What are the differences between web design and graphic design and which career should I choose?

[Guest Anna Hussie]

I am currently a junior in high school (also taking classes at the local college to get ahead) and want to have a career in some sort of computer based designing, but I can't choose. The two I'm mainly considering are web design and graphic design. I personally would prefer being in graphic design, but I hear that the income isn't that great, and I'm not that creative or decisive, so I'm leaning towards web design. I'm just not that sure, though.

I'm trying to find out class and skill requirements, annual salary, and maybe more details about each career. Also personal input would be great, too!

[daddyalfie]

Well! It's a bit like comparing apples and oranges. They are both fruits, and therefore related. So it is with graphics-design and web-design.

 

Graphics is a wide field: Industrial design, illustration, fashion design, advertising design etc. and including web design - as far as designing the LAYOUT of a web-site.

 

Web design is more technical in that you will need to learn basic HTML and CSS as well as some computer languages such as php and others. This will teach you how to make your graphic web layout functional as a web-site.

 

Both fields are intensely competitive! So in order to make a decent living at it, you have to be GOOD at it! The key is Practice, practice, practice and learn, learn learn!

 

Good luck!

 

Alfie

Edited April 21, 2011 by daddyalfie

[Guest websitedesignerss]

There are numerous graphic designers out there who really know their stuff when it comes to print design, brochure layout, and Pantone Matching System (pms). However, not all graphic designers are good web designers. Web design is a totally different medium where the "paper size" (the screen resolution) changes for every viewer, colors don't cost extra, fonts are limited to a select handful, and extra images might mean losing customers.

[clifford]

i think u should do both courses coz for website u have to b professional and also have knowledge of color, expert in using graphic content in websites.

[LSW]

Perth really? This is not a chat room, you have time to write in real sentences, using U & B to replace words will not endear you to prospective customers. It makes you look more like a wannabe in your teens.

[LSW]

I like some of the explanations given here, print and print colors are different, sizes are different as mentioned...

 

But space is a major issue. A graphic designer has a whole area to work with, with web sites it is more just the top and left side so much less space to use graphics with (depending on the overall design). Also size (aka weight) means nothing to graphic designers for print, where size is important on the web, the bigger (aka heavier) an image is the longer it takes to load and the more bandwidth used to get it moved.

 

That is from the graphic standpoint.

 

Web really has two types:

1. Web Designer, generally a catch all. But it see it more specifically about image based design. A web designer is more attuned to the look and feel of the web site, how pretty it is, the graphics.
2. Web Developer, this is what I called myself. We tend to see the web site for what it is, content in a frame work of images. I build a web site not from the look of the site, but the code, programming and content of the site, then make it look good.

Some here will disagree and it is a broad description so may not fit all or even most; But the way I see it, developers make a site and then fit images to make it look nice, the focus on the content and structure. We are kin to programmers.

 

I feel web designers tend to think in images and looks. They create the look of the site so that it is center, then the make the content to fit their design. They are kin to graphic designers.

 

My view is that people will visit an ugly web site that has good content more than pretty web sites that have poor content.

 

That said it is a general description, we have some folks right here that walk the line very well blending great accessible structure and content with great design, but that is not a given, most people lean one way or the other.

[daddyalfie]

My view is that people will visit an ugly web site that has good content more than pretty web sites that have poor content.

 

AMEN!

[madhusmita]

Graphic design is a part of Web design.Both are different things.You can choose any according to your preference.Scope is unlimited for both of them as the use of Internet is growing day by day.Graphics design is also used for the animation and movies also.So, the choice depends on your creativity.Creative idea is the most important thing required for the graphics design career.

[Guest bellwether]

Graphic Design would focus on how to design graphically pleasing layouts. You would learn about color theory, typefaces, the relationship between design elements when placed on a page and just generally how to make things.

Web Design would require many of the skills of a good graphic designer but also, you'd need to learn how to write web pages. You'd probably start by learning HTML (hyper text mark up language) which is the scripting language web pages are made up of. You'd move on to current and updated languages like XML ,cascading style sheets,java script,wordpress,etc . in

Edited June 6, 2011 by Andrea
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