What are the differences between web design and graphic design?
Web design, graphic design, same thing isn’t it? Of course, these two creative tasks do share some similarities in that they both share principles of design but they are different tasks requiring differing areas of expertise…
Static v Dynamic
Graphic design for print-based solutions is static whereas web design is very dynamic and the user experience needs to be understood and adapted for.
The origins of graphic design lay in print for magazines and although the images need to be laid out in a fashion that enables the telling of a story, they are static and require no interaction with the user.
With a very fixed view of the final results, what the graphic designer creates is exactly how it is seen in the finished medium. A web designer’s end results however can be shown in multiple different sizes, aspect ratios and devices. They understand the interaction with the user, the paths taken, the navigation and calls to action used and the end goal.
This UX (user experience) design is one element that greatly sets the two roles apart – how will the user view and interact with my design, which colours will be used; is the content clear and easy to read for users with varying abilities?
File size and loading
A graphic designer doesn’t have any image load times to worry about, their content lives on the printed material, constantly available in all its glory. The web designer is ever concerned with this and under constant something to optimise images for speedy download – maintaining image quality at the lowest possible file size…
Large file sizes = poor user experience and quite possibly losing important web traffic…
Typography – fonts & layouts
Graphic designers relish the varied use of amazing fonts without a care in the world of whether the user can see the font as used. The web designer however, wanting to use the same beautiful font has to ask if it is a standard font type, will the user actually see it in this font or some poorer second choice as well as which device it will appear on… Of course, cloud typography now allows a more varied choice of fonts to keep the creative juices flowing…
A range of applications
A web designer creates his latest work and views it on his screen – looks great, job done…
Oh hold on, what about mobile, tablet & laptop? Viewing your creation in one application is a privilege only known to the graphic designer.. (see our blog post on handling responsive images )
It’s not a case of back to the drawing board but, you already know that the thing of beauty that lies before you in full screen pleasure, will not be how a large proportion of users will see it. Many websites now receive circa 50% of views from mobile and tablet devices. Take your creation and make it be just a amazing for every user, no matter what their viewing device…
Web design + code
Today, web designers are often experienced in coding websites too so another skill set is needed of a whole new platform of learning to be your fully rounded web designer/developer
Yes, you could just provide the designs for the website and pass the files over to your developer to ‘slice’ them up and code with their fancy skills in CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, HTML5 and whatever other slick tools they use. Or, maybe you actually build what you design and see the project, like the birth of your child, from conception to delivery…
Always and forever
Is how the graphic designers work remains, as print in that magazine, banner pull-up or brochure but, not so the web designer…
With brand changes, layout changes in menu structure, calls to action or product information, the web designers world is that of regular change, adaption and constant improvements in performance of their websites whether that be from the revenue the website generates or changes in bandwidth, devices or user adaption.
Closely matched but different..
Yes, both of these roles are different in many ways but, they share a common goal; to design for visual mediums and deliver perfect synergy between copy and visuals.
The creative ability of both is without doubt the same and the ability to work together to deliver the perfect results is always a possibility but, they are distinctly different roles with a range of skills.
We design specifically for web, we like to think we’re the experts in that field so, drop us a line for a chat about your next web design project.