Should You Hire a Graphic Designer or a Graphic Artist?

Who should you seek out — a Graphic Designer or a Graphic Artist?

The answer to this question is actually fairly simple ­— if you consider what you have to work with and what you want to accomplish.

Customers often ask me to work on a project as a Graphic Designer without realizing that what they really need is a Graphic Artist. When I meet with a client and they request art to be created from their ideas rather than use their images and information to communicate, I often have to redirect them.

Graphic Designers and Graphic Artists have many similarities when they sit down at the keyboard – they both use similar software and work with design elements, after all. But the “ingredients” they begin with and the creations they end up with differ as significantly as the kitchen creations that a chef or a baker might produce.

Before you search out either a Graphic Designer or a Graphic Artist, consider what you have on hand now and what you want to have at the completion of the project.

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Does one (or more) of the following statements describe your graphic branding situation?

• You currently have a strong visual platform.
• You are looking for a mode to communicate something.
• You want to reach an audience with your established branding but just need the optimal visual medium for your message.
• You have a strong company image, numerous product photos and/or technical guides already in use. You know who you want to reach.
• You have a specific timeframe in which you want your information to get into the hands of your customers.
• You know what your focus is and what group of people you are targeting within a certain demographic, industry, or type of event.

If this describes your company then you should look for a Graphic Designer. A Graphic Designer will take your existing branding and material, pinpoint what you are trying to accomplish and target your final product to desired audiences.

Graphic Designers are professionals who build visual bridges from your company to your target audience using your existing branding. Such bridges may come in the form of web pages, print materials, promotional pieces, or even large format communication.

Bottom line: A Graphic Designer will take your platform and communicate that to your audience.

If the above statements don’t describe your graphic branding status, perhaps one of these does:

• Your message still in the conceptual phase.
• You’re looking for someone to take your thoughts, even dreams, and create an image others can see.
• You’re looking to launch a new venture.
• You need to gather bits of various material and pull it together.
• You want to unify typography, charts, photos, and meld it all into a top-notch identity of your business.
• You are ready to launch something phenomenal but need help with visual concepts.
• You need to refresh your branding.

If this describes your company then you should look for a Graphic Artist. A Graphic Artist works in a visual medium to create an identity, often used as a launching pad, to birth your product, new website, or maybe even your entire company!

A Graphic Artist basically takes your ideas and enriches them with the visual arts to give you a tangible graphical item.

Bottom line: A Graphic Artist will provide your company with the branding it needs to reach its audience.

So… Are You Looking to Communicate or to Become?

Do you need to better communicate to your audience with your existing branding? Look for a Graphic Designer.

Or do you need to become the brand you need to be to reach your target audience? Look for a Graphic Artist.

Before you search out either a Graphic Designer or a Graphic Artist, consider the ingredients you have. Give some thought to what finished product you’d like to see. Perhaps you need an entrée of Chicken Chesapeake, or perhaps, what you really want (um, need) is a piece of Smith Island Cake!

We can help you communicate visually with your online audience. Rystedt Creative’s WordPress Development Services come bundled with graphic art and design. Tell us about your project to get started.