Graphic Design

You will find graphic design in company logos, printed materials like brochures, posters, signs, greeting cards, postcards, business cards, billboards and ads. Advances in technology have brought us the digital environment complete with websites, online ads, virtual brochures and presentations, and so very much more.

Graphic designers can use hand-illustrated designs as well as computer-aided designs thanks to a wide range of software with nearly endless digital design tools. The availability of software like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop have become staples of the graphic designer.

A graphic designer does more than just put their creative skills to work. Though most graphic designers are intuitively creative already, they have generally spent time studying numerous design principles. It’s vital to understand how to use design elements to transmit the required messages and values as well as evoke a certain feeling in the viewer. As a visual communicator, they leverage these design elements and use concepts such as color, typography, space, balance, form and lines to create their visual message. Some graphic designers are also able to understand the more technical aspects of design required to create digital assets for a company. For example, a web designer is often able to create wireframes, workflows, and sitemaps and understand how to develop easy navigation for the user experience.

Besides turning their client’s vision, brand image and value proposition into a graphic display, a designer will undertake many specialty tasks as part of a graphic design project. The specialty tasks include collaborating on the concept (usually with a team), attending meetings about the project, paying attention to what customers are clicking on, doing presentations that explain the various potential designs, revising designs, and preparing asset files for others on the team and for client use.

There are many ways to work with a graphic designer. Partnership options include working through an agency, using a platform like 99designs, or hiring them directly. However, you will want to be prepared to communicate clearly and often about what you want from the graphic designer. The more specific you can be when you fill out your request the more likely the final product will reflect your vision. Communicating clearly and minimizing revisions will hold down your expenses. Most graphic designers include one or two rounds of changes in their project price.

Although some designers have their own design process, there are some overriding ways that define a good process for working with a graphic designer. Before approaching a graphic designer, make sure you’ve done your research in terms of whether they are a good match for your project. The best results happen when you and your graphics designer hit it off with great communication and wonderful artistic results. A continued beneficial working relationship with your freelance graphic designer on future projects is to be hoped for and what you will be working toward.

Some designers are also website designers, or they can do certain aspects of design or coding. However, it’s not a guaranteed element and it isn’t necessarily part of the job. Therefore, you need to explain this to people and then let them know which services you actually offer so that they know what they’re getting. If you are a traditional graphic designer that doesn’t work with coding, HTML, or other website-related efforts, make sure that you make that clear. If you do provide additional services like this, or anything else, this is also a great place to promote them. If you have partners, add them here. Also, use the space to explain the difference between a graphic designer and a web designer, as well as how brands can benefit from a graphic designer. Along with an answer, it’s another great place to promote your services.

This is a great place to educate while you’re also selling your services. As you know, graphic design services can provide a lot of solutions for people, including things like logo design and corporate branding, packaging and marketing materials, web and app design, and so much more. Your audience might not be aware of all the ways that working with a graphic design firm could benefit them—this is your chance to explain that. There are several business applications for graphic design, depending on the type of firm or designer that people choose to work with. Make sure to also use this space to open yourself up to requests that may be outside of your “typical” offerings; it could expand your business significantly.