Packaging Artwork v Graphic Design Artwork

Introduction

This blog touches on the differences of Artworkers in Graphic Design and Artworkers in Packaging. The aim is to help anyone who is looking to specialise in one career or the other, or maybe help those looking to employ the right person for either of these roles.

In general, all artworkers are required to be proficient in Adobe software and possess similar attributes. However, the industry knowledge and skill set to produce accurate, print-ready artwork in packaging and graphic design, is very different.

Basics

For this blog, we will focus on the role of being an artworker for print in Graphic Design, as digital is not a thing in packaging, unless you're also doing 3D visuals, which we will address in a separate blog.

While graphic design and packaging roles in the artworker industry differ in several aspects, they share a fundamental set of skills and knowledge. Both roles demand a solid understanding of CMYK processes, ensuring colour consistency and brand accuracy, as well as a grasp of how inks behave on various materials. A basic competency in image quality, colour modes, and resolution is vital. Additionally, they must adeptly manage fonts and possess impressive typography skills. Familiarity with different file formats and the ability to meet precise print specifications are crucial. Above all, meticulous attention to detail is paramount in both disciplines. There are also some shared technical aspects they would need to know such as – ink coverage, registration, Spot/Pantone, trapping, print separations, knockout/overprint, and of course bleed.

Levels

Graphic Design Agencies have Juniors, Middle-weights, Heavy-weights or Senior Artworkers, which all sort of speak for themselves. The only other one that fits slightly outside the norm is the Creative Artworker. The Creative Artworker is, as it sounds, they’re a little bit more creative in design than the average artworker. However, there tends to be a trade-off, as they are probably less technical, or have less attention to detail. So they are more suited for smaller agencies who need a bit of support in both. Large agencies tend to separate design and artwork into specialist roles. In packaging, for the most part, you simply have Packaging Artworker and Packaging Designer.

Software

Artworkers in Graphic design predominantly use Adobe InDesign for page layout creation typically laid out in spreads of two pages, with support from Adobe Photoshop for colour balancing and resizing raster imagery, and Adobe Illustrator for vector assets like logos and symbols, and sometimes an illustration.

A Packaging Artworker, however, lives in Adobe Illustrator, as it gives them all the tools they need and the absolute precision required. A little knowledge of Photoshop and imagery also helps for the odd occasion when there is raster imagery being printed.

Translations

The logistical organisation of translations is a skill in itself that both roles will need to learn. However, in regard to pure application, packaging artworkers have it much easier here. If there are translations required to go directly onto the packaging, or a leaflet inside the box, it's always laid out quite simply in just a basic font and in one type size. So very rarely do you have issues with fonts not working with specific languages, and it's a simple cut'n'paste with some style setting. There are a few languages that require a different treatment, take Arabic for example, but in the main, it's quite simple.

It’s quite the opposite in Graphic Design. An Artworker here can have an absolute nightmare with translations as publications, magazines, leaflets, booklets etc, tend to be in a single language. Therefore, English comes first, then possibly 20 or so others, each with a different language. It's not so bad with body copy, as they tend to stick to fonts that are legible and work in most languages, it's the headings that designers can (depending on the brand) mix up fonts with and have fun, maybe add some effects, only for the artworker to discover that specific font will not work with that language. Then it’s time for the artworker to find similar fonts that do work, and go back to the designer and ask them to pick one! 

Colours

Graphic design is mainly CMYK based. Pantone or Spot colours are rarely required and tend to be used if the brand stipulates it in their brand guidelines, or the designer has chosen a lovely bright RGB colour that cannot be reproduced through CMYK (bright oranges or greens for example). This is where an artworker needs to know what colour gamut is achievable in CMYK and what is not.

Packaging, on the other hand, explores a much wider spectrum of colours and print finishes, incorporating CMYK, Pantone/spots, white ink, and specialist finishes such as foiling and spot UV. The artwork can be made up of several layers, all the different processes, colours and print finishes that work seamlessly together to achieve print-ready artwork. This can be very complex, and you really need to know what you are doing, otherwise, things will go wrong.

Finishes

I would guess that many Artworkers in Graphic Design probably don't know what a print finish is! And nope, it's not the time that the printer goes home!

Packaging requires print finishes on pretty much all artworks, even if it's just a sealer layer. Artworks can include foiling, embossing, debossing, Spot UV, sealers and laminations, and then there are the glue areas, which need to be clear of any ink or sealer. Then, if it's getting foiled, a different sealer is required at the printing stage, otherwise your foil is not staying in place! You can start to see why having a sound knowledge of artwork is so important… 

Materials

The materials used in Graphic design are typically standard white substrates in various weights of paper, which does not affect artwork. So little knowledge is needed here. Maybe, if there is the odd cover page in a different deep-dyed material with foiling or something, but I'm probably just making that up…

In contrast, packaging artwork encompasses a wide array of materials, characterised by their type, thickness, grain direction, fibre length, strength, and various colours and textures. The type, thickness, grain direction, colour and texture, all make a difference to how the artwork and profile is created, laid out, and ultimately printed. The knowledge in materials is very important, and crucial to achieving packaging that works.

Imagery

Packaging artwork demands minimal imagery, as graphics are predominantly vector based, though a basic understanding of raster imagery and Adobe Photoshop remains advantageous for the odd occasion. 

Artworkers in Graphic Design will process much more raster imagery, so they must have a decent understanding of Adobe Photoshop. Mainly focusing on image size, file formats, colour modes, and checking by eye for real image quality. Agencies will either outsource image retouching or have someone in-house, so being able to use Adobe Photoshop to manipulate images is a bonus but not essential.

Expertise

Graphic design generally requires much less industry knowledge to achieve print-ready artwork. As long as basic guidelines are followed, all should be good. I would summarise that the expertise needed to be a solid Artworker in Graphic Design is mostly basic artwork practices, software knowledge, layout skills, typography, some imagery, and attention to detail.

This contrasts with packaging, where artworkers need a comprehensive grasp of print and production processes, not to mention being up-to-date with legislation for packaging and labelling guidelines. I’m confident that the legislation knowledge required is why so many Graphic design companies do not get involved in packaging. Or if they do, it's typically just the graphic design end of making it look right on the surface, and nothing beyond the concept stage.

Conclusion

Whilst being an artworker in packaging will demand much more technical knowledge in various areas, in graphic design, the demands are much more layout and font based.

A slightly off-topic issue, but I would strongly suggest offering workshops to some of your clients. Marketing and Brand Managers seem to be getting younger and younger (or maybe it’s me getting older), and sometimes a workshop can really help them to fully understand the services you offer and can really help streamline the relationship.

If you are looking into either one as a career, would you choose the path of a packaging artworker or graphic design artworker?