I trust your judgment… I’ve come to dread those words. I get many jobs a day I need to deal with. Some are simple changes to existing artwork. Some are new designs that the customer has pretty much typeset the entire thing already, and I’m just bringing it to reality. But there are times I wish the customer would speak their mind.
When you want something designed, please take a couple minutes and get a rough idea on what you want. Planning to advertise something? Wanting to announce something? The information is strangely VERY IMPORTANT. You want a picture of the product/place/thing on the item? Then let me know and if possible lets arrange for me to get a picture. Another frustration is to design something only to realize the whole design will have to change because “oh yeah widget B was supposed to be on the front…” or “What do you mean I can just have you drop everything you are doing to come over to my place fo business and take 2 hours taking pictures and all that for free.” If I’m pointing out photographers AND suggesting ways you can take the picture yourself, then the fact I’m not taking it should be obvious. Stock photos can work, but for the love of god, PLEASE get permission and/or go through a service or photographer so that you don’t use the same picture everyone else is using or you get nasty calls/letters later. Its amazing some of the stories I hear.
Fonts are important… but also EASY to change. You like the layout… but don’t like the way a certain font looks, LET ME KNOW. I can fix it. Not everyones tastes are the same, and my goal is to make YOU happy. Also if you like some uber special font be prepared to either provide it, or have to get charged for me to buy it. I line item everything for a reason. I don’t spend your money unless you know ahead of time.
Color is important, at the same time each person has their own taste. So lets work together and try to find something that actually works… AND you like. There is a reason I will nix colors and if we’re doing spot color realize. There this little system called the Pantone System. We need to use it or expect to get charged a lot. Hell you could still get charged a lot if you want to use a number of them… unless you wake up to realize that four color process is much cheaper after you start adding that 3rd spot color. Yes there are some limitations (no metallics) and you’ll have to understand that technology is changing and that means for full color printing there MAY be some color shifts over the years (decades). you may not realize it… most people don’t And if you do, then give yourself a pat on the back… and deal with it.
I’m going to stop before I start ripping into paper, and costs (yes the more you do too a business card the more expensive it costs). I still shake my head over a person who came in for $40 business cards and then demanded business cards that quoted out to almost $750 for 500 of them.
Tags: Advertising, color, Design, Irony, work
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