I recently had the pleasure of reviewing a designer’s portfolio this past week. Her portfolio included the following categories: Print, Illustration, and Web. We largely focus on Web work here at Modal so of course I went right to the “Web” category and saw comps that looked like design exercises- not quite finished and lacking polish. But I wanted to give this portfolio a full review and started browsing the other categories which were more in depth. And what a pleasant surprise.

The print and illustration work was incredible! There was a passion and playfulness throughout the work that was lacking on the Web side. So I just had to ask the designer straight up- “why does your Illustration and Print work look so polished while your Web work doesn’t demonstrate that same passion and vigor?” And then the answer, “I’ve only been designing web sites for about a year. I’m a print designer.”

I’m amazed to still hear this answer. It’s the classic Print designer versus Web designer issue again. Look the designer’s understanding of color, typography, and use of a grid were awesome. It was as if the Web work was dialed back so far that it didn’t even resemble the other work. I knew that if she had taken her excellent work from the Print and Illustration sides and put that into the web sites they would have been gorgeous.

So what is the problem with Print v. Web? As a Print designer you were probably classically trained in typography, balance, shape, contrast, whitespace use, etc. Where many untrained Web designers may not know these basics but pick them up via NetTuts and other tutorial sites and create beautiful pieces. I don’t know if it’s a lack of training in the technology on the Print side or what. I am befuddled.

Help me straighten this out- I want to hear from Print designers who successfully made their way to the Web. Maybe we’ll discover an answer together- Web Designer vs. Print Designer.

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