7/9/25, 7:30 PM 8 Types of Graphic Design with Examples | And Academy

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AUTHOR

Emily Stevens

PUBLISHED ON

18 JUL 2023

What Are the Different Types of Graphic

Design? Everything You Need To Know (With

Examples)

There are many different types of graphic design, each requiring a unique set of skills,

tools, and know-how. Read on to discover the eight fundamental types of graphic design.

Graphic design is a broad and varied field containing many different disciplines.

Professionals in the field may work as graphic design generalists, or they might specialise in

a specific type of graphic design—such as graphic design for print, packaging design, or

graphic design for marketing.

In this post, we’ll explore the eight main types of graphic design (with examples), as well as

the key skills required for each.

By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of different niches and possible career paths

within the industry, as well as some graphic design courses and learning options.

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Contents:

1) What is graphic design?

2) The 8 different types of graphic design:

Branding and visual identity

Graphic design for marketing and advertising

Print design

Digital graphic design

Packaging design

Editorial and publishing

Environmental graphic design

Motion design and animation

3) How to get started in graphic design

Let’s begin!

1. What is graphic design?

Graphic design is the art and science of visual communication.

Graphic designers combine different visual elements such as colour, type, shape, and

images to create aesthetically pleasing, on-brand compositions. But, while graphic design is

a highly creative discipline, it’s not just about making things look good.

The ultimate goal of graphic design is to relay a particular message or idea to the target

audience. Graphic designers translate abstract concepts into meaningful designs that

resonate and communicate with the end viewer.

Take the example of designing a poster for an upcoming concert. The design should not only

be eye-catching but also tell passers-by something about the band and the genre of music.

And, most importantly, it should draw the viewer’s attention to key information such as when

and where the concert is taking place.

To create designs that are beautiful, communicative, and on-brand, graphic designers follow

a guiding set of fundamental graphic design principles . These include things like balance,

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contrast, the careful use of colour, proportion, visual hierarchy, and more.

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That’s graphic design in a nutshell. For a more comprehensive explanation, refer to this
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guide: What Is Graphic Design? Everything You Need To Know.

2. The 8 different types of graphic design (with examples)

We’ve defined graphic design as a broad umbrella discipline. Now let’s explore the different

types of graphic design.

I. Branding and visual identity

To stand out from competitors, companies must develop a strong brand identity. An

effective brand identity captures the brand’s values, builds an emotional connection with the

target audience, and creates an instantly recognisable and memorable presence.

Much of a brand’s identity relies on visual communication through elements such as logos,

colours, typography, and imagery. The brand is also conveyed through taglines, slogans, and

messaging.

Graphic designers who specialise in branding and visual identity work with companies to

develop their brands and to create the visual assets that represent them. They may also be

hired to refresh or rebuild an existing brand.

Examples of branding and visual identity

Logo design—think of the iconic Nike “swoosh”, McDonald’s famous golden “M” often

placed on a red background, or the instantly recognisable Apple logo.

Choosing brand colours and colour palettes—consider Starbucks’ green and white

colour palette or the iconic Airbnb pink.

Designing typography.

Key skills

Graphic designers who specialise in branding and visual identity possess the following skills:

Thorough knowledge of graphic design principles such as colour theory, typography,

and hierarchy.

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Knowledge of branding principles such as consistency, storytelling, clarity, and

authenticity.

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Brand strategy, brand positioning, and target audience analysis.

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Job titles

Brand designer

Visual identity designer

Visual branding consultant

Logo designer

II. Graphic design for marketing and advertising

Graphic design plays a critical role in marketing and advertising. Just think how difficult it

would be for marketers and advertisers to connect with their audience without the help of

fun illustrations, on-point infographics, or eye-catching imagery.

As such, graphic design for marketing and advertising is a discipline (and a career path) in its

own right. Graphic designers who specialise in marketing and advertising work closely with

the marketing and/or advertising team to help them bring their campaigns to life.

This can span both digital and print. Graphic design for marketing usually involves creating

assets for blog posts, email newsletters, and social media campaigns, while graphic design

for advertising may involve posters, billboard ads, and creating graphics for printed

magazines and flyers.

Examples of graphic design for marketing and advertising

Designing email newsletter banners and templates.

Creating illustrations and animations for social media posts and ads.

Designing print advertisements for newspapers, magazines, brochures, and billboards.

Creating images and infographics for blog articles and whitepapers.

Key skills

Graphic designers in marketing and advertising require the following skills:

Graphic design fundamentals such as layout, colour, typography, and composition.

Strong knowledge of marketing, advertising, and branding.

Specialist knowledge depending on the role—for example, graphic designers focusing

on social media will need to be well-versed in different social media channels.

