Does your graphic artist shudder to see you coming?
See if you fit the bill of a designer's nightmare client.
(Sometimes I come off stronger than I intend to. Please understand this is meant in a humorous and helpful way!)
See if you fit the bill of a designer's nightmare client.
(Sometimes I come off stronger than I intend to. Please understand this is meant in a humorous and helpful way!)
I don't mean to complain, but ...
I believe my 'gripe list' to be common to most
if not all fellow designers.
At least the ones I've met and commiserated with.
Any additions to the current peeve list?
Sound off in the guest comments below.
Expect quality work
... delivered yesterday.
We all have deadlines.
Many of us actually excell under time crunch pressure.
However, impossible deadlines make for less than exceptional design, on the whole. Be sure to give your graphic designer adequate lead time.
There may be nothing as frustrating as getting a job that has to be turned around overnight when the client has had possession of the materials for weeks.
However, impossible deadlines make for less than exceptional design, on the whole. Be sure to give your graphic designer adequate lead time.
There may be nothing as frustrating as getting a job that has to be turned around overnight when the client has had possession of the materials for weeks.
Expect quality work
on the cheap ... or FREE?!
We're worth it.
We base our fees on our success, demand and abilities.
You wouldn't go into a coffee shop, ask for free full-size samples of five different flavors of coffee, and then take them home to mull it over for a few days before going back to the coffee shop to pay for the one of five that you liked, right?
Or worse, take the best to another coffee shop across town and ask them to duplicate the flavor for half the price, and then never pay your original tab.
Some designers will work on spec. They will take your idea and show you 3-4 concepts they come up with based on what they think you want ... at no charge. That's fine. If you want something free or cheap, find a struggling or 'hobby' artist.
Personally, I have paying clients waiting in line for my design services, which means I am highly unlikely to want to work for you for free in hopes that you might someday decide to pay me.
People come to me because they know my coffee is great, straight from the pot. They buy a cup, and then I help them decide just how much cream or sugar, if any, they need to make it perfect.
If they want some crazy foreign name-I-can't-pronounce ingredient added, I send them to another coffee shop, because I specialize in a simple, easy-to-comprehend and time-tested blend, without frills.
You wouldn't go into a coffee shop, ask for free full-size samples of five different flavors of coffee, and then take them home to mull it over for a few days before going back to the coffee shop to pay for the one of five that you liked, right?
Or worse, take the best to another coffee shop across town and ask them to duplicate the flavor for half the price, and then never pay your original tab.
Some designers will work on spec. They will take your idea and show you 3-4 concepts they come up with based on what they think you want ... at no charge. That's fine. If you want something free or cheap, find a struggling or 'hobby' artist.
Personally, I have paying clients waiting in line for my design services, which means I am highly unlikely to want to work for you for free in hopes that you might someday decide to pay me.
People come to me because they know my coffee is great, straight from the pot. They buy a cup, and then I help them decide just how much cream or sugar, if any, they need to make it perfect.
If they want some crazy foreign name-I-can't-pronounce ingredient added, I send them to another coffee shop, because I specialize in a simple, easy-to-comprehend and time-tested blend, without frills.
My reference shelf wish list
Tweak your copy
... AFTER design begins.
A very common issue.
Suddenly, you catch an overlooked typo, or notice a glaring punctuation mistake you can't believe you didn't see before.
We understand.
However, some clients will rewrite entire blocks of text each and every time they see a design proof, right up until the print deadline.
Our job is to sculpt the text we are given. We use sophisticated software that takes hours of specialized training to master.
We look at the distance between characters and lines, fine tune hyphenation and justification, adjust kerning and leading and tweak facets of text flow that you never knew existed.
Yes, it DOES make a big difference if you change a word, a phrase, a sentence or a paragraph after we have provided a 'final' proof.
Please provide proofed, edited text in a digital file at the time of your design request, and only make absolutely necessary changes once copy is submitted.
Some designers are also excellent proofreaders, some not-so-much. Do not expect your graphic artist to catch mistakes unless it is part of your contract with them.
Do expect to pay extra for proofreading. Also expect to pay extra if you need your designer to input excessive type; we are not hired for our WPM.
We understand.
However, some clients will rewrite entire blocks of text each and every time they see a design proof, right up until the print deadline.
Our job is to sculpt the text we are given. We use sophisticated software that takes hours of specialized training to master.
