People often think of graphic design as art, as in, “I’m creative and love to draw so my friends think I should go into graphic design.” But in fact, effective design is more of a science. Mastering the theories of design allows designers to tap into a deep understanding of human nature to engage effectively with consumers.
While creativity and a strong aesthetic sense are important, what sets graphic design apart from fine art is its functionality, and its ability to sell products, solicit donations, or raise awareness. “Strategy first, execution second,” says Meny Hoffman, CEO of the Ptex Group, a Brooklyn-based marketing agency. “A well-conceived ad begins with an objective, which designers then communicate through a wide variety of techniques.”
While the principles of good design and the basics of human psychology are pretty much what they always were, an effective designer is also aware that audiences differ and tastes vary. Unlike the immutable laws of the hard sciences, people change, styles come and go, and what definitely worked in magazines in the ’90s may no longer be true in the web-savvy 2020s. So yeah, it’s an art too, not just science.
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