Job titles

Marketing designer

Advertising designer

Social media designer

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III. Print design

Print design is, quite literally, graphic design for printed materials. It relies on all the same

elements and principles as any other type of graphic design—colour, typography,

composition, hierarchy, and so on—but applies them solely to print.

Print design is another broad umbrella term with a variety of sub-disciplines. It can involve

anything from designing billboard ads and posters to designing product packaging (think

drink cans, chocolate bar wrappers, or cosmetics bottles); from designing books, magazines,

and brochures to creating business cards, stationery, and merchandise (think t-shirts and

tote bags).

Ultimately, anything that can be printed onto a physical material falls under print design.

Examples of print design

Designing print ads for magazines, brochures, and billboards.

Designing merchandise such as t-shirts and tote bags.

Designing product packaging for food and cosmetics.

Key skills

Besides graphic design fundamentals, print design calls upon the following skills:

Designing typography specifically for print.

Knowledge of different print materials and finishes.

A thorough understanding of print production and prepress (i.e. preparing a publication

for printing).

Proficiency in print-specific software such as Adobe InDesign for layout design.

Job titles

Print designer

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Print production artist

Print production designer

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Graphic designer (print)

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IV. Digital graphic design

Digital graphic design relates to any kind of graphic design done specifically for digital

channels and devices.

This includes designing for websites and mobile apps, designing graphics for social media,

creating assets for digital marketing and advertising campaigns, and designing graphics for

video games—to name a few.

Digital graphic design is huge. If you think about all the various digital touchpoints you

encounter in your day-to-day life, you’ll see that digital graphic design really is everywhere.

Again, this is another very broad design umbrella which hosts a variety of specialist

pathways. For example, you might specialise in digital design for e-books, websites, or

games.

Examples of digital graphic design

Designing logos, icons, typography, and other visual assets for websites and mobile

apps. This can overlap with user interface (UI) design—designing the visual and

interactive properties of digital user interfaces.

Creating graphics for video games.

Designing adverts for digital channels, such as banner ads and social media ads.

Creating digital illustrations and artworks for distribution across various digital

channels (e.g. blogs and e-magazines).

Key skills

The most important digital graphic design skills are:

Thorough expertise in graphic design principles and techniques and how they apply to

digital.

Proficiency in digital design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and

CorelDRAW. Discover all the essential graphic design tools here.

Knowledge and understanding of user experience (UX) design and user interface (UI)

design principles, especially when designing websites and apps.

Job titles

Digital designer

Web designer

UI/UX designer

Graphic designer (digital)

V. Packaging design

Packaging design does exactly what it says on the tin (excuse the pun!): it’s all about graphic

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design for product packaging.

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Think about all the different products you use or come across in the supermarket, in your
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local pharmacy, or in big department stores. They’re all packaged in some way, with their

own unique visual identity and different materials.

That’s what packaging designers do. They create the visual identity for a product,

considering how to ensure it stands out on the shelf whilst clearly conveying essential

information such as the name of the product, the ingredients it contains, and its intended

use.

Packaging designers may also be involved in choosing the most suitable materials for the

product packaging and helping to develop the overall brand identity. This includes choosing

colour palettes, designing typography, and selecting or creating the right imagery.

Examples of packaging design

Designing packaging for food and beverages—think cereal boxes, drink cans, soup

cartons, and chocolate bar wrappers.

Designing packaging and labels for skincare, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products.

Designing packaging for toys and games.

Key skills

Packaging design draws upon all the fundamental principles and techniques of graphic

design. In addition, it requires:

Some knowledge of industrial design—for example, choosing the right materials for a

specific use case, as well as knowledge of structural design principles.

Proficiency in industry tools such as 3D packaging design software.

Knowledge of the packaging print and production process.

Job titles

Packaging designer

Packaging production artist

Graphic designer (packaging)

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VI. Graphic design for editorial and publishing

Graphic design has roots in the publishing industry, and graphic design for editorial and

publishing is still a thriving discipline to this day.

This type of graphic design focuses on the design of books, magazines, and brochures—

essentially any kind of publication, be it physical or digital.

Graphic design for editorial and publishing involves designing cover artwork for books and

magazines, designing typography, defining the hierarchy and alignment of text within the

publication, and designing the overall layout of each page.

Most editorial and publishing designers will span both print and digital publications, but

some may specialise exclusively in one or the other.

Examples of graphic design for editorial and publishing

Designing cover artwork for books and magazines (both printed and digital).

Creating custom illustrations and infographics for print and digital publications such as

books, brochures, and magazines.

Designing typography and typesetting—adjusting line spacing, paragraph indentation,

and text alignment to ensure readability of text.

