Are you a current or aspiring graphic designer whose wondering what the next level is for graphic designers like yourself professionally? If your love and curiosity for visuals, layouts, color palettes, motion and user experience got you thinking about a career in graphic design and more, you’ve come to the right place.
Graphic design is an exciting field that might open the doors to potentially lucrative opportunities in the future. Of course, that depends on how well you leverage the assets and opportunities available. This article dives into the journey from graphic design into User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design. Let’s jump right in!
Graphic Design - Your Starting Point
You’re probably wondering what graphic design has to do with UI/UX. That’s because most people’s idea of graphic design is that of a print-based media. However, the world is now locked and loaded on digital, and you have to think about integrating yourself into tech in one way or the other.
Graphic design is related to UI/UX design because they share quite a few similarities. If you’re performing academic research on this topic for an assignment like a research paper, then find your alternative in a reliable pay for essay website. With a professional writer on your speed dial, you can work through any part of your assignment such as the research, compilation, synthesis, drafting, and proofreading/editing.
Think of most of the websites or apps that really stand out. You’ll notice that the elements of graphic design are meshed into the overall UI of the website or app. The UI is in turn meshed into the core of the user experience, whose goal is to create intuitive and aesthetically appealing applications.
How Are Graphic Design and UI/UX Related?
Many of the principles and techniques you will learn as a graphic designer can be seamlessly translated into the UI/UX world. Some of these principles include color theory, composition, and typography. Let’s explore some of these principles in depth:
Hierarchy and Prioritization
This principle establishes visual weight which guides users towards the most important elements on a screen. For example, larger fonts automatically tell you that there is something important like a headline, a link or something else important that you’re looking at.
Likewise, contrasting colors and their placement on screen, some prominently all build hierarchy in your graphics.
Balance and Proportion
Balance refers to the distribution of elements on a page. It can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial. Proportion deals with the size of elements to each other. As a graphic designer and a creative, you probably are familiar with the principles of balance and proportion, even if unconsciously.
Contrast and Similarity
Contrast is the use of color, value, size, or other visual properties to make various elements stand out. Similarity groups bring related elements together.
Alignment and Proximity
Alignment refers to arranging elements to make them more visually connected and organized. Proximity groups related elements close together, reinforcing their relationships.
Repetition and White Space
Repetition of design elements, such as color, fonts, and layout styles, establishes consistency. That counts for a great user experience. Besides, as a brand, your marketing efforts will be more recognizable and your brand identity reinforced.
White space removes clutter, making your design more readable. It is also a general rule of thumb to include white space in all your work especially anything that’s visual.
From simple graphic design, you can start learning these principles and thus make your transition into UI/UX design.
From Graphic Design to UI/UX Design
Okay, we’ve mentioned some of the principles of good UI design. We’ve also covered the interface between these three areas. How do you transition from graphic design to UI/UX and eventually full web development?
That’s not a question or a path that’s carved in stone. The truth is, it depends on your interests. If you are a pure artist who just wants to focus on creating awesome digital graphics, then you might only need to learn some software like Adobe. However, if the goal is to create advanced graphics such as a website animation, you should read a bit wider.
Indeed, you may never get to write a single line of code as a UI/UX designer. However, the ability to read and understand code will prove useful especially if you’re working with a team of developers for the website or app. For example, you’ll better anticipate problems before they occur, or estimate how much of your design will impact the dev team.
Let’s see what the path might look like:
Start with typical web elements such as landing pages and infoletters.
Once you are good at graphic design, you should start adapting to the design principles we previously discussed.
Learn through tutorials, bootcamps, or even YouTube videos about front-end design principles such as wireframing and prototyping.
Learn a bit of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The range of learning depends on how deep you want to go.
Start designing and building simple websites or apps. This lets you think about navigation, user flows, dynamic content, and overall user experiences.
Advance your skills. If you are a static graphic designer, then the goal might be to move into areas such as animation and motion control.
Apply for gigs or a job. Once you feel confident enough in your abilities, then it’s time to start applying for work. Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork often have plenty of folks looking for people combining all these skills. You can also send out your applications to design agencies.
As a graphic designer transitioning into UI/UX, expect a lot of opportunities to present themselves if you can take the leap. For college students who are looking to learn graphic design or UI/UX design while in school, check out this payforessay review. You’ll learn more about how professional writers can assist you with balancing your school schedule better.
Conclusion
Graphic design is the foundation for creating visually appealing interfaces. But with UI/UX design, you’re going beyond aesthetics. This is about understanding users, and their needs, and thus crafting intuitive and functional experiences.
If you’re a graphic designer who’s been thinking about going into UI/UX or front-end design, this article is your cue. Remember to use the free sources available online such as Udemy and Coursera to learn about the fundamental design principles we have touched on. All the best of luck in your new journey!