Print Design & Web Design — how similar are they?

Print Designing was at the root of the Industrial Revolution of the 17th century. Textiles, artwork, and information were the main areas print designers concerned themselves with.

For a few centuries, this work was done physically. But with the advancement in the technology sector, the rise of computers and digital printers has turned print designing into a sector that heavily relies on designing software & tools. But the tools that print designers use are the same as the ones which web designers use.

Let’s look at the similar elements in print & web design:

1. Graphic Designing: Although print & web design are different fields with different marketing, they fall under the same umbrella of Graphic Design. Graphic designing is considered to be a craft that makes use of pictures and graphics to communicate messages. Print designers employ this while designing business cards, billboards, or brochures, while web designers use it to make logos, websites, and interfaces.
2. Visuals: The small bits and elements that are used in print design and web design are complete of the same nature. Both make use of line, shape, color, texture, type, space, and image.
3. Creativity: Unlike various other forms of design that require science and data, print design and web design are perhaps the two sub-fields which value creativity and imagination over planning. This is because the purpose of web & print design is to add aesthetic elements to materials. Aesthetics are often achieved better when designers are given a free hand on what they want to and can create.
4. Process: Another big similarity between the two forms of design is how both of these are created using the same software/platforms and the entire process is the same as well. Both start as blank slides over which the designer adds various elements and colors that make the design meaningful.

If we look at it, print design and web design are very similar. From the process and the mindset required to the tools that are used to create these designs, print design, and web design share almost everything.

So, where is the difference?

Media:

Print designs: Magazines, posters, flyers, invitations, book covers, billboard signs, graphic t-shirts, product packaging, etc

Web designs: Web banners, Website UI/front-end, mobile app UI, social media ads, etc

Standard Resolution in DPI/DPI:

Print designs: 300 DPI (Dots per inch)

Web designs: 72 PPI (Pixels per inch)

Color Format:

Print designs: CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

Web designs: RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

The key point to take in the note is that print design and web design are actually not two completely different things, but instead almost the same at two different times.

Koloursyncc, our marketing & advertising agency is a team of experts that is proficient with print & web forms of designing.

Have an idea that you need designers for? Head over to our website koloursyncc.com or reach us out at hello@koloursync.com