Role of Graphic Designers for Achieving Online Success
May 14, 2011 by admin
Filed under Outsourcing
bestweboutsourcing asked:
The graphic design outsourcing industry is booming by every passing day, providing a wide range of benefits to their clients. These companies employ a skilled fleet of graphic designers and offer their services to offshore companies. Graphic designers are like web magicians, giving life to any picture through the medium of color and special effects.
They first discuss with their customers the nature of their business, their goals and project budget. After considering these basic facts, they utilize the most effective way of conveying the message to the target audience through media mediums like print or film. Features like color, animation, photography, layout technique, and illustration go into developing state-of-the-art graphic designs. They also accomplish the tasks of designing materials required for web graphic design, multimedia projects, and interactive media.
Firstly graphic designers gather important data from their clients, conduct research, and refer to company briefs provided by their clients. Secondly different design layouts are prepared from which the customer chooses the most appropriate one. Then, to make the graphic design attractive and complete, the elements of color, motion, animation, and sound/visual effects are incorporated into the designs. Thereafter the short listed and complete designs are shown to the client or the company’s creative director for their approval.
Various types of design software and techniques can be used for graphic design creation. Certain layout software offers good amounts of flexibility in the work, thus saving time and money for the designers, which can be passed on in savings to their clients.
These designers have professional degrees or qualifications in the field of graphic design. They are trained in problem solving skills, communication, graphic designing, creativity, and more, that mold them into talented and skilled designers. The Work quality of any outsourcing company can be marked by the quality of graphic designers they have. In the outsourcing industry, they can be hired on a part-time or full-time basis , depending upon the project requirement.
The graphic design company should understand the purpose of the client and their expectations from them. Their thorough understanding will enable them to better create a design that is from their client’s point of view. Moreover graphic design has to be complimentary to the site content and serves the purpose that has been laid out.
Graphics are widely used in different types of websites and in various formats. Plain text websites are simply a bore to the site viewer. Graphics add interest, glamour, and life to any image and eliminates the boredom factor.
The graphic design outsourcing industry is booming by every passing day, providing a wide range of benefits to their clients. These companies employ a skilled fleet of graphic designers and offer their services to offshore companies. Graphic designers are like web magicians, giving life to any picture through the medium of color and special effects.
They first discuss with their customers the nature of their business, their goals and project budget. After considering these basic facts, they utilize the most effective way of conveying the message to the target audience through media mediums like print or film. Features like color, animation, photography, layout technique, and illustration go into developing state-of-the-art graphic designs. They also accomplish the tasks of designing materials required for web graphic design, multimedia projects, and interactive media.
Firstly graphic designers gather important data from their clients, conduct research, and refer to company briefs provided by their clients. Secondly different design layouts are prepared from which the customer chooses the most appropriate one. Then, to make the graphic design attractive and complete, the elements of color, motion, animation, and sound/visual effects are incorporated into the designs. Thereafter the short listed and complete designs are shown to the client or the company’s creative director for their approval.
Various types of design software and techniques can be used for graphic design creation. Certain layout software offers good amounts of flexibility in the work, thus saving time and money for the designers, which can be passed on in savings to their clients.
These designers have professional degrees or qualifications in the field of graphic design. They are trained in problem solving skills, communication, graphic designing, creativity, and more, that mold them into talented and skilled designers. The Work quality of any outsourcing company can be marked by the quality of graphic designers they have. In the outsourcing industry, they can be hired on a part-time or full-time basis , depending upon the project requirement.
The graphic design company should understand the purpose of the client and their expectations from them. Their thorough understanding will enable them to better create a design that is from their client’s point of view. Moreover graphic design has to be complimentary to the site content and serves the purpose that has been laid out.
Graphics are widely used in different types of websites and in various formats. Plain text websites are simply a bore to the site viewer. Graphics add interest, glamour, and life to any image and eliminates the boredom factor.
