By Tuyen Lam
If you're studying graphic design—or planning to—you're probably asking yourself:
What kind of designer do I want to become?
What kind of designer do I want to become?
Graphic design is a vast and evolving field, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Whether you're a student about to start your degree or already navigating your creative journey, having a general overview of different design disciplines can help you define your goals and focus your growth.
Below is a subjective but practical breakdown of common design paths to help guide your exploration:
🎯 1. Advertising Design
Advertising design includes key visuals, posters, social media ads, film posters, and more. If you want to thrive in this field, you’ll need more than just design skills—you must also understand marketing, consumer behavior, and brand positioning.
Key tips:
Study customer preferences for different industries
Learn to work with structure, hierarchy, and font choices
Stay updated with trends and adapt quickly
Familiarize yourself with terms like POS (Point of Sale), OOH (Out-of-Home), TVC (TV Commercial), Guerrilla Marketing, etc.
Familiarize yourself with terms like POS (Point of Sale), OOH (Out-of-Home), TVC (TV Commercial), Guerrilla Marketing, etc.
🖨️ 2. Print Design
Print design requires strong technical knowledge, especially about tools, composition, color theory, and print techniques.
Special effects such as embossing, debossing, die-cuts, holograms, and spot UV can bring your designs to life. While you don’t need to chase trends as actively as in advertising, you should still study modern layouts, image-text balance, and how to attract a reader’s eye.
🎨 3. Illustration
If you're leaning toward illustration, strong drawing skills are a must—along with a solid grasp of color, form, and composition.
Most successful illustrators develop a recognizable personal style, which makes it easier for clients to find and remember them. This field offers space for creative freedom but also requires consistency and professionalism.
✍️ 4. Typography / Type Design
A newer but incredibly promising direction. In countries with mature creative industries, type design studios are thriving.
To pursue this path, learn to:
Observe and analyze letterforms
Understand the personality and style of typefaces
Match or develop custom type for specific brand identities
Type design is highly specialized but increasingly in demand.
📦 5. Packaging Design
This is one of the fastest-growing fields—especially in Vietnam over the next 3–5 years—with influences from global creative trends.
Packaging design combines:
Typography
Illustration
Print techniques
And even advertising principles
Creating a basic package is easy, but creating one that checks all the boxes—recognizability, clarity, functionality, and uniqueness—is a real challenge and a rewarding one.
🆔 6. Brand Identity Design
Designing brand identities is a timeless and high-potential discipline. Your job is to help brands connect with their audience and maintain a strong presence in their minds.
It’s not just about designing logos; it’s about crafting a visual language that reflects a brand’s voice, values, and goals across all touchpoints.
📚 7. Book / Editorial Design
Ideal for those who love layout, structure, and attention to detail. This discipline includes magazine layouts, newspapers, books, and other print publications.
A good editorial designer knows how to balance images, typography, white space, and narrative flow to create a seamless and engaging reading experience.
💻 8. Web / UI / Interface Design
This field focuses on websites, mobile apps, and digital platforms. Precision is key—down to the last pixel.
UI design requires:
Understanding color theory and digital layout systems
Following UX principles to create user-friendly interfaces
Keeping up with design trends, responsive design, and accessibility
It’s a fast-paced field with high demand, especially for those who enjoy tech and design fusion.
🔁 A Note on Flexibility
Choosing a specialization can help you focus your learning and master your craft faster, but it doesn’t mean you’re stuck in that lane forever.
Many designers evolve over time—moving from one discipline to another as their interests grow or opportunities shift. Embracing change allows you to explore your strengths and expand your creative horizons.