You may have heard about visual design and graphic design and thought that they were the same, but this is not the case; they are different. With the development of new technologies and the rise of the Internet, design has begun to take on an important role in web development. It is important to know what each consists of and what differentiates it. Let’s find out what is visual designer vs graphic designer.
Both graphic design and visual design are elements to consider in web development. They involve the combination of colors, the use of lines, how to place elements in space, etc. Graphics are as old as posters, brochures, or logos, but visual design is closely linked to web development.
Graphics PH will explain the differences between graphic and visual design, what each is, and how each discipline feeds off the other. Having basic knowledge of design will give you an advantage when differentiating yourself from your competition and carrying out quality web development.
Basic elements of graphic design
Before knowing the differences between graphic and visual design, it is necessary to know each of them.
Graphic design is a profession and academic discipline that involves projecting visual communications to transmit specific messages to social groups with specific objectives.
When carrying out any graphic composition, whether it is a poster or the development of a website, certain graphic design components must be considered. The main component is always the message or information you want to convey using graphics.
Graphic design elements applicable to web development
Among the elements that make up graphic design are:
- Lines: Lines are basic elements of any design. They help direct the eye, organize content, create emphasis on an element, or divide space. They have various characteristics such as thickness, color, texture, and style.
- Scale refers to the relationship between the literal dimensions of a physical object and the dimensions of its print. The setting also affects how this element is perceived, focusing attention and creating emphasis.
- Shape: Shape refers to 2D areas: triangles, squares, circles, figures, etc. If we talk about a 3D dimension, they are already objects.
- Color: In graphic design, color creates impressions and evokes emotions. It serves to differentiate and establish connections, to emphasize, and to hide. It has characteristics such as contrast, brightness, saturation, or tone. Some formulas can help us based on color harmony, and all you have to do is use the color wheel.
- Rhythm and balance: when discussing balance, we mean that elements can be arranged in space in a proportional or uneven distribution. They can also be arranged following a pattern or not, which is what is called rhythm.
- Texture: is the physical quality of a surface. Texture imitates the three-dimensionality of real objects. Texture can generate a sense of depth, roughness, hardness, etc.
- Symmetry and asymmetry: When arranging elements in space, there is a tendency towards symmetry since the purpose of the design is to achieve balance. By placing the elements in contrasting ways, the viewer will observe the composition with a feeling of stability.
- Time and movement: these elements are especially used in digital publications to generate change and dynamism.
Why is graphic design important in advertising?
Advertising is a key tool as it has the power to attract and capture the public’s attention effectively. If well thought out, it can convey a message clearly and concisely and create a consistent and recognizable brand identity. In addition, a unique and memorable design can help a brand stand out from the competition in a market saturated with advertising.
Similarly, it can also increase a brand’s credibility, as a professional and well-crafted design can generate a strong and trustworthy brand image in the minds of the public. In general, graphic design is essential in advertising because it helps create an attractive and memorable image that can influence the public’s purchasing decision and improve a brand’s positioning in the market.
What is visual design
Visual design is a relatively new term. It refers to the activity of developing the UI. One of the main differences between graphic design and visual design is that visual design is a more specialized niche within graphic design.
When the designer receives a wireframe that the UI/UX designers have developed and tested, he in turn uses the brand guidelines that the visual identity designers have created.
He combines everything with the specifications and interaction patterns that the designers have created to create the actual assets that will be used on a website, app, or other digital medium.
If someone were to describe themselves as a Visual Designer, I would expect:
A person with a graphic design background but is largely or almost entirely digital in their approach. They focus almost exclusively on producing the final image files or page layouts that are passed on to a developer. These typically defer to other specialists on design architecture, interaction, etc.
Additionally, they often work within extremely strict specifications, have experience working in a modern UI/UX team, and their work is very detail-focused.
The main differences between graphic design and visual design
As we have already seen, although both disciplines are closely related and have a major implication in web development, they are not the same. Below, we will explain the main differences between graphic and visual design.
Visual design is more flexible
One of the main differences between graphic design and visual design is that visual design requires more malleability, especially when dealing with UI or user interfaces.
It’s true that when you create a piece of graphic design, you have to keep in mind some very specific specifications. However, when it comes to visual/UI design, it’s all about flexibility and adjustability.
It’s quite likely that you will not only have to fit your design into specific screen dimensions but also into all other possible dimensions and devices. Any element, even a simple button, must meet user accessibility standards and pleasing aesthetics.
Visual designers decide by metrics, graphics by design
Another major difference between graphic design and visual design is the guidelines used when making decisions. Visual designers have expertise in information architecture, interface design, and interaction design.
The visual designer concentrates on signage, user testing, and A/B testing. The graphic designer must also consider some of these fundamentals when implementing their work, but the considerations are quite different, and designs are created much more based on design than on metrics.
It goes beyond traditional design tools
The third difference between graphic and visual design is the go-to tools used to implement them. Visual designers aren’t limited to using Photoshop or Illustrator. They make use of other experience design tools like Sketch and Adobe XD.
With these helpful apps, you can guide the user experience through lines and icon shapes. These tools also allow you to tailor your graphic design sensibility and inform when and where to leave white space for maximum effect and when to keep things as simple as possible for the end user.