Graphic Designer Vs. Graphic Artist (Comparison And Details)

Updated 20 December 2022

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A graphic designer usually creates visual marketing materials and works closely with colleagues to make visual digital content. A graphic artist generally works on visuals for digital art or design as a part of a story or narrative. By learning the differences between the two, you can decide which field you can choose and what skills you require to excel in the fields. In this article, we look at the comparison of a graphic designer vs. a graphic artist and discuss what they do and how much they earn.

Graphic Designer Vs. Graphic Artist Comparison

There are many similarities when comparing a graphic designer vs. a graphic artist, which include that they both create visuals, make work for both digital and print, and may even use the tools and technologies. Even with multiple similarities, the objectives of the work they do are also significantly different. Here are the major differences between these professions:

What does a graphic designer do?

A graphic designer creates visual concepts that educate, inform, and captivate customers. Graphic designers work in the fields of specialized design, publishing, marketing, advertising, public relations, and other related services. They usually work with clients and create visuals as per briefs, conceptualize ideas, and create illustrations, logos, and other brand identity collaterals, alongside deciding the visual identity of businesses, campaigns, and projects. The typical roles and responsibilities of a graphic designer include:

Studying, planning, and conceptualizing information and materials provided to them
Obtaining the approval of the concept by submitting a rough layout for approval from the client
Preparing the final layout by marking and pasting up the finished copy and art
Completing the projects by coordinating with outside agencies, art services, and printers
Maintaining technical knowledge by attending design workshops, professional publication reviews, and participation in professional societies
Contributing to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.

What does a graphic artist do?

Graphic designers create artwork for specific projects and campaigns. A graphic designer creates a marketing solution or conveys an overall message, such as an advertisement or book jacket cover, by combining the work of one or more graphic artists. Graphic artists can be illustrators or animators, and they can even work in different industries to create artwork. Most graphic artists have a distinct style that they employ when a client requests a piece of artwork. Companies frequently hire graphic artists to create artwork for a particular project. The role of a graphic artist generally includes:

Executing concepts for videos and digital ads in the form of art
Actively participating in video or image ideation and scoping the story
Discussing workflow and production efficiencies
Deciding the theme of the project, including color palettes and design style
Developing images for campaigns and social media
Collaborating with other artists to decide the storyline and concepts

How Much Does A Graphic Designer Make?

The average base salary for a graphic designer is ₹18,646 per month. The salary of a graphic designer can vary depending on the industry. A graphic designer can work along with the marketing team or the development teams of websites and apps. The salaries can also vary based on field experience, location, popularity, education, and training. In some cases, it can also vary based on the design tools and software you use. Here are the various industries that graphic designers can work for:

Manufacturing

Graphic designers work in the manufacturing industry to connect products and customers. They usually develop the look of the product's packaging and make it appealing so that the customers are more likely to buy it. A good design made by a graphic designer can not only showcase the product uniquely but also highlight the important aspects of the product on the packaging. They may also discuss the product with the other departments to ensure there is an alignment between technical details and good design.

Publishing

In the publishing industry, graphic designers create all the designs to advertise the published product, as well as the main product page. They work on printable advertisements like magazines, banners, and standees, digital necessities like logos and icons, and also the product pages like magazine covers and book covers. They help design the layout of the content so that the content is easy to read and the overall look of the magazine or book is aesthetic and organized. Graphic designers can often create both digital media content and print layouts.

Advertising

Graphic designers usually freelance in the advertising industry, but sometimes they can have tie-ups with advertising companies. They are generally responsible for creating digital and print visuals as per requirements. They can work on visual presentations, reports, advertisements, and animation. Some graphic designers also learn video editing to enhance their opportunities in the advertisement field. They primarily work on the advertisement's layout and design containing images and texts.

Computer systems design

Graphic designers can also help create layouts and designs for the computer systems design industry. They are responsible for working with the front-end developers to create design prototypes of the websites or applications. They work with developers to create elements for more efficient designs. They also work on creating vector images for the same and designing icons and images that are required in applications. Often, front-end developers also learn graphic design because this can play a huge part in their job.

Design services

Many graphic designers work as freelancers and provide a range of designing services. As a freelancer, design for multiple companies and may work on a contract or hourly basis. Their work may include:

Poster design
Logo and business card design
Newsletter design
Brochure and flyer design
Website prototyping

How Much Does A Graphic Artist Make?

The average base salary for a graphic artist is ₹20,691 per month. The salary of graphic artists can also vary depending on the industry they work for. A graphic artist can work along with the fashion departments or comic writers to create their content. The salaries can also vary based on field experience, location, popularity, education, and training. Sometimes, it can also vary based on the art style you use. Additional knowledge of art styles can help you expand your clientele. Here are the various industries that graphic designers can work for:

Animation

Graphic artists working in the field of comic design usually work in the field of animation too. They also create short animations using a sequence-wise illustration of animations. The graphic artist usually receives a description of what the animation is about and while following the theme, they create scenes or visuals for the comic or animation. The main objective of a graphic artist is to convey their subject through their work of art with their art style. For example, a realistic art style may have natural human-like features and comic-style drawings may have a caricature-like style of design.

Fashion Designing

Usually, fashion designers learn graphic art to produce their fashion designs. Graphic artists also work with fashion designers to highlight their products. For example, when a fashion designer creates a new outfit and sends the pictures of the photoshoot to a graphic artist, they can then add in extra lighting and objects to make sure the picture highlights the design the most. Fashion graphic artists may have the following roles:

Staying updated on the latest fashion trends
Learning about the new print technologies and new dyes
Creating turnarounds of the design to visualize the idea better
Adding extra effects to the pictures received after photoshoots
Making fashion catalogs along with the fashion team

Illustrator

Many graphic artists work as illustrators. Illustrators usually work on producing drawings for catalogs, books, and magazines. They can also work in fields such as children's publishing, medical fields for textbook art, and other illustrations. The typical responsibilities of an illustrator generally include:

Discussing the work with editors, writers, and other designers
Negotiating timescales and other aspects of the contract
Researching the relevant ideas
Producing illustrations based on themes
Promotions of particular businesses

Motion graphics

Graphic artists also work in the field of motion graphics. Motion graphics include the creation of animation and illustrations related to motion and rotation, including trailers, movies, commercials, films, and title sequences. The main skills and experience that graphics artists require for the field of motion graphics are:

Strong technical knowledge of different software required
The ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Strong management skills
Meet with clients to meet needs and share ideas
Respond to feedback and update their creative work

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organization and a candidate's experience, academic background, and location.