Illustration vs. Graphic Design: Differences and Examples

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Using images in your communications can help you easily convey ideas. Images grab attention and express meaning effectively. Given this context, it’s not surprising that visual content dominates marketing trends. In fact, 64% of marketers rate visuals as either essential or very important to their marketing strategy.

Regardless of your niche or sector, visual content can help you establish a clear-cut brand identity and image. Whether you need book illustrations, product packaging, infographics for social media, or visuals in your marketing strategy, graphic design can help you stand out among your competitors.

And if your business is more on the creative end, custom illustrations can help you bring your message, story, or vision to life by grabbing your audience’s attention.

Although the impact of visual communication is extensive, the elements of its creation are often overlooked. As a result, people commonly assume that the distinct fields of graphic design and illustration are the same. However, there are key differences between the two.

By understanding what differentiates the two visual fields from each other, we can recognize the unique function of each. These differences are worth knowing for both professionals and hiring managers.

With that said, let’s delve deeper into the descriptions of graphic design and illustration, the key differences between them, how and when to combine them, and which is better suited for your next digital media project.

Illustration overview

At its bare essence, illustration is visually depicting content. Illustrations help a creator convey a story, an idea, or a concept. While illustrations come in many mediums, they fall into four broad categories.

• Illustrative drawings. Various types of illustrative drawings exist, each with its own uses and advantages. Pencil illustrations and ink illustrations are the most popular, often used in sketches, comics, and storyboards. Besides pencil and ink, charcoal drawings are also extensively used in stories. Many digital mediums incorporate features that allow pencil, ink, and charcoal illustrations.
• Illustrative paintings. Paintings can use several different mediums, such as acrylic paint, watercolor, and gouache. All of these offer different textures and appearances. It’s up to the illustrator to select the type of paint that best suits their needs. Digital art mediums come with options that let illustrators give their work appearances that resemble traditional paintings.
• Illustrative crafts. Illustrative crafts often comprise sculpting, paper crafts, textile crafts, etchings, woodcut art, and collages. Illustrative crafts demand specific techniques and skills.
• Digital illustrations. While you can digitize illustrative drawings, paintings, and crafts, you must use specific formats and tools to create illustrations found on different digital platforms. Two of the most popular software options used are based on bitmapped graphics and vector graphics. These allow users to create and edit image-based illustrations using tools like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

Illustrations incline toward the creative side and use details like color, texture, and content to communicate ideas or stories. Learn more about how to jumpstart a career in illustration.

Graphic design overview

Graphic design uses imagery, text, and color to create visual content that accurately communicates a message to its viewers. While illustration aims to simply convey an idea or a story, graphic design focuses on communicating in a way that inspires its target audience to take action.

Digital and print are the two main graphic design mediums. Print design includes anything printed or created on tangible surfaces like paper, flyers, posters, billboards, business cards, and packaging. Digital design comprises anything from web design and apps to user experience to social media marketing. Digital graphics can be static or include movements like animation, motion graphics, or interactive design. Design tools such as InDesign and Adobe Illustrator are popular tools for graphic artists to bring their vision to life.

The graphic design field is multifaceted and endless. Your graphic design needs will fluctuate depending on your business and projects. Some types of graphic design include:

• Web design. Behind every website is a graphic designer ensuring that the message and vision of the brand translate into how the website looks. Put simply, web design makes websites easy to navigate and visually appealing.
• Branding design. Branding design deals with the graphics related to brand identity. This includes logo design, company letterhead, company brochures, company newsletters, business cards, and more.
• UI/UX design. UI/UX (user interface, user experience) design focuses on making websites and apps as user-friendly as possible. UI/UX designers ensure users have the best visual experience by designing on-screen graphic elements. This includes menus, buttons, dashboards, and navigation tools on websites and apps.
• Motion graphic design. Motion graphic design deals with graphics that are in motion, such as animation, imagery, video, text sequences, typography, and banners.

Since graphic design aims to inspire action, the creative process works differently than it does for illustration. A graphic designer has to research the design ecosystem and carefully select the visual elements they want to use, such as typography, images, fonts, colors, and shapes they want to use so the design can come together to have a powerful impact on the audience.

The graphic design industry is constantly changing, with ever-evolving needs for graphic designers to be flexible and versatile to stay on top of the game. Learn more about how to grow a graphic design business.

Illustration vs. graphic design: the differences

The principal factor distinguishing graphic design work and illustration is simple: While graphic design focuses more on communication and is used predominantly in commercial spheres, illustration emphasizes storytelling and leans toward fine arts. But this isn’t all.

Both fields have their own distinctions with regard to design principles, techniques, and mediums. Graphic design and illustration also have clear-cut uses and goals.

Graphic design is better for designing visual content for the corporate domain, such as posters, infographics, graphics, logos, and advertisements.

On the other hand, illustration has a better fit in artistic spaces. Film and book covers, comics, storyboards, children’s books, and other art forms are generally illustrated.

Graphic design prompts the audience to take action, whereas illustration aims to evoke emotions in the viewers.

To get a better idea of the range of differences between graphic design and illustration, let’s compare when to use them, what tools you would need, and the required skill set for each. Here’s a breakdown of all the essential differences between these fields.

FAQ

Still have some questions about the differences between a graphic designer and illustrator? Here’s some helpful answers.

Are illustration and graphic design the same?

Illustration and graphic design are distinct fields, each with its own focus and techniques. While illustration centers on creating images to tell a story or convey a concept, graphic design uses imagery, text, and color to communicate a specific message and often aims to inspire action. Despite their differences, both play crucial roles in visual communication and can sometimes overlap in projects.

Can someone with a graphic design degree become an illustrator and vice versa?

Yes, someone with a graphic design degree can become an illustrator, and an illustrator can transition into graphic design. Both fields require a strong foundation in visual art principles, creativity, and technical skills. However, each has its own specific tools and techniques, so additional training or practice might be needed.

What is the difference between a digital illustrator and a graphic designer?

A digital illustrator focuses on creating detailed images and artwork, often using software like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Their illustration work is primarily about storytelling and evoking emotions through visuals. A graphic designer, on the other hand, combines text, images, and layout to create visual content that communicates a message clearly and effectively. They use tools like InDesign and often work on branding, marketing materials, and web design.

How do graphic design and illustration overlap in creative industries?

Graphic design and illustration often overlap in creative industries, particularly in areas like advertising, publishing, and web design. For example, a graphic designer might incorporate custom illustrations into a brochure or website to enhance the visual appeal and storytelling aspect. Both roles require collaboration to create cohesive and impactful visual content, leveraging each other's strengths to achieve the desired outcome.

Need an illustrator or graphic designer? Find both on Upwork

Now that you know what separates illustrators from graphic designers, you might have figured out which of the two (or even both) can work well for your next project.

But how do you find quality independent professionals to help you out? Using Upwork’s range of freelancers, you can find both illustrators and graphic designers for hire right away. Browse the different types of illustrators and graphic designers on Upwork’s Project Catalog™ to commission work based on your project’s visual needs and your personal preferences.

Upwork removes the inefficiency of the traditional hiring process. Just visit Project Catalog, browse the range of design services available, and shortlist the freelancer(s) you’d like to consider.

And if you’re seeking work as an independent graphic designer or illustrator, consider signing up with us. Many of our clients are looking to boost their brand identity through marketing material. Sign up today!