Andrew Bass Jr • anbass@citytech.cuny.edu

Week 4 Discussion: Do you believe print design is dying in favor of all things digital?

For the past ten years, the design industry (both designers, vendors and clients) have had an ongoing discussion as to whether print is dying off with digital design being the top communication form. There has been tremendous push-back as audiences haven’t fully embraced digital across various media channels. In the last few years, metrics have shown digital design declining—and the magical money pot it was believed to be at the end of this rainbow, hasn’t quite materialized.

As future emerging designers:

  • what are your thoughts about the grand debate between print and digital design?
  • will one be more dominant than the other or do you believe they will be dependent on one another?

And please, explain your position.

This discussion thread closes 5pm, Wednesday, October 19th.

6 Comments

  1. Andrew Bass Jr.

    Interesting thoughts. While it may seem that digital is the current leader and seems like it will be for the future, there has been a backlash to digital. Print by no means is dead but it’s use is being adapted to new ways versus it’s traditional use. Covid, in part, helped markets see that while digital can be extremely valuable human beings do have a need to feed their tactile sensibilities. We need to touch, feel and we need to hold things to confirm that something is truly real. Digital hasn’t been the cash cow market leaders previously predicted…it’s been disappointing at some instances.

    As technology improves and the masses can easily access devices for more advanced tech uses that’s when we may see it truly lead but currently there is a huge tech divide among the masses and in different countries. Print is still the best universal medium that can reach everywhere.

  2. Jenny

    My thought on the grand debate between both print and digital design is honestly I feel like with printing designing is dying since designers are switching toward digital design especially with what we are living in right now having advanced technology and everything. But most graphic designers are still using printing as a way to communicate with their work since printing has been around for a very long time while digital has been around for decades. Print design gives the artists that freedom when it comes to creating their work like the type of paper they want their work to be printed on. While digital designers would create a virtual canvas that they can work on. Digital design can be static due to the fact that designers would have to click or move the cursor if they need to retouch their works. Due to the generation that we are in now I feel like digital design would be more dominant than printing.

  3. Natalie Soto-Bernal

    In regards to the grand debate between print and digital design I honestly believe that both kinds of design will continue to coexist rather see one of them come out on top. Print design has existed for centuries and is still in demand to this very day. While digital design has existed for a couple of decades it has been widely accepted especially by the younger generation. This age may even be referred to as the Digital Age where there are various of methods in finding out all sorts of information surrounding computer technology. I believe that instead of print design dominating over digital design and vice versa they will be dependent on one another. Print design is not some kind of mere subject that can be eradicated after witnessing its influence that is still suitable to the present day. Previous generations have used it and although it cannot be stored in a hard drive or mailed in seconds it still remains reliable. Digital design is quick and uncluttered and can be handled easily whenever and wherever. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages but nevertheless are equally still useful and to get rid or see one dominate the other is unlikely. They will be dependent on one another because they are both equally convenient and balance each other out. For the individuals who struggle with digital design can instead stick to print design and for the individuals who are tired of print design can look into digital design. They both have engaging qualities and work well amongst each other in the design field, the general public has no problem with being allowed to choose one over the other.

  4. Lloyd Matthews

    1 I believe that the digital design will be more successful in the long run because it is more technical in this day and age that we are living in.

    2 I believe that both print and digital design will be dependent on one another.

  5. Yunique Griffith

    The print industry is fading. Today, a variety of venues replace traditional printed materials. Digital design is evolving and getting easier for individuals to use. Most of this generationtoday is absorbed by it, whether it’s through social media or email. We frequently obtain our news through it, particularly through social media. The Distribution of graphic arts, photography, and other media is becoming more prevalent on websites like Instagram and Twitter. There was a conversation I had with some of my fellow creatives, and it was stated that we all sign up through weekly newsletters in which we receive weekly design prints digitally. No one seemed to be interested to receive any prints through the mail, unless one likes obtaining physical copies.

  6. Wilna Michel

    On the grand debate of Print vs Digital design, honestly I’m on the fence. I think that as the modern age we live in continues the Digital design will become more prominent and more dominate in comparison to Print Design. Even now most of the clients I work for in my internship mostly ask for digital projects rather then print. Also I think that the process also plays an important aspect in the debate. One may ask why go through the hassle of creating a design, send it to a printer, pay for it to to be printed and distribute it out. Meanwhile you could just create the design and email it or send it to everyone it needs to be sent to without sending money or wasting paper. You could see the digital design everywhere , the weakness being that if you don’t have acess to an electronic , you may not be able to receive the information. In the subway stations as well, in most train cars or stations the ads are digitals. The other day one of the ads in the train car was playing a cooking video advertising a product.

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