Tweet

Essential Skills in Website Design and Graphic Design

Guest post by: Grace Alexa

Article Overview: Website design and graphic design are two different experiences and require different sets of skills. Web design skills include HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Graphic design skills include sketching, typography and print design & layout.

Essential Skills in Website Design and Graphic Design

Website design and graphic design are two different genres. While graphic design is about designing for print, website design is all about designing for the web. More often than not people consider graphic designing and website designing as one and the same thing. Just because a designer is good at one doesn’t mean he’ll be good at the other as well.

Graphic design is commonly used for creating corporate logos, advertisements, publications and product packaging. Moreover, it is used in web design as well. So when graphic design is used in website design, does that make these two genres the same? The answer is NO. There are different sets of skills required by a web designer and graphic designer. While some skills might be common, there still are others that are exclusive to each profession.

There are some common skills that a graphic designers as well as a web designer must possess-

- Creativity

- Logical thinking

- Attention to details

- Teamwork

- Time management

- Entrepreneurial skills

- Graphic design basics and website design basics (both the genres are closely related and so knowledge about them would be beneficial for both type of designers)

Skills required in website design:

Despite the shared skills, a web designer should also learn certain skills that a graphic designer may not be aware of. Some of these skills are:

1. HTML- For beginners HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) is the starting point in web design. HTML is the fundamental skill which is used for creating web pages. It uses tags to open and close a passage of text.

2. CSS- Cascading Style Sheets is another fundamental skill in web design that helps in converting the HTML codes into the formatted web page normally seen on a website. It deals with the look and format of each web page with respect to the colours, text, fonts and borders etc.

3. JavaScript- This is the script language used in web designing and is associated with HTML. This language enhances the feature of interactivity of a web page by adding dynamic content. The JS is embedded within the HTML code.

4. SEO- A web designer has to ensure that the site is search engine-friendly. He has to understand the basics of search engine optimisation and incorporate its features in the design in order to help the website gain more exposure and visibility on the Internet.

Skills required in graphic design:

Just like website design, graphic design too requires a different set of skills. Some of these skills are:

1. Sketching/Drawing- This is the basic skill that a graphic designer must have to graphically depict his ideas on paper. The designer can also learn a variety of computer software to improve his sketching ability.

2. Typography- It is the art of type design and requires a firm understanding of font families, use of line-height, kerning and tracking. A graphic designer must learn the difference between families and styles of type and when to best use them.

3. Print Design & Layout- An understanding of digital print production is a pre-requisite for a graphic designer. The use of page layout programs such as Adobe, InDesign and Quark is essential. The designer should have a thorough knowledge of the printing process to understand the use of colour space.

4. Photography- This is an add-on skill that can further improve the ability of a graphic designer to impress his clients. Using a digital camera, the designer can adequately illuminate the subject.

Related Articles
  When Graphic Design Takes Over Web Design
  Graphic designing vs. Web designing
  How Has Website Design Influenced the Graphic Design Industry?
  Role of Graphic Design in a Website
  Common Mistakes by Graphic Designers in Web Design
  Enhance Your Web Design With Graphic Design Services
  Why Graphic Design is Necessary in Your Web Design?
  5 Strategies for Working with Website Designers and Graphic Designers
  Get Graphic Design done for your Website
  See The Real Difference With Customized Graphic Designs
  Improve the Visual Appeal of Your Website Through Graphic Design
  Home-based business: Graphic Design
  How can Graphic Design be used for Establishing a Positive Business Impression?
  Why You Should Use Graphic Templates
  How to Choose a Web Designer
  Essential Tools for Website and Graphic Designers
  Ways to Design Business Cards
  Key Factors that Ensure Result-Oriented Graphic Design for Websites
  Interesting Graphic Design Elements in a Visually Appealing Website Design
  Basic Visual Web Design Mistakes to Avoid

Article Tags: Graphic Design, Web Design, Web Designer, Web Development, Website Design



Related Forum Posts
Re: what position to request? - Hi Michael, Great suggestion from David, or you could try something around a design consultancy, How about Website Design Consultant, Design and Development Manager, Website Support and Development Manager or maybe Internet Business Development Consultant. Ultimately whatever you are comfortable with and good luck for the future, Mal.
Fashion Designers Needed - My name is Blake and I am also starting a clothing line (to some extent)and I think that maybe I could help us both. I am a Graphic Design major from the University of Central Oklahoma and I would like to provide you with some ideas and designs...and all I ask in return is some feedback (positive or negative). If this sounds beneficial please contact me and describe what it is specifically would help you.
Re: Top Banner Help - [quote:35xjo6uq]Good job on the banners BennyBoy![/quote:35xjo6uq] No probs:) I agree Online Marketing and Publicity Search Engine Optimization - Web Design and Programming Blogging also may be... Web Design Tutorials Looking to Hire - jobs section Interesting Articles / websites
Re: Reduce Bounce Rate - Website bounce rate matters most today. You can decrease by providing 1. Good Web Layout And Design 2. Relevant and unique content 3. Content clear and proper navigation 4. Improve website loading speed 5. Add relevant images 6. Analysis of keywords 7. Minimize pages 8. optimize your target keywords 9. Good quality of links 10. Take People Where They Want to Go
Managing Your Website - Hi Beat I know what you are talking about when you say it could be a frustrating experience. I would recommend to every business owner to find a website partner who can handle the Website Design/SEO/Hosting by themselves while still at a reasonable cost to your business. This is the most economical way to operate the online side of your business if you are unsure about it. I actually do this for a few clients myself and all I do is send them a bill every year for hosting/seo but if there are any problems its up to me to call the hosting company to find out what's wrong as well as keep them high ranking for particular keywords. If anyone else has found it difficult with their website, hosting or the management of any online services please post your feedback here and I'll try to advise your best option.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Setting Goals for your Home Based Business

10 Steps to a Great Support Team

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.