Use Graphic Design Skills in Right Format for Websites
May 14, 2011 by admin
Filed under Web Design
spinxwebdesign asked:
Graphic design is the most sorts after website design feature making any website visually attractive and appealing. There are many skills that contribute towards making of successful graphic designs. Some of them are as follows:
1) Adobe
Adobe Illustrator software is used for vector based graphics, the designs created are also very neat in texture. It is usually used for logo formation, poster and print work. This program is a bit difficult to learn but can be very beneficial.
Adobe Photoshop is used for producing pixel based photo management. The experts also keep them updated by regular online learning. It is a little costly trick to learn but worth learning it due to excellent results produced by it.
The Adobe InDesign uses page layout program useful for print based designs. In case of magazines, newspapers, brochures, books the skills of this software can be used.
2) Flash
Flash provides motion to your presentations online and turns imagination into reality. Flash is being used extensively in the form if videos on World Wide Web. In comparison to other video players the use of flash player is more on computer devices and desktops. The websites getting hi-tech day-by-day needs to possess strong and full-fledged of flash.
3) Idea creation
Internet is a dynamic platform where everyday something new occurs in terms of technology and creativity. Graphic designers that can come up with newer and innovative ideas get most of the clients. Every customer wishes to present his website by a novel idea generation. However the ideas for graphic designing should complement your website and its business completely.
4) Sharpening business skills
In order to excel in business it is important to know and understand basics of business which includes talents like- accounting, tax strategy information, marketing, database management and so on. It applies to the business of graphic designing also, keeping you much ahead of the market competition and earn desired profits.
5) Network Construction
The graphic designers having strong and apt network are very well ahead of the competition. They get access to latest information and happenings in the field of graphic designing. As these designers spend most of the time in offices therefore network construction becomes all the more important.
6) Typography knowledge
A good graphic designer has knowledge of typography which facilitates good communication. Now-a-days it should not be overlooked.
Copyright © 2009
Graphic design is the most sorts after website design feature making any website visually attractive and appealing. There are many skills that contribute towards making of successful graphic designs. Some of them are as follows:
1) Adobe
Adobe Illustrator software is used for vector based graphics, the designs created are also very neat in texture. It is usually used for logo formation, poster and print work. This program is a bit difficult to learn but can be very beneficial.
Adobe Photoshop is used for producing pixel based photo management. The experts also keep them updated by regular online learning. It is a little costly trick to learn but worth learning it due to excellent results produced by it.
The Adobe InDesign uses page layout program useful for print based designs. In case of magazines, newspapers, brochures, books the skills of this software can be used.
2) Flash
Flash provides motion to your presentations online and turns imagination into reality. Flash is being used extensively in the form if videos on World Wide Web. In comparison to other video players the use of flash player is more on computer devices and desktops. The websites getting hi-tech day-by-day needs to possess strong and full-fledged of flash.
3) Idea creation
Internet is a dynamic platform where everyday something new occurs in terms of technology and creativity. Graphic designers that can come up with newer and innovative ideas get most of the clients. Every customer wishes to present his website by a novel idea generation. However the ideas for graphic designing should complement your website and its business completely.
4) Sharpening business skills
In order to excel in business it is important to know and understand basics of business which includes talents like- accounting, tax strategy information, marketing, database management and so on. It applies to the business of graphic designing also, keeping you much ahead of the market competition and earn desired profits.
5) Network Construction
The graphic designers having strong and apt network are very well ahead of the competition. They get access to latest information and happenings in the field of graphic designing. As these designers spend most of the time in offices therefore network construction becomes all the more important.
6) Typography knowledge
A good graphic designer has knowledge of typography which facilitates good communication. Now-a-days it should not be overlooked.
Copyright © 2009
Become a Master of Graphic Design
Sharron Nixon asked:
Graphic design is a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas. It is the process of communicating visually using typography and images to present information, usually used whenever visual intricacy and creativity are needed to present text and imagery. It can also be applied to the layout and formatting of educational material to make the information more accessible and more easily understood.
