Web Design vs. Print Design

Posted On: May 21, 2015

In one of our previous blogs we went into a detailed explanation about the difference between web design and web development. There is another question that we get asked pretty often - about the difference between print design and web design, and so we have decided to break it down for you in this blog article.

To give you a quick reminder, a web designer is in charge of the visual look of a web page. He creates the layout and then the web developer takes over and programs the page, turning it from a static image into something the browser can display and work with. This will not be flat, but will contain links, banners and will likely be fluid as well, to fit multiple screen sizes.

Here are the main points that a web designer works with, and has to achieve:

• It Has to be Functional  - as we mentioned before, the design in not an image or even a set of images - it has to contain links, moving icons and other features that compose a web page.
• It Has to Adapt to the Monitor Size - a web designer will need to produce several screen sizes that the page will take on different monitors (and 1 or 2 more, for mobile devices such as tablets and phones).
• It Has to be Intuitive - a user has to be able not to just read it, but navigate it - find links, browse menus and understand navbars.
• It Has to have Highlights - the website should be efficient and interesting, and it can achieve this by using clever color schemes, moving imagery, sliding galleries and lighting buttons.

 

Those main considerations define the work of the web designer. While the web developer is the one to code the page, some knowledge in coding is necessary for the web designer as well, to be able to produce appropriate results.

A print designer has a different set of requirements and considerations, such as:

• Immediate Visual Effect - while it is important in any type of design, it is doubly important here because you don’t have supporting eye-catching elements that a web page might have. It will not be navigated, and has to be pleasant to look at and easy to understand at first glance. 
• Colors will Depend on the Printer - something that looks good on a screen will not necessarily look good on paper. Moreover, printing on different devices will produce different results.
• Knowing Paper Types is Necessary - designing for glossy prints is not the same as designing for matt paper. Using different colors will be necessary as it will influence the result a great deal.
• Proof Prints is part of the Process - a graphic designer will usually have to print something, adjust it, print it again, and then repeat the process a few times before the result is just right.

 

The bottom line is that a print designer's work is not influenced by considerations of how it will look on a screen, because his designs are meant to appear printed on paper and wrapping. We hope this helps answer this important question, but we will be also glad to answer any other questions you might have about web development and print or web design. Good luck!

Associated tags:  Web Design, Print Design