graph·ic de·sign
/ˌɡrafik dəˈzīn,ˌɡrafik dēˈzīn/
Noun: The art or skill of combining text and pictures.
According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), graphic design is defined as “the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content.” In other terms, graphic design communicates certain ideas or messages in a visual way.
Without content, you can’t have graphic design. You wouldn’t design an airplane without first knowing what its purpose is – how many passengers need to be carried, how much cargo will be carried, how far it will be expected to travel, if it will be flown from runways or waterways, etc.
8Bend’s Content and Graphic Design Process
When we kick off design for a client, we’ll want to know a few things:
- What are your goals?
- Do you have brand standards (logos, color palette imagery and typography)?
- What is your target audience?
- We’ll ask subjective questions and seek examples of what you like or who you think does “x” well.
This is an important part of our process, as it helps us clarify your goals and deliver a product that fits your brand and creative preferences.
The Goal of Graphic Design
Consider the time your audience has to absorb a message on a billboard they are passing at 70mph (or 10mph if you’re in Atlanta), versus a company overview PDF they have downloaded on their laptop. You wouldn’t put a paragraph on a billboard that someone would have to slow down or stop to read, but that would be perfectly acceptable on a company overview PDF.
There’s a lot of ways to deliver the crafted words and visuals. Depending on the client, aesthetics will vary, but basic design fundamentals should still be taken into account. Here are a few basic design fundamentals that should be considered by a good graphic designer:
- Brand standards
- Text hierarchy
- Element hierarchy
- Whether something is made for digital use or print
- Things like contrast, white space, and unity
Ultimately, if content and design are well executed, the audience will be motivated to take action – click, call, visit a website, visit a store or make a purchase.
8Bend Marketing Can Help Graphic Design and Content Complement Each Other
Without content, there is no graphic design. 8Bend Marketing can help you write impactful content and pair it with beautiful graphic design that motivates your potential customers to take action. 8Bend Marketing is a StoryBrand Certified Agency with experts who can bring your ideas to life.
Graphic design is an important part of your business strategy and should not be taken lightly! Don’t leave your ideas sitting on the shelf just because you’re not sure how to execute them.
Schedule a discovery call today!
Matt Geiger is 8Bend Marketing’s talented and strategic Graphic Designer. Matt takes clients’ big ideas from concept to real-life, whether the project is a website, informative PDF, brand identity, or product packaging.
