In today’s dynamic creative landscape, the lines between design disciplines are increasingly blurred. For industrial designers, this presents an exciting opportunity to expand their multidisciplinary skill set, explore new creative territories, and gain a significant competitive edge in the job market.

For starters, having an understanding of Graphic Design will have a huge impact on your portfolio!

As someone who has traversed the journey from graphic design to industrial design, with a pivotal stop in the world of makerspaces along the way, I can attest to the immense value of cross-disciplinary skills in today’s design landscape.

My personal experience has shown me how seamlessly these fields interlink and how mastering both can elevate a designer’s career to new heights. Now I’ve made it my mission to share these skills with you, so you too can understand it’s importance. This isn’t even a new concept, this was the norm in design for centuries.

By embracing graphic design, industrial designers can enhance their versatility, bring fresh perspectives to their work, and open up new career paths. This article will explore how industrial designers can begin their journey into the world of graphic design, drawing from industry insights and practical advice.

The Power of the Universal Design Process

As an industrial designer, you’re already familiar with a structured approach to problem-solving. The good news is that the Universal Design Process you know and love is equally applicable to graphic design projects. This iterative approach allows you to tackle visual challenges with confidence and efficiency.

Check out: How To Use Your Design Process to Become an Multidisciplinary Designer

The process typically includes defining the project’s visual goals, researching trends and audience needs, generating a wide range of visual concepts, refining the most promising designs, and creating the final graphic design. By applying this familiar process to graphic design projects, you’ll find that the transition feels more natural and manageable.

Shifting Perspective: From Form and Function to Visual Communication

The famous principle “Form follows Function” that you’re well-versed in as an industrial designer still applies in graphic design, but with a twist. Every visual element should serve a purpose, whether it’s to convey information, evoke an emotion, or guide user behaviour.

The key difference is that in graphic design, the “function” is often communication or persuasion rather than physical utility. Your designs need to effectively convey messages, evoke emotions, and guide the viewer’s eye. This shift in perspective helps you approach visual projects with the same analytical and strategic mindset you use in product design.

Starting with Familiar Territory

As you begin to explore graphic design, it’s essential to start with what you know and gradually expand your horizons. Many of your existing skills as an industrial designer are directly applicable to graphic design.

Your ability to quickly sketch ideas, your understanding of materials and finishes, and your experience in translating 3D concepts to 2D technical drawings are all valuable assets in graphic design.

One excellent bridge between industrial and graphic design is packaging design. Use your industrial design skills to create structurally sound packaging, then apply graphic design principles to make it visually appealing and informative.

To get started with digital tools, you might want to explore Adobe Creative Cloud. Your familiarity with CAD software will make the transition to these graphic design tools smoother.

Click here to explore more of Adobe Creative Cloud.

The Makerspace Connection: A Personal Insight

My time working in a makerspace proved to be a crucial link between my graphic design background and my transition into industrial design.

This experience highlighted how these seemingly distinct disciplines are intrinsically connected. In the makerspace, I found myself applying graphic design principles to create clear instructional materials for complex machinery, designing intuitive interfaces for digital fabrication tools, and developing branding for innovative products born in this creative hub.

For industrial designers looking to expand into graphic design, I highly recommend seeking out similar collaborative spaces. These environments provide unique opportunities to apply graphic design skills in tangible, three-dimensional contexts.

You might find yourself designing decals for a 3D-printed prototype, creating signage for a workshop, or developing a visual identity for a new maker tool.

These practical applications will help solidify your graphic design skills while maintaining a connection to the physical world of industrial design.

Expanding Your Skill Set with Graphic Design Techniques

While many of your industrial design skills will transfer, there are some specific graphic design techniques you’ll need to master. Vector graphics, typography, color theory specific to visual design, layout and composition, and branding and identity design are all crucial areas to explore.

For vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator is an industry-standard tool. You can learn the basic of creating vectors with this amazing online game by Method of Action.

To dive into typography, “Thinking with Type” by Ellen Lupton, available on Amazon, is an excellent resource. For color theory and layout, consider checking out “Interaction of Color: 50th Anniversary Edition” by Josef Albers.

Learning by Doing: Practical Exercises for Industrial Designers

The best way to develop your graphic design skills is through hands-on practice.

Try designing a logo for one of your products or for your personal work, creating an infographic about a complex design process, or developing a complete brand identity for an imaginary product line.

These exercises will help you apply your new skills in practical ways.

Integrating Graphic Design into Your Industrial Design Practice

As you become more proficient in graphic design, start integrating these skills into your industrial design projects.

Create cohesive branding and visual identity systems that extend from the physical product to its packaging and marketing materials. Apply your graphic design skills to create clear, visually appealing user guides and instruction manuals for your products. Elevate your product presentations with well-designed slides and marketing collateral.

For products with digital interfaces, apply your graphic design skills to create intuitive and aesthetically pleasing UIs. You might find a tool like Sketch to be helpful for this kind of work.

Overcoming Challenges in the Transition

While many of your skills will transfer, you may face some challenges as you move into graphic design. Thinking in two dimensions, mastering new software, adapting to different client expectations, and adjusting to potentially faster turnaround times are all areas where you might need to focus your efforts.

Remember, every designer faces challenges when expanding their skill set. Embrace these challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.

Collaboration and Networking in Graphic Design

One of the most effective ways to improve your graphic design skills is by collaborating with experienced graphic designers. Join interdisciplinary design groups or online communities, attend graphic design conferences and workshops, and seek out mentors from the graphic design field.

Platforms like Behance and Dribbble can be great places to showcase your work and connect with other designers.

Continuous Learning and Resources

Books like “Grid Systems in Graphic Design” by Josef Müller-Brockmann and “Graphic Design: The New Basics” by Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Phillips are also valuable resources.

Follow graphic design blogs and websites for inspiration and industry news. Participate in daily or weekly design challenges to practice your skills and get feedback from the design community.

Meet with local designers in your area with meetup and networking events too. These gatherings are great places to build your network and foster collaborative opportunities.

Conclusion: Shaping Your Multidisciplinary Future

As an industrial designer venturing into graphic design, you have a unique opportunity to shape the future of design. By combining your deep understanding of form, function, and user experience with the principles of visual communication, you can create innovative solutions that bridge the physical and digital worlds.

Your journey into graphic design is just beginning, and the possibilities are endless. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the discoveries, and never stop learning. The future of design is multidisciplinary, and you have the opportunity to be at the forefront of this exciting evolution.

Remember, the goal isn’t to become an expert graphic designer overnight, but to gradually expand your skill set and perspective. With each new project, you’ll become a more well-rounded, versatile designer, capable of tackling diverse challenges and offering comprehensive design solutions.

So, take that first step. Start a graphic design project today, even if it’s just for fun. Your industrial design background gives you a unique perspective – use it to your advantage and create something extraordinary. The world of graphic design awaits, and your industrial design expertise is the perfect foundation for this exciting new chapter in your creative journey.