We keep hearing “first impressions last forever”, and UI graphic designers have proved it right! What do you notice when you visit a website or download an application? Its interface and detailed graphics catch your attention. Yes, UI graphic design is a field that people often use interchangeably with UX (User Experience) design. But these two closely aligned disciplines are not the same. They just complement one another to create an exceptional visual experience for user interfaces on different platforms. Read on to get the facts straight and grasp the meaning and application of UI graphic design in every field.
UI Graphic Design In A Nutshell
User Interface graphic design is a classified subset of UX. It deals with designing and creating the final look of the user interface of a website, application, software, games and so on. The background, colour and design of toggles, tabs, search boxes, dropdown lists and buttons, imagery, and typography fall under this category. Designers who are well-versed with alignment, UI designing patterns and other fundamentals of graphic designing happen to work in this field. To sum it up, UI graphic design represents the cosmetics of every user interface.
Common Elements Used In UI Designs
UI graphic design comprises certain elements that are exclusive to this discipline and requires technical expertise from the designers. Aligning these designs and graphics with the layout of every interface can be a tricky business!
- Input Controls Design: UI graphic designs incorporate text fields, buttons, dropdown lists, radio buttons, checkboxes, toggles, date fields, etc. Designing the layouts of these elements keeping the guidelines of the client in mind is a complicated task.
- Informational Components: Every user interface has informational components like breadcrumbs, search fields, pagination, icons, tabs and sliders. These elements require minute detailing and alignment to get a flow of the interface.
- Navigational Components: Progress and message bars, icons, AI chatbot layouts and many other elements fall under this category. Again, the demand for these components depends upon the businesses and their website layouts.
- Other Basics of Graphic Design: Other basic elements of graphic designing, like colour palettes, typography, alignment, geometry, etc., are also a part of UI graphic design. Designers just need to channelise their expertise in using these components in the best way.
Difference Between UI And UX Designs
UI design and UX design go hand-in-hand, but you cannot have one without the touch of the other. You cannot rely upon your UX designers to come up with the elements that UI graphic designers bring to the table. Although these overlapping terms seem to mean the same, there is a significant difference. UI graphic design creates and paints the look and function of an interface, and UX design fabricates the feel of the concluding outcome. In other words, we can say, “UI design represents the stirrups, saddle and rein of a horse, but UX is the feeling you experience while riding it.”
Importance of Prototyping In User Interface Designs
As we have been discussing, the compatibility of UI and UX designs matter in this field. This aspect brings the need for prototyping for graphic designers to present their visuals in action. Prototyping is essential to test the flow of designs with the interface, identify the flaws and rectify the rough edges. A trained graphic designing team uses these three kinds of prototypes:
- Clickable Prototype Tests: These prototypes are static screens that we test after defining screen layouts and user flows.
- Low Fidelity Prototype: These wireframes are the basic elements and layouts usually drawn on whiteboards. Graphic designers use these layouts to communicate the idea of the final designs.
- High Fidelity Prototype: This aspect features advanced transition and interactions that resemble the definitive product of the UI design.
Best Designing Practices For A Striking Interface
The designing practices of UI graphic design entirely stands out from other disciplines. Here, designers have to bring out a product that reflects creativity in the most subtle way. The designs will have common elements and yet make a difference to the naked eye! Here are some of the practices that help make an impactful difference!
Simplicity Is The Key!
Patterns, designs, strokes, too many vibrant colours and elements that bring a tacky look to the page should not be a part of UI graphic design. Simplicity is the key in this arena, and the job of graphic designers is to maintain the same flow. Redundancy is acceptable in these designs as long as they bring uniqueness to the interface.
Use of Common Elements
Controls, navigational and informational components are present in almost all UI graphic designs. Users feel more familiar and comfortable with the elements that they commonly see or use in other websites. UI designing is just about defining these common components in a visually appealing form.
Purposeful Design As Per Website Content
The UI design of every website should bring out the character and purpose of the business. It must express an elusive feeling to the users that conveys a message to them. Designs must be purposeful and expressive, keeping the theme in check.
Strategic Use of Colours & Typography
Strategising the use of colours in UI design can get complex and requires meticulous ideology. Unlike poster designing, this does not contain fancy typography or splash of multiple colours. Designers should try to use a combination of two or three colours to make an impact. As they say, sometimes, less is more!
Get A Head Start With The Perfect First Impression
Global search engines host millions of websites, but only a few of them catch viewers’ attention. It is the exceptional work of skilled UI graphic designers that makes that vast difference. A well-balanced mix of efficiency, simplicity, alignment and compatibility is what makes a website visually functional. You can also encapsulate an ever-lasting impact on your website with VOWELS. The proficiency of our team has helped us deliver numerous successful projects, and yours can be the next. Reach out to us for more details!
Also read – 8 Types of Graphic Design – Everyone Should Know
