Graphic design brings together two different things: artistic creation and the practical world of commerce. Put simply, it is intelligence made visual. A designer is a creative artist who deals with the realities of planning, from assessing client needs and crafting a solution to selecting appropriate materials (papers, inks, glues, and varnishes), maintaining strict budgets, and understanding visual communication.

A designer must make connections in the mind between creativity and process in order to successfully communicate a message to an audience and answer a client’s needs.

At its core, a creative solution solves a client’s problem through the design medium/language. It is…

• appropriate for the client’s product, spirit, and objectives.
• communicated clearly.
• functional. A package has to open. A pictogram has to identify. A map has to direct.
• impactful.
• memorable.
• original.
• fresh, stimulating, exciting, and stunning.
• executed appropriately and well.