What Is Graphic Design? History and Basic Elements

Learn about the evolution of graphic design, get to know its key elements, and learn the secrets to becoming a successful designer

We live in a world filled with graphic design. It manifests itself when we don't know which book to choose in a bookstore, and we buy the one whose cover catches our eye. It is also present in the subway or airport, where the signage shows us which way to go. Or even on television, when we see a map full of shapes and colors reflecting the information in the news.

Graphic design is super important and constantly present in our lives, although we often do not even recognize it. Read on to learn what graphic design is, how relevant it is in business and social media, and how it can be used in the design process.

What is graphic design?

Many people tend to associate graphic design with art. Although they are closely related, graphic design is not about art but visual communication, as its objective is always to convey a specific message effectively. How, then, can we describe graphic design?

According to the American Institute of Graphic Design, graphic design involves planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content.

Therefore, graphic design is a discipline that communicates a specific message with images aimed at a particular audience and with clear objectives. For this purpose, it uses shapes, colors, typographies, and all kinds of visual elements, which you will discover below.

Why is graphic design so relevant in today's world?

Based on its definition, it is easy to understand the importance of graphic design in that it helps us to achieve all kinds of communication objectives.

With the development of new technologies, tools have become available to create increasingly innovative projects, and the channels and supports on which they are developed have multiplied. Businesses and entrepreneurs are increasingly aware of the role played by graphic design to grow brands and boost their commercial activities in physical, advertising, digital and social media formats.

Graphic design transmits the corporate identity of a brand to its target audience by capturing ideas, values, and messages in an attractive way, but not only that. Graphic design also allows us to make an excellent first impression, project the image we want to (from professionalism and confidence to versatility and freshness), and distinguish a brand from its competitors.

Thanks to visual communication, we can elevate messages, and present information in a more eye-catching way, making it easier to understand. In short, graphic design is a compelling discipline that has played a significant role in our society for decades.

History and evolution of graphic design: the 3 key periods

When did graphic design first come about? This is not a simple question, but according to creative director Christopher Pierce (@chrispierceterry), we can look at three clearly defined eras.

Period 1: The early days (1450 - 1920)

According to this classification, the history of graphic design began when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, which changed the history of humankind forever. It was first used to reproduce books that were previously copied by hand. Soon after, however, companies began to order pamphlets from printers to promote their products.

In the 1890s, artists such as Chéret and Toulouse-Lautrec, alongside painting to depict scenes of daily life, began to use their art to create the first posters ever seen in the world, advertising the plays at the Moulin Rouge.

Gradually, graphic design moved forward and also spread to different areas. In 1910, English designer Talwin Morris began designing book covers for Penguin Books, something that had never been seen before. His abstract illustrations portrayed the subject matter of the book.

In the early 1920s, Dutch designer Theo van Doesburg created the first stationery items for a company called NB. And so we see how graphic design evolved little by little until it came into its own.

Period 2: Modernism (1920 - 1980)

From the 1920s onwards, graphic design began to change as the first logos were created. In Germany, the Bauhaus movement was founded, marking a significant change in this discipline. Artists such as El Lisitski or Jan Tschichold began to experiment. Design pieces changed radically, going from highly illustrated compositions to a combination of shapes, colors, and typographies that expressed a lot more with fewer elements.

In the mid-20th century, the advent of color photography resulted in great advances in graphic design in publications, especially in magazines (such as Vogue or Harper's Bazaar), with covers competing for attention.

In the 1960s, graphic design made its way into movie posters with designer Saul Bass. It was no longer necessary for a photograph of the actor or actress to be shown. Other resources could be used to convey the message, as shown, for example, in the famous poster for the movie Vertigo.

By the 1970s, the most critical advances in graphic design were made in the corporate industry. What would later be known as corporate identity systems were first created, and logos became an indispensable element for any brand.

Period 3: The digital era (1980 - present)

This era began with the birth of the personal computer, a tool that forever changed the graphic design profession and industry. Everything that designers previously had to do in large workshops was concentrated in a small space, and they were able to do more work in less time.

They began experimenting more and more with typographies and shapes in search of eye-catching designs. The 1980s also saw the emergence of the first socially charged design pieces. Designer Barbara Kruger stood out in this field with posters that were notable for their strong social messages.

In the following years and up to the present day, new technologies have increasingly influenced graphic design and the way professionals work. How far will such influence go? What is the future of graphic design? We'll have to find that out for ourselves.

