Have you heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words? Now, think about how powerful a picture can be when you add words to it. If you love telling stories and sharing important messages using both images and text, then a career in communication design might be perfect for you.
But what exactly is communication design and what kind of jobs can graphic designers get in this area? Keep reading to find out about this interesting part of design and how you can start a career in making messages come to life with visuals and words.
What Is Communication Design?
Communication design is essentially the art and practice of using visual and textual content to convey information and ideas. It's a broad discipline that encompasses various forms of media including print, digital, and video.
The primary goal of communication design is to make the message clear and impactful for the intended audience. This field requires a blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and technical skills to create compelling narratives that engage and inform. From branding and advertising to user interface design, data visualization, and multimedia storytelling, communication designers craft the visual and verbal language that shapes our interaction with the world around us.
Communication Design vs. Graphic Design vs. Visual Communication
It's common to see communication design students and even graphic designers have some confusion between communication design, graphic design, and visual communication. While these fields are closely related, there are subtle differences that set them apart.
Graphic Design
When people talked about making things look good visually, they just said "graphic design". It's a familiar term that covers everything from making a single drawing to designing an entire advertisement. Sometimes, "graphic design" means arranging pictures and text in a way that looks good; other times, it might just mean using software like Photoshop to create marketing materials.
If a marketing team hires a graphic designer, they're usually asking them to work on one particular design job, not the whole advertising plan. In this situation, "graphic design" is about making images.
Communication Design
Communication design is more about planning how to show information or an idea with pictures. For communication designers, thinking about images is the first step in their job. They might work on making a brand look good, creating ads, or designing websites and apps. Their job isn't just to make pretty pictures; it's to use those images to share a message as effectively as possible.
If a graphic designer works on one piece of a project, a communication designer looks at the entire thing, making visuals and thinking about how to tell the company's story.
Visual Communication
Visual communication design is a lot like communication design and has the same goal: telling a story in a way that catches your attention. Think of a billboard you see while driving. A visual communicator would pick certain words, pictures, and typography styles on purpose to make sure you understand and remember their message. It's all about getting the right idea across without needing a lot of words.
Examples of Communication Design
Here are several career paths that individuals with a background in communication design often follow:
Branding
A brand identity designer plays a critical role in sculpting the visual aspect of a company's image. This involves crafting a cohesive set of various visual design elements, such as logos, font styles, color schemes, and imagery that collectively convey the essence of the brand. These elements work together to create a memorable identity that resonates with the target audience, builds trust, and differentiates the brand in a competitive market.
A brand identity designer not only focuses on aesthetic appeal but also ensures that every component aligns with the company's core values and messaging, providing a foundation for all of the brand's marketing and communication efforts. They work closely with the marketing team to develop and create consistent and impactful brand materials that effectively communicate the company's story.
Marketing & Advertising
Many people who study communication design are working in advertising. This could mean creating ads you see online, big signs you pass by on the highway, commercials on TV, and even printed stuff like flyers, notepads, and business cards. Not everyone working in ads does all these things, but lots of them handle a mix of these projects. Just like creating a brand, making good ads is key for any business. It takes a lot of creativity to stand out and grab your attention while making sure people get the message.
Some ads are made to make you laugh. Imagine an ad showing a guy with a wild beard made out of squirrels to sell razors – it's funny and unforgettable. Others might be a bit odd but smart, like an ad in a magazine that women can use as a pregnancy test and then, if positive, shows info about getting a baby bed. There are also ads meant to really make you think or feel something deep, such as a safety campaign featuring people who've been in car accidents, making you understand how important wearing a seat belt can be.
Use Pixcap design templates to create eye-catching marketing materials that will make your brand stands out.
Photojournalism
When design and communication come together in photojournalism, it means using pictures to communicate visually and tell news stories. Photojournalists take photos that show what's happening in the world - like events, problems, and people's lives.
Communication designers help by arranging these photos in newspapers, magazines, or online to make them stand out. They also work with journalists to make charts and graphics that go along with news stories.
Photojournalism isn't just in newspapers anymore. It's on social media too, like Instagram. This gives designers a chance to make posts that talk about what's going on in the world.
Web/App Design
Designing for the web or apps is a huge part of being a communication designer. With so many websites and apps out there, companies need designers to make sure their pages look great and their tools are easy to use.
Good web design means making sure the pages load quickly and that they're easy to read on different devices like phones and tablets. It also means choosing colors, fonts, and images that fit the company's brand.
App design is similar, but the design process also involves making sure the app runs smoothly and has a clean layout. This is important because users can quickly become frustrated with confusing or slow apps.
While it may seem like a simple task, web/app design requires many communication designers to have a deep understanding of user experience and interface design in order to create seamless and visually appealing digital products.
Why Is Communication Design Important?
Communication design helps bridge the gap between information and understanding. With the constant influx of information, it's important to have skilled communication designers who can effectively portray complex ideas and messages through visual means. They provide a sense of clarity and organization to information, making it easier for people to understand and retain.
Communication design plays a crucial role in shaping the way we perceive and interact with brands. A well-designed logo or website can leave a lasting impression on consumers, influencing their decision-making process and building brand loyalty.
Moreover, communication design has an impact on social and cultural contexts. It has the power to convey messages, spark conversations, and bring about social change through impactful visuals.
With the rise of digital media and technology, communication design has become even more important in today's society. From social media graphics to website layouts, communication designers are needed to create engaging and user-friendly experiences that capture and retain an audience's attention.
Want to Create a Design That Speaks?
3D graphic design has become an increasingly popular method of communication design. With the use of 3D visual elements, graphic designers can create realistic and dynamic visuals that immediately draw the audience's attention.
On Pixcap, you can find a large library of 3D elements, characters and templates to choose from, making it easy to create creative ads, posters, social media graphics and more.
