When most people think of Graphic Design they think of logos, business cards, or invitations. However, graphic design is everywhere. That pretty patterned box to store your stationery? The label on your favorite brand of shampoo? That’s all graphic design! Even though we are surrounded by it, we rarely notice it! Here are a few unexpected places you find graphic design.
Packaging
Packaging is a huge specialty area of graphic design. Any product that comes in a printed box (such as cereal) is part of this category. Also included are the bottles, tubs, and tubes of most every day products such as shampoos or cosmetics. Those environmentally friendly bags that a lot of products have started to be packaged in? you guessed it…they’re all graphic design.
Labels
Labels is another area that is very prevalent, but most people don’t connect with graphic design. Most common type of labels would be for wine, food, and house hold items. Labels all have to match in some way so that customer would know that every variation of a product are all connected to the company that sells them and the product line they share. For example, different scents of lotions.
Tradeshow Materials and Signage
Tradeshow materials are another specialty area of design. I’m also going to include signage here because some of the companies that do permanent signage also create exhibit booths. All those eye-catching towers, back drops, and table over lays that you see at conferences and trade shows are all created by a graphic designer. These designers specialize in all of the large format branding items a company would need to stand out in a crowded exhibit hall.
Textiles
Fabrics are an unexpected source of graphic design. Much like the other areas I’ve mentioned, textiles are also a specialty area. Many of these designers create patterns and designs to use on knitted, printed or woven fabrics. These fabrics are used in different industries from home furnishings to fashion and more.
Templates
Templates are another area that is unexpected. Templates are very common place in our ever evolving digital age. Ever use an app on your smart phone to create an advertisement? What about an online or off the shelf pre made design to help you create business cards or a party invitation? Yep, that’s all graphic design! Templates often make us feel like we’re designing the product ourself. What sometimes gets forgotten is that graphic designers are often paid to provide templates to different template companies to help fill their catalog with eye catching pre-made designs.
Clip Art
Clip art is another area most people forget. I started drawing custom clip art when I was in school and I still draw it today. Clip art comes pre-loaded into so many computer programs, cloud based apps and services that it gets taken for granted. We all forget that there is an artist or designer creating each of those pieces of clip art that jazz up our presentations and report covers.
These are just a few of the unexpected places you find graphic design. Graphic design is all around us from the sheets on our beds to the clothes we wear and the foods we enjoy. So, the next time you pour a bowl of your favorite cereal, take a look at the box and remember… a graphic designer created it.
Need a little help with your next graphic design project? Contact me today! If you want it custom & effective… you want Purple Rose Graphics!