4 key elements of graphic design

We can use different visual elements in graphic design to convey meanings in our works and achieve unique graphic pieces. These are some of the most relevant ones:

1. Typography

Every typography has its personality. Shape and style have something to say beyond the words built from a typeface. Therefore, a graphic designer must know how to choose the most appropriate font for each project.

Typefaces are classified into three different classes:

a) Serif typefaces: they are characterized by their terminals or end caps at the edges of the characters. They were the first to be used in the realm of graphic design. As many of them are old, we can associate them with classic and elegant looks.

b) Sans serif typefaces: they are, in contrast, the outcome of modernity in graphic design. They do not have end caps. Graphic designers favored them in the 20th century due to their clean and tidy appearance. The Bauhaus, for example, was one of the first movements that experimented a great deal with this typography style.

c) Decorative typography: it is composed of several type styles, such as script, handwritten, and blackletter. The fonts have an ornamental nature and tend to be used sparingly.

In addition, some typefaces are part of an extensive typeface range with different thicknesses. This helps to emphasize ideas or generate a hierarchy within the composition.

2. Color

Choosing the right colors is crucial to define the tone and style of a design. Thanks to the use of color, we can guide the viewer's eyes to what we want to emphasize, convey emotions and meanings, create contrast and generate harmony, and even break it if that is what we want to achieve.

Pictorial colors (CMYK) are used in printed media, and light colors (RGB) are used in digital media. There are also three color features that every graphic designer must take into account when creating a palette: hue, saturation, and luminosity.

3. Shape

Lines, dots, and shapes can help us create compositions and express meaning. When they appear in a design, both geometric shapes (squares, triangles, polygons...) and organic or free shapes (which can represent any object) interact with one another. By doing so, they can transmit emotions, movement, dynamism, highlight elements of a design, and more.

Since each one evokes specific meanings, shapes are of great importance when communicating concepts visually. For example, the geometry of the square communicates order, seriousness, control, and stability, while the circle transmits an idea of fullness, harmony, and movement.

4. Balance and composition

For any design to be attractive and effective, the correct distribution of the elements of the composition is essential. We can talk about three types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial.

a) Symmetrical balance is formed around a vertical and/or horizontal axis so that the weight of the elements is divided evenly.

b) Asymmetrical balance is not uniform or uses an analytical pattern necessarily. However, you can use other elements, such as scale, contrast, or color, to achieve a design that works.

c) Radial balance places the elements of a design in a circular pattern, providing a sensation of movement and dynamism.

However, achieving a good composition goes far beyond these aspects: it is a dance of weights, sizes, and colors. For this reason, grids are great allies of every graphic designer when arranging different elements.

How do you learn graphic design? The qualities of a good designer

In addition to being familiar with all the above elements, you need to master multiple skills to be a good graphic designer.

1. Train in various disciplines

Specific skills may vary depending on the area to which you dedicate yourself. Still, it is not enough to have a taste for aesthetics and a basic notion of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. A visual communication professional must have knowledge of drawing, spatial vision, color, composition, and typography.

2. Master design software

In addition to knowing how to use the essential tools of Adobe programs such as Photoshop, you need to master various design and image editing software such as:

- Adobe Illustrator
- Sketch
- Affinity Designer
- InDesign
- Adobe XD

You can discover tips, tricks, and secrets for mastering these programs and the techniques of great graphic design specialists in these 10 free Domestika graphic design tutorials.

3. Follow the trends

Every good graphic designer must be detail-oriented, patient, up-to-date with the latest trends, and, above all, very creative. Creativity is the heart of a graphic designer's work and allows one to generate ideas that solve communication problems.

Nowadays, there is a demand for designers focused on design for social media since all brands center part of their business on attracting the attention of audiences that consume products and content on these channels.

All these skills are essential to generate designs that evoke emotions and capture the message that needs to be conveyed graphically.

Graphic design courses

If you want to learn how to become a skilled graphic designer or improve as a professional, you will find plenty of tips from the best experts in all of Domestika's online graphic design courses.

Check out these 10 online graphic design courses to get started or to lay the foundations of this discipline. Learn how to use the tools like a pro, master the must-have design programs, and discover all the tricks that have led graphic designers to become successful professionals.

English version by @acesarato

More resources for graphic designers

1. Mario Eskenazi, the winner of the 2000 National Design Award in Spain, recommends 18 essential graphic design books, both classic and modern.

2. Discover the steps to follow and tips to enhance your creativity in the blog post
What Is Design Process, and Why Is It Important?