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Graphic design is the art of creating visual images to convey a nonverbal message. The use of the term dates back to 1922— prior to the advent of the computer— but it was this technological development which really led to that of graphic design as we know it today. The computer has certainly had a major impact on the ways in which graphic design is done. It allows the designer to view beforehand what a given design will look like, and to experiment with different forms on different levels.

Graphic design has branched out into a number of disciplines and sub- disciplines. Some graphic designers work primarily in the field of typography, using or creating fancy lettering to make their messages more imposing. Others specialize in pictography, either making designs from scratch or taking photographs and figuring a way to fit them into the overall content. Other disciplines involved in graphic design include user interface and experience design and page layout. Interface design is largely a product of the web era; it includes web and software design.

No less varied are the clients for whom graphic designers work. Among those who have the greatest need for the skills of a graphic designer are advertising businesses that aim at promoting commercial products in magazines and newspapers, on TV, and on billboards; book publishers who wish to have a cover done for their books; and those who need to have web pages done for them or are holding major promotional events.