Lately I have had the future of web and print design on my mind. I have been curious to know others perspectives on what is going on with the transitions we are seeing everyday in the design industry. Like many designers I have a love for both. I started off being mostly print but thankfully about four years ago started digging deep (when time allowed) into learning as much as I could about web design. I began learning how to develop code which was something I did not think my brain would take a liking to. To my complete delight those few years ago, I discovered that I actually enjoyed learning the programming language that makes the pretty designs functional. I am now so thankful I took out that time because it has been a huge advantage for me on many levels. That is a whole other subject so I wont get off topic.

In this post I just wanted to share my perspective on the changes in print and web and hopefully spark others to share their perspectives. As I said above, with being in the industry I naturally have seen some changes taking place. Its effecting everyone. It even effected my last place of full time employment. What I am seeing is that if businesses, schools and of course designers / design firms don’t keep up with the demands of the web and interactive design, they are going to be left in the dust. It is the future and really it is a super exciting thing to keep up with!

For a company the importance obviously lies in that the web is and has been for some time now, vital in reaching, educating, and interacting with your audience. There is just no denying it, no second guessing. If a company or individual is stuck on the old way of doing things and not open to moving with these transitions, I am afraid it’s not going to just be a matter of your preference or opinion, your going to hurt yourself and your business.

For a designer or firm it might mean learning a whole new thing that I can agree, may seem very intimidating. Learning how to design for web and how to find the right people or means for programming and bringing these things to life is a challenge when you first start but it really isnt all that bad once you get rolling. I found a great article at a website that I frequent and he gives a pretty decent comparison on web and print design. http://css-tricks.com/print-design-to-web-design/. Both have their challenges, limitations, etc. and some may argue that web has more limitation. There is a lot involved and much to consider but think about the impact that is behind new technologies.

On the subject of print I am in no way saying or agreeing that print is dying like some will say. Is is changing? Yes. Is it downsizing in some ways? I think its looking that way to some degree. I do not however believe it will ever completely die. There is always going to be a need for that tangible piece in hands. I have heard many designers say this same thing. While the rate of digital’s grown in this industry is more than apparent, I think print still holds its foundations place and is here to stay. On our love for design side of things, we never want it to go away!. There is something about holding that printed piece you just created that give a satisfaction like no other.

In conclusion my point is simply this. Be open to these important transitions we are experiencing and have been experiencing. Like anything in this life, don’t be intimidated by new things just because you don’t know them. You always have to get over that first hump and it only becomes easier as you open up and embrace it. For designers, an encouraging note is that all of the great design skills and fundamentals you have will be used in the same way. For companies questioning how much they should invest in web strategies, there is NO question, you should! Do the digital dive if you haven’t already. The water is far from cold.

Glamboyant is a client of mine in Oklahoma. They are a new woman’s clothing company enthusiastic to provide bright, beautiful and edgy clothing for young women. I had the privilege of not only designing their logo but these garment hang tags.