8 Key Differences Between a Web Designer & a Graphic Designer

Web Design, Mobile App Development, & Online Advertising in Singapore.

If you need a website, you need to hire a web designer or developer. However, if you need printing stuff, a graphic designer can help you. If you are unsure about the difference between a web designer and a graphic designer, read this blog post.

Web Design, Mobile App Development, & Online Advertising in Singapore.

Here, I’ve shared some of the major distinctions that separate a web designer from a graphic designer.

Let’s begin!

#1 Purpose:

The core purpose of hiring a web designer is to design a website that interacts well with the users digitally. In other words, a web designer is usually concerned with the designing of their clients’ websites. They don’t get into print media or publishing tasks.

A graphic designer’s primary role includes designing print materials such as brochures, posters, logos, etc. Most graphic designers don’t know how to build webpages professionally.

#2 Coding Skills:

The coding skills of a web designer include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, etc. These coding skills are a must for web designers for front-end development.

A graphic designer, on the other hand, doesn’t require any coding skills to do their job. They focus more on aesthetics & visualization.

#3 Key Performance Indicators:

A web designer’s KPI includes designing a website that engages users.

The KPI of a graphic designer is to create visually appealing graphics for print or digital media.

#4 Layout Constraints:

A web designer has to consider the layout limitations for different devices such as mobiles, tablets, laptops, etc. In other words, they need to build a responsive website.

A graphic designer has a wider range of layouts that they can work with. They may have to create designs for a magazine, billboard, business card, flyer, brochure, and many more.

#5 Typography Considerations:

When it comes to using fonts, a web designer has to make sure that they are using web-safe fonts and considering legibility across various devices and screen sizes.
On the contrary, a graphic designer has more freedom to choose from a broader range of fonts, as print is not constrained by the same issues as web typography.

#6 Collaboration:

Web designers collaborate closely with web developers to ensure the design is implemented correctly and functions as intended.

A graphic designer may not work as closely with the developers. However, they may need to collaborate with printers, marketers, and clients.

#7 Update Frequency:

A web designer may have to make frequent updates to the website according to the users’ feedback. Even after the website’s launch, web designers can make changes to the website without any hassles. However, in the case of graphic designing, the changes are very rare and can be done only before the commencement of final printing or publishing. Once the printing is done, it becomes very difficult for the graphic designers to make changes to their works.

#8 Content dynamism:

Website designers may have to work on dynamic content for the website development that may include animation, validation, etc. Graphic designers mainly work on the static content that needs to be printed or published in magazines, brochures, etc.