Graphic design is the process of visual communication and problem-solving using one or more of typography, photography and illustration. The field is considered a subset of visual communication and communication design, but sometimes the term "graphic design" is used synonymously. Graphic designers create and combine symbols, images and text to form visual representations of ideas and messages. They use typography, visual arts and page layout techniques to create visual compositions. Common uses of graphic design include corporate design (logos and branding), editorial design (magazines, newspapers and books), wayfinding or environmental design, advertising, web design, communication design, product packaging and signage.

Sometimes when production is heavy, some of the non-designy types around our studio joke about being able to help the designers out, saying, “I’ve got glitter pens! Put me on it!”

Oh if it were only that easy, GLAD WORKS friends!

The truth is that graphic design requires a lot more than just a willing heart and a pack of Crayolas (sorry non-designy types). It takes a ton of skill, training and talent to create effective visual communication, but many folks leave it as an afterthought when it should really be one of the very first priorities.

Today we’re going to talk about what graphic designers do and why good graphic design is so critical to your business.

Graphic design is everywhere

Graphic design is visual communication. Anything that needs to be communicated that cannot be done verbally must be put into some form of design that gets a message across. Stop reading this blog post for a second and look around you. The pack of gum on your desk, the magazine cover, the cute saying on your coffee mug, and even the typeface in a TV ad are all examples of graphic design. Graphic design is a huge part of your everyday life and you probably barely notice it, but imagine life without it and it would be a strange world indeed.

Everything would be in a plain white wrapper. No pictures, no text.

A simple trip to the grocery store would be a game of roulette! You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a box of Corn Flakes and a box of Cocoa Puffs! How would you find your favorite restaurant? How would you know what’s on the menu?

Clearly, we need graphic design and we need it to convey its message clearly and effectively.

What do graphic designers do?

Graphic designers are trained to be able to inform, persuade, direct, organize, entertain, and attract attention with their designs. They combine art and technology in order to communicate a message. They do this through the strategic placement of images and text.

While it’s really fun to sit down at the computer and noodle around with some pictures and some fancy fonts, in order to be a truly effective graphic designer, it takes a lot of training and skill using advanced software. Of course, non-designy types can make a wonderful looking poster, but a trained designer can make one that not only looks wonderful, but conveys the right message in the right way to the right audience, making sure that your visual communication to the public is as clear and effective as possible.

Your design should say “I Am Awesome”

Have you ever been torn between two similar products and decided to buy the one with the nicest package? Quite often, decisions are made that way and people often DO judge a book by its cover.

You want yours to say “I Am Awesome.”