A student asked me why it’s called graphic design. “Is it because of the use of graphs and grids?” No.
The word graphic is derived from an old Greek word, graphikos, which meant writing or drawing. So graphic design is that discipline among all the design pursuits that deals with information presented in written and picture form. It directly relates to communication, and is often called visual communication or design communication. Graphic designers arrange images, typography and other elements to communicate something.
Graphic artists are traditionally those who deal or dealt with two-dimensional art, specifically printmaking and drawing. Printing of all sorts, bookbinding, lithography, etc. are all considered graphic arts in which images and layouts are reproduced or transferred onto a surface other than the original. Printmakers, commercial printers and letter-press printers are considered part of the graphic arts industry but may not be graphic designers.
