Why Good Graphic Design Is About More Than Making Things Look Good

Design for somebody, not just yourself

One of the biggest changes a developing designer can make is to stop asking:

“Do I like this?”

and start asking:

“Will this communicate effectively with the people it is meant for?”

Those are two very different questions.

As professional designers, we aren't normally designing for ourselves. We are designing for a client, an organisation, a product, a service or an audience.

That means understanding who those people are becomes an important part of the creative process.

Something designed for a children's organisation will communicate differently from something created for a financial company.

A campaign aimed at teenagers may need a very different visual language from one aimed at senior business leaders.

There is no single visual answer that works for everybody.

That's one of the things that makes design so interesting.

 

The meaning behind what we see

Visual Communication also brings us into areas such as semiotics, the study of signs, symbols, and the meanings people attach to them.
You don't need to turn into an academic to understand why this matters.

We see symbols constantly.

A shape, colour, photograph or icon can communicate an idea before somebody has read a single word.
Sometimes those meanings are obvious. Sometimes they are influenced by culture, experience or context.

A skilled designer learns to become more aware of this.
Instead of simply placing an image because it looks attractive, they begin asking what that image actually says.

Instead of selecting a colour because it fits the current trend, they consider what that colour communicates within that particular project.

That change in thinking can completely change the way you approach design.

Your creative process matters

Our Visual Communication Specialist Level 4 course was developed for graphic designers who want to explore this side of the profession in much greater depth.
We look at effective visual communication, design for communication, semiotics, creative process, typography, colour, page layout, design styles, brand identity and other areas that help designers become stronger visual communicators.

But studying these subjects isn't enough on its own. You need to use them. That is why the course is built around projects and assignments, with students working alongside their one-to-one course tutor/professional design coach.
You learn by doing, reviewing, questioning and developing.
Because ultimately, the aim isn't simply to know more about graphic design.

It is to become better at doing it.
Your portfolio, your ideas, your ability to communicate and your ability to solve design problems creatively will always say a great deal about you as a designer.
So the next time you look at one of your designs, don't only ask yourself whether it looks good.

 

Ask yourself something more important:

What is it communicating?

Discover Visual Communication Specialist Level 4

If you already have graphic design experience and want to develop your communication, creativity and individual approach further, take a closer look at our Visual Communication Specialist Level 4 course.

 

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