Form

The simplest way to understand graphic design is to look around.

At home, at work and at play, design shapes the way many things look. Graphic design examples include company logos, billboards, books, menus, signs, packages and posters.

An old truism stated that “anything printed involves graphic design,” but that definition is now laughably narrow. New media applications continue to expand design’s influence into software, Internet and other electronic venues. Yet the core of graphic design remains show-and-tell: “show” images or words in order to “tell” the audience something.

Function

To “tell” something is to communicate: the cornerstone of graphic design.

Without a specific message to communicate, expressive images are more appropriately called fine art. This can get really confusing; creative people can argue endlessly about the distinction — or lack thereof — between design and art.

Designers and artists may use the exact same materials and processes to create images that make identical visual impressions. And then there are illustrators — artists who create images to fulfill specific design criteria. Some illustrators are also designers. Some designers are also writers. All of these disciplines converge around the objective of communication.

The function of graphic design is established when we set out to communicate “buy this product,” “attend this event,” “trust this company” or “understand this idea.” Effective design draws its form from its function.

Read the next article in this series, Comparing Designers.