Key skills

Graphic design for editorial and publishing requires the following skills:

Expert knowledge of typography and typesetting.

Strong knowledge of layout, composition, and page design principles.

An understanding of the book and print production process (if working in print).

Proficiency in specialist software such as Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, and Affinity

Publisher.

Illustration (if creating cover artwork).

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Job titles

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Book designer
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Layout artist/layout designer

Editorial designer

Publication designer

VII. Environmental graphic design

Environmental graphic design is the design of physical spaces. This type of graphic design

used to be called “architectural signage”—which gives you an immediate clue as to what it

entails.

The goal of environmental graphic design is twofold: first, to connect people with the places

they visit and experience, and second, to make it easy for them to find their way around.

Environmental graphic designers may be responsible for the visual design of shop fronts and

signs, for designing signage and wayfinding systems that help people to navigate a

particular building or space, for designing branded displays (for example, in a department

store), or designing installations for conferences, exhibitions, and other events.

Examples of environmental graphic design

Signs and shopfronts.

Murals.

Branded stands and displays for department stores.

Museums and exhibitions.

Signage systems to help people navigate.

The design of public transport systems.

Key skills

Environmental graphic design requires a unique skill set that combines graphic design and

architectural design. The most important skills include:

Expertise in wayfinding and signage design.

Thorough knowledge of accessibility standards and regulations pertaining to the

design of physical spaces.

Knowledge of branding and visual identity.

Understanding of architectural design concepts such as lighting, space, and different

materials.

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Job titles
Ente

Environmental graphic designer Ente

Wayfinding designer

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Exhibition designer

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VIII. Motion design and animation

This type of graphic design is a subset of digital graphic design. While graphic design

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typically involves static images, motion design, and animation is all about creating moving
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graphics and dynamic visual effects.

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Motion graphics and animations are used in a range of digital media—from websites and
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video tutorials to social media posts, adverts, and games. Often, motion design is all about

storytelling; connecting with the audience to deliver a message in the most engaging way

possible.

Examples of motion design and animation

Creating animated logos, icons, and other moving graphics for websites.

Illustrating and animating characters for movies and games.

Designing animated infographics and data visualisations to convey complex

information in a memorable and engaging way.

Key skills

Working in motion design and animation requires the following skills and knowledge:

Fundamental graphic design skills and principles, including colour theory, typography,

ARE
and layout.

Core principles of animation such as squash and stretch, timing, anticipation, and

staging.

Storytelling and storyboarding.

Proficiency in specialist software such as Adobe After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Adobe

Animate.

Job titles

Motion graphics designer

Animator

3D animator

Visual effects (VFX) artist

For more graphic design job titles (including those covered throughout this post), check out

this in-depth guide to the top graphic design jobs and their salaries.

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3. How to get started in graphic design

That concludes our round-up of the eight different types of graphic design. As you can see,

it’s a broad and varied field offering a whole host of unique career paths and opportunities.

If you’re new to graphic design, start by learning the fundamentals. Once you’ve got those in

place—and gained some initial experience in the field—you can start to think about where

and how you might specialise. Here are some resources to get you started:

Learn some basic graphic design theory with any one of these free graphic design

courses.

Level up with a professional qualification in graphic design. We’ve rounded up the best

full graphic design courses in this guide.

Follow this step-by-step guide to becoming a graphic designer.

Gain initial experience in the field with a graphic design internship.

If you’re already well-versed in the fundamental theories, principles, tools, and techniques of

graphic design, you can start adding to your existing skill set. Here’s how:

Learn new tools and software. If you want to specialise in animation, for example, start

learning Adobe After Effects. If you’re keen to branch out into publication design, follow

some Adobe InDesign tutorials.

Gain a deeper understanding of the different types of graphic design, especially those

you’re most interested in pursuing. We’ve rounded up some inspirational examples of

graphic design for print, digital, and branding here.

Work on relevant projects in your desired field and add them to your graphic design

portfolio. You can refer to AND learner Prakshyat Mahapatra’s portfolio for inspiration

and depper insight.

And remember: there’s no need to restrict yourself to just one type of graphic design. Don’t

be afraid to experiment with different types of graphic design and gain hands-on experience

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before you settle on a particular pathway. Once you’ve acquired the fundamentals, the world

really is your oyster!

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4. Next Steps:

Ready to get started with graphic design? Here are some additional resources you can

consider:

1. Watch this session by design veteran and AND’s Academic Head, Prachi Mittal, and our

Course Lead, Soumya Tiwari.

2. Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our

courses.

3. Pursue our Graphic Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive

classes by industry experts, and some even offer a Job Guarantee.

4. Take advantage of the scholarship and funding options that come with our courses to

overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.

Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of

publication.

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