Designing a masterpiece graphically is the art of combining text and graphics to communicate an effective message. It is primarily used in the design of logos, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and other type of visual communication. Graphic design is the use of words and images to pass on information or to create a certain visual effect. This art form is sometimes referred to as commercial art because of its application to advertising and its vital contribution to business function.
Graphic design practice embraces a range of cognitive skills, aesthetics and crafts, including typography, visual arts and page layout. Graphic designers have a unique ability to sell a product or idea through effective visual communications, and are asked to perform the difficult task of being creative every single day.
Combining visual communication skills with the interactive communication skills of user interaction and online branding, graphic designers often work with web developers to create both the look and feel of a web site and enhance the online experience of web site visitors. Color is also another powerful way of helping users find their way around a site, and color coding sections of the site helps users identify where they are.
Graphic design adds a visual and emotional context to the purely cognitive text on the site. The primary tool for this art form is, of necessity, the creative mind. With the advent of computers and software applications, the task of the designer has become a little easier, as these have provided more effective production tools than traditional methods. It is a creative profession and things that were once only conceived in the mind are brought to life through skills and imagination.
There is a downside to the inclusion of graphic design on websites. Many designers have tried to force the Web to be what it is not, creating ineffective and sometimes unusable websites. There is a tendency to forget that words, and not images, are the building blocks for the vast majority of websites. People are strongly visually orientated, and their response to the website’s aesthetics and visual structure plays a strong part in how they interact with it as a whole.
The mid 1980s heralded the arrival of desktop publishing and the introduction of graphic art software applications. This introduced a generation of designers to computer image manipulation and 3D image creation that had previously been a tedious and intensive process. Today’s graphic designers often use desktop publishing software and techniques to achieve their goals.
Graphic design requires that the advocate must continually keep up to date with the development of new and updated software, usually either on their own or through software training programs. Contrary to popular belief, anybody with the right software can not necessarily do it, creativity is the biggest attribute that needs to be added.
Graphic design is not just a case of being fluent in some type of software, but also about communication, solving visual problems, and imagination. The tools that are now available do not detract from the need for creative imagination, rather just make the performance of the task easier, and perhaps open the floodgates to applications that may have been out of reach previously.
Graphic design is a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas. It is the process of communicating visually using typography and images to present information, usually used whenever visual intricacy and creativity are needed to present text and imagery. It can also be applied to the layout and formatting of educational material to make the information more accessible and more easily understood.
Designing a masterpiece graphically is the art of combining text and graphics to communicate an effective message. It is primarily used in the design of logos, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and other type of visual communication. Graphic design is the use of words and images to pass on information or to create a certain visual effect. This art form is sometimes referred to as commercial art because of its application to advertising and its vital contribution to business function.
Graphic design practice embraces a range of cognitive skills, aesthetics and crafts, including typography, visual arts and page layout. Graphic designers have a unique ability to sell a product or idea through effective visual communications, and are asked to perform the difficult task of being creative every single day.
Combining visual communication skills with the interactive communication skills of user interaction and online branding, graphic designers often work with web developers to create both the look and feel of a web site and enhance the online experience of web site visitors. Color is also another powerful way of helping users find their way around a site, and color coding sections of the site helps users identify where they are.
Graphic design adds a visual and emotional context to the purely cognitive text on the site. The primary tool for this art form is, of necessity, the creative mind. With the advent of computers and software applications, the task of the designer has become a little easier, as these have provided more effective production tools than traditional methods. It is a creative profession and things that were once only conceived in the mind are brought to life through skills and imagination.
There is a downside to the inclusion of graphic design on websites. Many designers have tried to force the Web to be what it is not, creating ineffective and sometimes unusable websites. There is a tendency to forget that words, and not images, are the building blocks for the vast majority of websites. People are strongly visually orientated, and their response to the website’s aesthetics and visual structure plays a strong part in how they interact with it as a whole.
The mid 1980s heralded the arrival of desktop publishing and the introduction of graphic art software applications. This introduced a generation of designers to computer image manipulation and 3D image creation that had previously been a tedious and intensive process. Today’s graphic designers often use desktop publishing software and techniques to achieve their goals.
