What is the difference between web design and graphic design?

juzi1986 · 07-05-2011, 10:49 PM

Arielen · 07-06-2011, 12:57 AM

Designing for web and print are two different experiences. Just because a designer is good at one doesn't mean they'll be good at the other. It's necessary to understand that web and print share many similarities, but they also have many differences.
Below is a list of things to consider when going from print design to web design:

Resolution
Resolution is the quality of an image. It's measured in terms of pixels. If you see an image listed as "72 ppi", that means the image has 72 pixels per inch (ppi). Because web graphics are viewed on screen, they should be no larger than 72 ppi. A large ppi image will load slower, and won't necessarily look any better.

Image Files - Gifs and Jpegs
JPEG stands for Joint Photographers Experts Group. It's a great format that retains color and detail found in photographs and graphics with lots of color blends. JPEGs can display millions of colors so it's ideal for print work.

GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. Most web pages use this format because it's supported by all web browsers, can display up to 256 colors, and can include transparent backgrounds. GIFS are appropriate for image files with little color variation, and for images that will only be viewed on screen.

Photographs saved as GIFs may appear grainy. Single color images saved as JPEGs may appear fuzzy. When you save a graphic image, consider what type of file it is. Remember, GIFs work best with images having few colors or color variations. JPEGs work best with photographs or images to be printed.

Fonts
There is a major difference between choosing fonts for web as opposed to print. With print design, your completed piece will display the font specified during the design process. You don't have to worry that a reader will open your brochure and not have the proper fonts displayed. However, web designers never know for sure if their fonts will display properly.
Unlike with print, web fonts differ based on the web browser being used. Your audience can only view the same font you're viewing if it's installed on their computer. If you design a beautiful website using Chaucer Bold, and none of your viewers have that font, their browsers will have to find a substitute.

This is why it's good to be conservative when it comes to web fonts. Your beautifully designed page can look horrible when displayed on someone else's browser. Don't let your hard work go to waste. Stick to fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Times New Roman, or Verdana. All web browsers are capable of displaying these fonts. However, if you do want to use a creative font, you can include it in a graphic file. But this will cause your page to load slower.

If you're a print designer faced with designing a web page, take time to study the subject. You will be able to create a pleasing and effective site if you recognize the differences between print and web design

lalit galgate · 07-06-2011, 03:17 AM

Which field covers broad area?

Jim Gillum · 07-06-2011, 06:44 PM

Such valuable posts......
Evens out my post count...

Inright · 07-14-2011, 01:23 PM

Add on: be careful of the color choices, different monitors show colors a little differently, check both PC and Mac just to make sure it's showing up alright. Mostly it's either a lighter background or a really dark background, the latter is cool but not as visual, but if well designed both can look awesome. Anyways, I find color is the one thing I can't stop worrying about when it comes to web design! And if you are a graphics designer already, I think color shouldn't be an issue.

Keep in mind there are 5 different browsers and desktop, Ipad, mobiles, it's very challenging if you want your page to show up nicely on all of them, I checked my site on mobile, it's not very pleasant, but I don't have the education of making it suitable for all devices or different window sizes, for now I'm not doing anything about it.

Hope this helps

Fleming Solutions · 07-14-2011, 01:37 PM

web design is your site..... graphics design is what goes on your site. Or thats what i'v been told lol

07-05-2011, 10:49 PM	#1
juzi1986 Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 104	What is the difference between web design and graphic design? What is the difference between web design and graphic design?

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07-06-2011, 12:57 AM	#2
Arielen Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2	Designing for web and print are two different experiences. Just because a designer is good at one doesn't mean they'll be good at the other. It's necessary to understand that web and print share many similarities, but they also have many differences. Below is a list of things to consider when going from print design to web design: Resolution Resolution is the quality of an image. It's measured in terms of pixels. If you see an image listed as "72 ppi", that means the image has 72 pixels per inch (ppi). Because web graphics are viewed on screen, they should be no larger than 72 ppi. A large ppi image will load slower, and won't necessarily look any better. Image Files - Gifs and Jpegs JPEG stands for Joint Photographers Experts Group. It's a great format that retains color and detail found in photographs and graphics with lots of color blends. JPEGs can display millions of colors so it's ideal for print work. GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. Most web pages use this format because it's supported by all web browsers, can display up to 256 colors, and can include transparent backgrounds. GIFS are appropriate for image files with little color variation, and for images that will only be viewed on screen. Photographs saved as GIFs may appear grainy. Single color images saved as JPEGs may appear fuzzy. When you save a graphic image, consider what type of file it is. Remember, GIFs work best with images having few colors or color variations. JPEGs work best with photographs or images to be printed. Fonts There is a major difference between choosing fonts for web as opposed to print. With print design, your completed piece will display the font specified during the design process. You don't have to worry that a reader will open your brochure and not have the proper fonts displayed. However, web designers never know for sure if their fonts will display properly. Unlike with print, web fonts differ based on the web browser being used. Your audience can only view the same font you're viewing if it's installed on their computer. If you design a beautiful website using Chaucer Bold, and none of your viewers have that font, their browsers will have to find a substitute. This is why it's good to be conservative when it comes to web fonts. Your beautifully designed page can look horrible when displayed on someone else's browser. Don't let your hard work go to waste. Stick to fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Times New Roman, or Verdana. All web browsers are capable of displaying these fonts. However, if you do want to use a creative font, you can include it in a graphic file. But this will cause your page to load slower. If you're a print designer faced with designing a web page, take time to study the subject. You will be able to create a pleasing and effective site if you recognize the differences between print and web design

07-06-2011, 03:17 AM	#3
lalit galgate Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 77	Which field covers broad area?

07-06-2011, 06:44 PM	#4
Jim Gillum Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Orange City, Florida Posts: 2,552	Such valuable posts...... Evens out my post count...

07-14-2011, 01:23 PM	#5
Inright Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: vancouver Posts: 75	Add on: be careful of the color choices, different monitors show colors a little differently, check both PC and Mac just to make sure it's showing up alright. Mostly it's either a lighter background or a really dark background, the latter is cool but not as visual, but if well designed both can look awesome. Anyways, I find color is the one thing I can't stop worrying about when it comes to web design! And if you are a graphics designer already, I think color shouldn't be an issue. Keep in mind there are 5 different browsers and desktop, Ipad, mobiles, it's very challenging if you want your page to show up nicely on all of them, I checked my site on mobile, it's not very pleasant, but I don't have the education of making it suitable for all devices or different window sizes, for now I'm not doing anything about it. Hope this helps

07-14-2011, 01:37 PM	#6
Fleming Solutions Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 11	web design is your site..... graphics design is what goes on your site. Or thats what i'v been told lol