The professions of graphic designer and web designer are in demand and on everyone’s lips. How are they different, how are they similar, and what skills are required of these specialists? Let’s find out what they have in common and what are the key differences between graphic and web design.

Similarities between a graphic designer and a web designer

Here we look through the main common aspects between web design and graphic design.

Graphic design is the foundation you need to understand how to build a composition, select color schemes, and work with typography. Knowing this base is important not only for the work of a graphic designer fashion but also for the work of a web designer or interface designer. Then all the interface components will look organic and correctly perceived by users.

Graphic designers originally worked with physical media, such as paper and fabric. But with the development of the digital, graphic designer is increasingly working with digital formats. In many ways, this brings his work closer to that of a web designer.

Here are the similarities between a graphic designer and a web designer:

– Professionals must have a good understanding of the basic principles of graphics and design: typography, composition, and color theory.

– A web designer and a graphic designer must constantly follow trends in design.

– Both should focus on the creative solution to the client’s problem. Unlike art, design is not created for pure aesthetics. It always has a practical problem that it solves.

– Both professionals must be able to communicate well and effectively with the client. Without this, it is difficult to understand the task he is solving. The designer asks the client a lot of questions – before he starts the work and in the process. It is important for him to understand what information the design should carry.

– The graphic designer and web designer must be able to defend and justify their decisions to the client or to their team. It is important to be able to answer questions and consider feedback.

The difference between a graphic designer and a web designer

A graphic designer works with images, text, and other graphic elements. He combines them to convey certain messages and meanings to the target audience. A large amount of a graphic designer’s work involves print materials. This can be the design of posters, brochures, magazines, books, and packaging design. Also, a graphic designer is engaged in creating logos and the corporate identity of the brand. Now, the specialists in this direction work a lot in the digital environment as well, but the specifics remain in many ways.

Web designer: his focus is the interaction between the user and the interface. He creates an interactive design from individual graphic elements. Web designers often use animation to make the site respond to user actions. The web designer’s job is to make the site both beautiful and functional. It forms a positive user experience – UX. First of all, the site should be convenient and comfortable for users to solve their problems and business tasks.

Skills and competences

A graphic designer should have a profound understanding of the fundamentals of graphics and design. Typography, color theory, composition – basic knowledge for a graphic designer. He must be proficient in design programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. At the same time, he does not need to know the layout and programming.

Web designers create the architecture of the site (an important part of the UX) and its visual appearance (UI). They think through the user’s experience and journey on the site, creating prototypes. With text and visual content, web designers tell a story and lead the user to their objectives.

Web designers often interact with developers. They don’t have to know how to layout websites or do web development. However, to work productively as part of a team, they need to understand the basics of code and layout. For example, become familiar with HTML markup language, CSS layout language, or JavaScript front-end development language. A web designer should also know how to work with content management systems (such as WordPress) and website builders (Tilda, Readymag).