A medical illustration is a form of biological illustration that helps to record and disseminate medical, anatomical, and related knowledge.

Graphic design is the process of visual communication and problem-solving through the use of typography , photography and illustration . The field is considered a subset of visual communication and communication design , but sometimes the term "graphic design " is used synonymously. Graphic designers create and combine symbols, images and text to form visual representations of ideas and messages. They use typography , visual arts and page layout techniques to create visual compositions . Common uses of graphic design include corporate design (logos and branding), editorial design (magazines, newspapers and books), wayfinding or environmental design , advertising , web design , communication design , product packaging and signage .

An illustration is a decoration, interpretation or visual explanation of a text, concept or process, designed for integration in published media, such as posters, flyers, magazines, books, teaching materials, animations, video games and films.

A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be used for many purposes. They are a frequent tool of advertisers (particularly of events, musicians, and films), propagandists , protestors , and other groups trying to communicate a message. Posters are also used for reproductions of artwork, particularly famous works, and are generally low-cost compared to the original artwork. The modern poster, as we know it, however, dates back to the 1840s and 1850s when the printing industry perfected colour lithography and made mass production possible.

Botanical illustration is the art of depicting the form, color, and details of plant species, frequently in watercolor paintings. They must be scientifically accurate but often also have an artistic component and may be printed with a botanical description in books, magazines, and other media or sold as a work of art. Often composed in consultation with a scientific author, their creation requires an understanding of plant morphology and access to specimens and references.

Technical Illustration is the use of illustration to visually communicate information of a technical nature . Technical illustrations can be components of technical drawings or diagrams . Technical illustrations in general aim "to generate expressive images that effectively convey certain information via the visual channel to the human observer".

An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicated concepts or objects that are difficult to describe textually, which is the reason illustrations are often found in children's books.

Concept art is a form of illustration used to convey an idea for use in films , video games , animation , comic books , or other media before it is put into the final product. Concept art usually refers to world-building artwork used to inspire the development of media products, and is not the same as visual development art or concept design, though all three are often confused.

The Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI) was established in 1968 in the UK, to set and maintain standards for the medical illustration profession. It is notable for introducing the first Diploma in Medical Illustration in the United Kingdom.

Infographics (a clipped compound of " information " and " graphics ") are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly. They can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance the human visual system’s ability to see patterns and trends. Similar pursuits are information visualization , data visualization , statistical graphics , information design , or information architecture . Infographics have evolved in recent years to be for mass communication , and thus are designed with fewer assumptions about the readers' knowledge base than other types of visualizations. Isotypes are an early example of infographics conveying information quickly and easily to the masses.