Design that’s to be experienced in an instant is the easiest to recognize. Designers arrange type, form, and image on posters, advertisements, packages, and other printed matter, as well as information visualizations and graphics for newspapers and magazines.

Freaky cool. Freaky convenient. Plain old freaky. Most if not all of today’s digital trends hit on the “three freakies” in some form or fashion—often all at once. Graphic design is no exception. Designers’ routines will keep transforming as assuredly as the hair on RiFF RaFF’s head, thanks to the rapid development and adoption of specialized tech. This next year will be another massive leap for graphic designers with certain trends in particular as the guiding force.

To answer these questions, we must first find out what design really is. Most people – even some designers – perceive design as visual accessories that are added to the business or a product after it’s done. Sad reality is that many of my past freelance design gigs only requested my services at the end of the product development process. It was like putting decorations up on a Christmas tree, but that tree might as well be a birch.

Now that you’re equipped with the right knowledge that will help you distinguish between a fantastic designer and a ‘decorator’, you can make your own decision on which kind you need.

Graphic design uses visual compositions to solve problems and communicate ideas through typography, imagery, color and form. There’s no one way to do that, and that’s why there are several types of graphic design, each with their own area of specialization.