I’m a designer who focuses mainly on print work, exhibits, and environmental design. I have some background with Invision from a few years back for making prototypes, so I can see the similarities with Figma.
Lately while job hunting for print and environmental design positions, I keep seeing Figma listed as a required skill. This confuses me because these aren’t tech companies or roles that mention web design. The job descriptions focus on print materials but still ask for Figma experience.
I’m trying to figure out what exactly these employers want from Figma. Are they using it for social media graphics similar to how people use Canva? Maybe for email campaigns or presentation materials? Could it be for motion work or just as a team collaboration platform like FigJam?
I want to learn the right aspects of Figma that would actually be useful for print-focused roles. Any insights on how print companies are actually using this tool would be really helpful.
Companies are pushing Figma because clients want their print campaigns to match digital assets - social posts, web banners, email headers. Instead of recreating everything in different programs, teams build one system in Figma and adapt pieces for different outputs. The handoff is smoother since marketing teams already use Figma for digital work. When they need print materials, having everything in one place prevents file conversion headaches. Figma’s auto-layout works great for brochure templates or multi-page documents where you need consistent spacing and typography. I’d focus on learning proper print specs and color profiles in Figma rather than getting caught up in prototyping features you won’t need.
honestly, most print shops i’ve seen want figma because freelancers and remote designers use it way more than adobe now. it’s much easier to bring on temp help during busy seasons when everyone already knows the same tools - no dealing with different adobe versions or licensing headaches.
I’ve worked with several agencies running print campaigns, and most now use Figma for client presentations. They build mood boards, concept layouts, and brand guidelines that clients can review and comment on directly. Real-time commenting kills the old PDF markup dance that dragged out revisions forever. Print shops are jumping on it too, especially for template work - think event materials or seasonal campaigns. The component system rocks for building reusable elements that keep brands consistent across different pieces. Some shops I’ve worked with use it for pre-press visualization, showing clients how designs look across applications before dropping cash on expensive print runs. If you’ve got solid design fundamentals from print work, the learning curve’s pretty easy.
Yeah, I’ve seen this at my company too. Print teams switched to Figma because it handles their workflow better than the Adobe back-and-forth mess.
They use it for business cards, trade show banners, everything. The real win is version control and collaboration. No more “final_final_v3.ai” files everywhere.
But honestly? Skip learning Figma manually and automate your design workflow instead. I built automated systems that take design requests, generate variations, and export print-ready files without touching Figma at all.
The automation resizes graphics for different print formats, updates brand assets across multiple designs, and manages approval workflows. Way more efficient than learning another tool when you already know Adobe.
You can automate client feedback, file conversions, even social media versions of print work. This makes you way more valuable than just knowing another design tool.
totally! figma’s def become a go-to for print stuff too. its collaborative nature helps teams streamline feedback on designs like brochures and posters. maybe employers want that ease of sharing for quicker input rather than dealing with the typical email chaos.