As a professional discipline, Graphic Design is not merely an afterthought used to quickly pitch a sale, slap together a website, or post a sign. Graphic design is a form of visual communication, and is therefore a medium through which ideas flow as one continuous concept. Whether a designer is developing an advertising campaign, creating an interactive experience, or collaborating on a physical environment, the designer’s job is to express an idea, mood, or atmosphere as accurately and immersively as possible.

Good design makes this visual flow effortless; excellent design speaks not only to a viewer’s eyes, but also to his mind. The term concept is unfortunately overused, but its importance should not be ignored. Merely arranging elements in a pleasing composition constitutes layout, and many people claim to be designers when they are, in fact, simply good at composing layouts. A graphic designer masters both the composition and its underlying intent. Visual communication is an expression of thought; and whether that thought is poetry or directional signage, graphic design unites both the image and its purpose into a fluid visual expression.