Graphic design requires that the advocate must continually keep up to date with the development of new and updated software, usually either on their own or through software training programs. Contrary to popular belief, anybody with the right software can not necessarily do it, creativity is the biggest attribute that needs to be added.
Graphic design is not just a case of being fluent in some type of software, but also about communication, solving visual problems, and imagination. The tools that are now available do not detract from the need for creative imagination, rather just make the performance of the task easier, and perhaps open the floodgates to applications that may have been out of reach previously.
Graphic Design Software
May 14, 2011 by admin
Filed under Web Design
Roberto Luongo asked:
In this fast growing virtual world, the element of graphic designing cannot be denied. The concept of graphic designing is nothing but to present visual communication using topography and images to provide relevant and useful present information to attract people. With the graphic designing tools, you can create an interesting mix of presenting various kinds of information in attractive formats to increase the overall users’ base. The element of graphic design is always presents in our lives in many ways. Whether you read a book, you will come across many illustrations and designing, watching a movie will give you lots of animation and other interesting patterns to enjoy, which simply explains the usability of graphic designing.
Having a command on graphic designing software can help you to create a good web design that will fulfill the needs of the business and the market as well. Graphics software programs are also a key to your success. In graphic design, many software are used to give an expression to the creativity. This modern software not only brings efficiency to the work but also give you many ways to play with graphics and create wonders. There are several tools that are essential to graphic design. Here is a list of what is absolutely necessary to work in graphic design, as well as some things that are recommended.
While there are of course a lot to choose from, the Adobe Creative Suite is extremely popular among designers. This package includes an array of software which will help you to generate better graphics for your websites.
Photoshop, for photo retouching and creating graphic elements
Illustrator, for creating illustrations such as logos
InDesign, for page and book layouts
Flash, for creating animated, interactive websites
Dreamweaver, for website development
The Corel Graphics Suite and Quark are also popular for design work.
Graphic design services are getting a bounce in this showcasing world, where making a good website is absolutely necessary. Fro a customized graphic designing, you can contact graphic design India services and get the best of creativity and fulfill your dreams. Indian professional are equipped with all the latest technology ad software and skilled in their work. You can get the bets quality work in comparatively less time and enjoy the flavor of the growing market place.
In this fast growing virtual world, the element of graphic designing cannot be denied. The concept of graphic designing is nothing but to present visual communication using topography and images to provide relevant and useful present information to attract people. With the graphic designing tools, you can create an interesting mix of presenting various kinds of information in attractive formats to increase the overall users’ base. The element of graphic design is always presents in our lives in many ways. Whether you read a book, you will come across many illustrations and designing, watching a movie will give you lots of animation and other interesting patterns to enjoy, which simply explains the usability of graphic designing.
Having a command on graphic designing software can help you to create a good web design that will fulfill the needs of the business and the market as well. Graphics software programs are also a key to your success. In graphic design, many software are used to give an expression to the creativity. This modern software not only brings efficiency to the work but also give you many ways to play with graphics and create wonders. There are several tools that are essential to graphic design. Here is a list of what is absolutely necessary to work in graphic design, as well as some things that are recommended.
While there are of course a lot to choose from, the Adobe Creative Suite is extremely popular among designers. This package includes an array of software which will help you to generate better graphics for your websites.
Photoshop, for photo retouching and creating graphic elements
Illustrator, for creating illustrations such as logos
InDesign, for page and book layouts
Flash, for creating animated, interactive websites
Dreamweaver, for website development
The Corel Graphics Suite and Quark are also popular for design work.
Graphic design services are getting a bounce in this showcasing world, where making a good website is absolutely necessary. Fro a customized graphic designing, you can contact graphic design India services and get the best of creativity and fulfill your dreams. Indian professional are equipped with all the latest technology ad software and skilled in their work. You can get the bets quality work in comparatively less time and enjoy the flavor of the growing market place.
