There are many different areas in the world of design. While some of these areas are related, like web design and graphic design, they are distinctly different despite falling under the category of visual communication. So, what are the differences between graphic design and web design? 

Though both of these practices have some of the same skill sets, web design requires different skills than graphic design and vice versa. Web design (also known as web development) is more technical, while graphic design has fewer technical constraints. 

What is Graphic Design?

Merriam-Webster defines graphic design as the art or profession of using design elements (such as typography and images) to convey information or create an effect. This is a wider scope than web design as the media graphic designers work in can be displayed in a variety of different ways. 

Graphic designers focus on aspects like file size and margins while web designers are more worried about load time and user experience. At the end of the day, graphic designers specialize in creating more versatile pieces that focus on more artistic pursuits. 

What is Web Design?

Web design is the process of creating a website. There is a lot more work put into creating a website than a single graphic design project. Web design is a dynamic medium, which means the piece is constantly changing. This ensures the site doesn’t become old for the viewer. 

Overall website design is a broader and more intricate piece of work. While graphics are often used in web design, the latter has more technical aspects such as programming. While there is a creative aspect to web development, a large part of it is technical. 

Why They Are Both Important

Both of these arts are important because they fulfill two different purposes in the design world. A web developer has a wider scope of responsibility, but more creative constraints. Graphic designers focus on creative graphics. 

Because of the simplified job, there is more freedom for creativity. The beauty of these professionals is they can oftentimes work together. Websites use a lot of graphics to fill out spaces and convey information. 

Let Our Designers Create For You

To recap, both graphic design and web design are useful in their own right, and they often work well together. As John Lasseter says, “The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art.” 

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