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Top 10 Types of Graphic Design and Their Unique Applications

Top 10 Types of Graphic Design and Their Unique Applications
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Graphic design is a way of communication to inform, persuade, and interact with the audience through visual content. For that reason, many industries need graphic design to convey their brand or create extraordinary products. These 10 types of graphic design that are crucial in several sectors came out to meet the needs. 

We’ll examine those types of graphic design that significantly impact various industries. 

Essential 10 Types of Graphic Design

Whether for traditional or digital media, graphic design is crucial and adaptable in various sectors. Therefore, graphic design can be divided into these categories. 

1. Branding Design

1. Branding Design
Brand Guidelines design | source: freepik.com

Every company needs a brand identity, which is why branding design is crucial in creating a memorable brand identity. 

This type of design helps create brand guidelines, allowing the company to have a strong visual identity and streamline the subsequent design process. It also establishes visual elements that align with the brand’s goal and vision, such as typography, color scheme, and illustration served for logo, signage, or business card. 

Also Read: Top 10 Innovations in Graphic Design for the Creative Industry

2. Marketing and Advertising Design

2. Marketing and Advertising Design
Nike’s Advertising Design | source: adobe.com

Marketing and advertising design is critical in promoting and introducing the company’s products. The designers and marketing strategists often collaborate to produce convincing advertising materials. 

Additionally, advertising media may include traditional, such as flyers, banners, and posters, and digital platforms, such as email newsletters or social media ads. 

3. Product and Packaging Design

3. Product and Packaging Design
Milgard Dairy Packaging Design | source: manypixels.co

Graphic design also closely relates to product creation where product designers are involved in making both attractive and practical products. Designing a product is a complex process that may undergo several trials and errors, including product prototypes. 

Packaging design is also an important part of this graphic design type. Packaging is not only functional to protect your product, but also to convince your audience to purchase it.  

4. UI and UX Design

4. UI and UX Design
UI Design for mobile apps by Ronas IT | source: dribbble.com

User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design are actually different types of design, but they often work together. While UI design must produce an amazing and engaging interface, UX ensures the product is enjoyable to use and prevents design failure

As one of 10 types of graphic design, UI and UX are commonly involved in web or application building. The tasks in this area often include user researching, wireframe designing, and product testing. 

Also Read: 10+ Best Graphic Design Tips 2025 Flash Photography

5. Web Design

5. Web Design
E-commerce web design by Saleh Ahmed | source: dribbble.com

Like its name, web design refers to the process of designing a website. Unlike UI and UX, web design is mainly for website building and can involve those designs. Additionally, web design is essential for promoting a business’s brand and products. Hence, creating a dynamic and user-friendly website is vital.  

6. Printing and Editorial Design

6. Printing and Editorial Design
Fashion Magazine Design by Mukhlasur Rahman | source: dribbble.com

Printing and editorial design work with printable media, such as books, magazines, newspapers, catalogs, and vinyl album covers. Printing design often focuses on delivering messages and information, although it can also communicate the company’s brands and advertisements. 

Since printing design involves real-life products, it must consider readers’ experience by ensuring proper layout, format, pacing, whitespace, scale, color profile, and image resolution.

7. Motion Design

7. Motion Design
Logo animation design by Dmytro Afanasiev | source: dribbble.com

As one of 10 types of graphic design, motion design is the most recent one. This design focuses on creating 2D or 3D animations using various animation software. This design also helps with branding and guarantees improved audience engagement. As a result, this style works well for video and commercial content. 

Also Read: 10 Predictions for Graphic Design in the Next 10 Years

8. Typeface Design

8. Typeface Design
Typeface design by DM Letter Studio

You may notice typeface comes in various styles and appearances. Typographers are responsible for designing legible and visually attractive fonts. Although it appears to be a simple task, typeface design is an intricate process. It must consider readability, appearance, and function. 

Besides, typography is critical for branding. Therefore, typographers must create fonts that envision the brand’s image. Their fonts will be useful for messages, advertisements, and logos.  

9. Environmental Design

9. Environmental Design
Environmental Mural Design by Jesse Bowser | source: dribbble.com

Experiential or environmental design creates visuals that enhance the look, feel, and function of the surrounding environment or public spaces. It is a way to communicate with the environment and share the experience with audiences or visitors. 

Additionally, the output of environmental design includes murals, signage, exterior building displays, retail store displays, public sculptures, and fountains. 

10. Illustration Design

10. Illustration Design
Book Cover Illustration Design by Raul Gil | source: dribbble.com

Illustration is like an artistic form of graphic design where you draw original and stunning designs. While graphic design focuses on conveying messages, illustration is more like expressing the feeling. 

Nevertheless, illustration is also useful for branding. It helps the company to create visual content to attract the audiences. Moreover, illustration can design mascots, characters, graphic novels, and book covers.  

Also Read: Graphic Design Tips 2025: How to Stand Out in a Competitive Market

Which Type of Graphic Design Do You Excel in?

The 10 types of graphic design offer unique and diverse applications in various industries, from creating brand identities to crafting seamless digital experiences. So, which type of graphic design do you excel in? Recognize your strong point in a specific design discipline so you can adapt and make a significant impact.  

Each type of design offers distinct challenges, but once you understand their roles, you can design outstanding visuals that deliver messages and emotions. 

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