We look at the distance between characters and lines, fine tune hyphenation and justification, adjust kerning and leading and tweak facets of text flow that you never knew existed.
Yes, it DOES make a big difference if you change a word, a phrase, a sentence or a paragraph after we have provided a 'final' proof.
Please provide proofed, edited text in a digital file at the time of your design request, and only make absolutely necessary changes once copy is submitted.
Some designers are also excellent proofreaders, some not-so-much. Do not expect your graphic artist to catch mistakes unless it is part of your contract with them.
Do expect to pay extra for proofreading. Also expect to pay extra if you need your designer to input excessive type; we are not hired for our WPM.
Offer layout advice
... when guidance was NOT requested.
We work for you, but ...
You hired a designer because you want design.
Chances are, your first proof will be the best thing you'll get from us.
Because after that, we're going to have to endure your changes.
Then your boss' changes. Your committee's and sub-committee's changes. Your niece in art school's suggestions.
One person will want the text bigger. Another, more bold and italic, and can you put a drop shadow on that? Someone else will see white space as wasted space, and suggest art to "fill" that empty page.
White space is not a bad thing.
Think of it as breathing room for your message.
If you let too many people "design" a project, you will likely end up with something that could have been done with Word clipart and text effects.
And no one wants that.
It's up to you: let us do our job, let your secretary do the job in Word, or let your niece in art school design her heart away.
White space is not a bad thing. It's worth repeating.
Chances are, your first proof will be the best thing you'll get from us.
Because after that, we're going to have to endure your changes.
Then your boss' changes. Your committee's and sub-committee's changes. Your niece in art school's suggestions.
One person will want the text bigger. Another, more bold and italic, and can you put a drop shadow on that? Someone else will see white space as wasted space, and suggest art to "fill" that empty page.
White space is not a bad thing.
Think of it as breathing room for your message.
If you let too many people "design" a project, you will likely end up with something that could have been done with Word clipart and text effects.
And no one wants that.
It's up to you: let us do our job, let your secretary do the job in Word, or let your niece in art school design her heart away.
White space is not a bad thing. It's worth repeating.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium
(or, why I don't work for free)
My Mac hummed with joy when it saw the shiny new discs. My VISA merely sighed.
![Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Design Premium [Mac] [OLD VERSION]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41viEwLxkCL._SL160_.jpg)
Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Design Premium [Mac] [OLD VERSION]
Amazon Price: (as of 12/28/2009)
List Price: $1,799.00
This is my Holy Grail.
Please understand that I endeavor to know every awesome thing it can do, but each advancement brings a new learning curve (along with a $600+ upgrade).
Rest assured that I strive to discover every useful, helpful and meaningful facet of this magnificent box of code.
Release Date: 04/20/2007
What is your peeve?
Graphic design artists can sometimes get a bad reputation for being hard to work with, but it is only because we know when we're right and the client is wrong and sometimes they don't seem to understand that. ;)
What is your "bad client" story?
submit
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Reply
- RolandTumble RolandTumble Feb 12, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
- I know it's not what you're talking about, but the exception to the "work for free" complaint is a straightforward, free-to-refuse request to donate work for a cause. At least you can take a deduction there if you choose to participate.
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Reply
- AlidaCornelius AlidaCornelius May 17, 2008 @ 9:02 pm
- Hi, XP, I like your site. I clicked on your question, can a person change their username...and voila! Here I am at your site. I am new. I am trying to find out how people can rate you to put on my first lens. And sure I want to find out how to make money. Why not add that feature, right?
I am an artist...all this driving people to my site is quite confusing, but really I would rather be writing sometimes.
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Reply
- JonSpurr JonSpurr May 7, 2008 @ 1:37 am
- Excellent Lens! I know how you feel. I worked for a Presidential campaign. *ugh* Thanks for posting this. It made my day. 5/5*
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Reply
- ddixonart ddixonart Apr 24, 2008 @ 9:14 pm
- RE "expect on the cheap - or free" see this link GigPosters.com Forum ... the replies should show how designers feel about being asked to do the work free.
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Reply
- riff999 riff999 Apr 18, 2008 @ 5:53 pm
- Great lens. I certainly think that you have valid complaints and can understand your frustration. Hope your next client reads this.
~Jane
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by XP
Known to most as XP, the self-proclaimed Princess of Squidoo
... and Goddess of Design. (more)
