grafis

Grafis, or desain grafis, is the field of visual communication that uses typography, imagery, color, and layout to convey messages. It covers both static visual content for print and digital media and the systematic arrangement of visual elements to improve understanding and engagement.

Typical tasks in grafis include creating branding and identity systems, posters and packaging, magazine and book layouts, website and app interfaces, digital advertising, and data visualizations. It draws on typography, color theory, grid systems, composition, and user-centered design. In contemporary practice, grafis often overlaps with UI/UX, motion graphics, and information design.

History and tools provide context for the field’s evolution. Graphic design grew from print and advertising needs in the 19th and 20th centuries, with movements like Swiss design and Bauhaus shaping its principles. The digital era, beginning in the 1990s, introduced vector and raster graphics and software such as Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and CorelDRAW, along with newer tools for animation and interactive media.

Education and work opportunities reflect the profession’s breadth. Grafis is taught in design schools and universities, and practitioners work in advertising agencies, publishing houses, media companies, in-house corporate teams, or as freelancers. Ethical and accessibility considerations include legibility, color contrast, inclusive design, and accurate information representation.

In Indonesian usage, grafis may refer to both the practice of graphic design and graphics in media, and is often used interchangeably with desain grafis depending on context.