The 3Ps

Graphics are a powerful way to share ideas, information, and designs across loads of different industries. In graphic communication, we often talk about the ‘three Ps’: preliminary, production, and promotional graphics. Each one has its own role to play, from sketching out early concepts to creating final visuals that promote a product or idea.

Content

Preliminary

Production

Promotional

Examples

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Preliminary

Preliminary graphics are an important part of the creative process, especially when planning your design. Think of them as the foundation for your ideas—they’re the first step in bringing what’s in your mind to life on paper. These sketches are usually quick, rough, and small, so they don’t take much time to create. Preliminary sketches are like brainstorming but with visuals. They help organise your thoughts, explore possibilities and Communicate your ideas. The goal isn’t to make them perfect but to focus on capturing the main idea. This stage allows you to experiment with different concepts, shapes, layouts, and designs before deciding on a final direction.

Advantages of preliminary graphics

They are quick to produce
They are a good way of recording ideas
They can be produced using cheap equipment
They are helpful when communicating ideas to a client or colleague

Disadvantages of preliminary graphics

They are not normally drawn to scale
They are not dimensionally accurate

Production

Production graphics are detailed, accurate technical drawings that show exactly how a product will be made. They go beyond the rough ideas of sketches and provide all the information needed to bring a design to life. Used by architects, engineers, and manufacturers to create a product, it includes as much information as possible. This can include dimensions, moving parts, and material choices, which can be illustrated through orthographic views, sectional views, exploded drawings, assemblies, etc. In short, production drawings are like blueprints—they turn your creative ideas into detailed plans that guide the production process. They’re precise, professional, and essential for ensuring your final product comes out exactly as you imagined!

Advantages of production graphics

They are important when parts are to be manufactured as they contain technical details such as dimensions
They can show how components are assembled
The drawing standards used are worldwide
They are understood in all languages
A library of reusable parts can be set up

Disadvantages of production graphics

Training or knowledge is required to produce them, as drawing standards must be learned
They are time-consuming to produce
Costly specialist equipment is required

Promotional

Promotional graphics are designed to grab people’s attention to advertise or promote something like a product, event, or idea. These graphics are all about making an impact and encouraging people to take action, whether buying a product, attending an event, or supporting a cause. Good promotional graphics consider things like the target audience (who it’s aimed at), the tone of the message (fun, serious, exciting), and where the graphic will be seen (online, posters, flyers). A big part of creating these is ensuring the design connects with the audience and leaves a lasting impression. In short, promotional graphics aren’t just about looking good—they’re about communication and persuasion through design!

Advantages of promotional graphics

They can be used to advertise products
Promotional renders can be placed in a virtual environment to enhance realism and to give a greater sense of believability
Promotional graphics can show the customer what the product will look like, for example, material, highlights, shadows, etc.