they improve the quality of the results and allow more freedom to experiment too.
In the end, we can say that the statement is not exactly accurate but some tools or software can simplify the graphic design process greatly.
Graphic Design Only Makes Things Appealing
No, this is not true at all. There are many people who actually believe that graphic design only cleans up things and makes them appealing. Well, they might be very wrong because the field has so much more to offer to both the audience and designers. If you ask an experienced professional, they will tell you how much goes into the process and the different factors which make the design a hit.
While graphic design does focus on visual appeal and making an impact with the right elements, it is also about communicating and getting the viewer to think. If you consider the work of a designer such as Paul Rand, you will realize that he always aimed to create a design that would be relevant in the future and stand out from the rest.
He changed graphic design and was involved in making businesses realize its importance in marketing and selling products or services. Even the simplest of designs require a lot of thought and deep knowledge of color psychology, font styles and other elements. So those who believe that it is only about making things look good should research more on the subject.
Good Design Requires Time
It is a common assumption that everything good takes time and may even be true. With graphic design, this might only apply in a few situations or projects. Designers are given a deadline by their clients and expected to produce the final results by the end. The time can range from two to three weeks or a couple of months. While this depends on the requirements of the business or brand, it is up to the professional to deliver quality work.
Sometimes, you can get a great logo or website designed in days and it can take longer as well. More time does not guarantee good results as that relies on different factors. The clarity of the brief, skills, creativity and budget are some of the things which can influence the deliverables. However, in some cases, designers can request for more time for the process and to work on a challenging project.
Graphic Design Promotes Self-Employment
Surprisingly, this might be true for some people who are earning good money on their own. Freelancing is quite big in graphic design and there are designers who take up such gigs frequently. Sometimes, corporations or brands also look for freelance designers to work with individual projects. So you can say that graphic design does allow people flexibility to work on their own. However, many designers prefer to have a steady income and work with agencies or firms.
This is basically a personal preference and can change with time. Those people who believe that they can work in a better way and have more creative freedom in self-employment can look for such opportunities. There are quite a lot of chances to become an entrepreneur in the field. Otherwise, graphic designers are hired by different development and marketing companies.
The Truth About Graphic Design
When graphic design is your passion, you're aware that there are many misconceptions in the industry but not everyone is a graphic design savvy. These are some of the things which are not true in graphic design. You can also see a few facts which might be correct and apply to a few designers as well. Since the field continues to grow and change, there are many things which can confuse people, it is best not to make any assumptions without proper research and study. Growth Hackers is a full-service graphic design agency helping you stand out from the crowd and improve your branding over social media. We are one of the top digital marketing & growth hacking agencies that can help your business with Content marketing, SEO, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing, while helping you build a brand that your customers can trust. Contact Growth Hackers if you're looking to improve your brand and grow your company.
Kris David
A student by day and a wordsmith by night, I work as a freelance blogger. I am currently pursuing a degree in Communications and relying on my freelance gigs to jumpstart my career in journalism.