Illustrators and Graphic Designers – the Modern Day Michelangelo
May 14, 2011 by admin
Filed under Creative Graphics
Anirban Bhattacharya asked:
If Michelangelo time travels to the 21st century he would probably have a hard time earning his living with his paint brush. The modern day artist can no long work with brushes and paints; rather he uses his refined artistic sensibilities to create dazzling images using the medium of computers and software.
Professional designers working with ad agencies use software like Photoshop, Illustrator and Corel draw to create mesmerizing images, which accentuate the value of worth of the written words which accompany them.
Professional graphic design is a very rewarding field in which designers come up with new and innovative ways of getting the desired message across to the masses through various mediums, like print, film, TV and of course the web. The online media is by the most dynamic of the mediums since it’s an arena that’s open to all. Professional graphic design for the web is considered to be the most innovative and yet the easiest of ways to gather followers and customers.
Professional graphic design uses cognitive and imaginative skills and combines it with visual arts for creating breathtaking array of artworks in a variety of forms.
Corporate graphic design plays a huge role in determining the impression of the people during brand building initiatives, like endorsements of products;.
Professional graphic designers carefully study your internet marketing plan and combine it with your business requirements, and then come up with a workable solution that would both fit your budget and also help you reap huge profits.
Corporate graphic design solutions offered differs from business to business as per their budget and their domain.
Sky is literally the limit for these creative wizards known as corporate graphic designers. They can create spectacular designs by cleverly blending images, colors, sounds etc. When software like Dreamweaver is used to create your website, it gives your online address (your site) a sophisticated look. In short, impress your prospective clients with professional graphic design!
If Michelangelo time travels to the 21st century he would probably have a hard time earning his living with his paint brush. The modern day artist can no long work with brushes and paints; rather he uses his refined artistic sensibilities to create dazzling images using the medium of computers and software.
Professional designers working with ad agencies use software like Photoshop, Illustrator and Corel draw to create mesmerizing images, which accentuate the value of worth of the written words which accompany them.
Professional graphic design is a very rewarding field in which designers come up with new and innovative ways of getting the desired message across to the masses through various mediums, like print, film, TV and of course the web. The online media is by the most dynamic of the mediums since it’s an arena that’s open to all. Professional graphic design for the web is considered to be the most innovative and yet the easiest of ways to gather followers and customers.
Professional graphic design uses cognitive and imaginative skills and combines it with visual arts for creating breathtaking array of artworks in a variety of forms.
Corporate graphic design plays a huge role in determining the impression of the people during brand building initiatives, like endorsements of products;.
Professional graphic designers carefully study your internet marketing plan and combine it with your business requirements, and then come up with a workable solution that would both fit your budget and also help you reap huge profits.
Corporate graphic design solutions offered differs from business to business as per their budget and their domain.
Sky is literally the limit for these creative wizards known as corporate graphic designers. They can create spectacular designs by cleverly blending images, colors, sounds etc. When software like Dreamweaver is used to create your website, it gives your online address (your site) a sophisticated look. In short, impress your prospective clients with professional graphic design!
General Aspects of Graphic Designing
May 10, 2011 by admin
Filed under Web Design
spinxwebdesign asked:
Graphic design has become inevitable part of our day-to-day life and we come across it in some form or other. The way advertising is done and things have changed, major chunk of credit goes to graphic designing.
There are different methods of doing graphic designing that varies from web page layouts to screen printing. Creativity knows no bound here and many different ways can be used to do designing.
Graphic designs are good source of information and excellent platform for communication by using numbers, images and letters. It can help in conveying messages across the target audience by means of different sources like images, visual presentations, sound, etc.
The creativity level of the graphic designer is dependent on their mind and how do they go about doing designing. A good designer should know and have idea as to what is needed to be illustrated through graphics. The next step is to choose the right kind template or computer program for constructing the graphics.
You can find different types of software programs in the market that can accomplish designing of website layouts and graphics. Due to availability of software, graphic designer can now carry out their job in much easier and hassle-free manner leading to much better quality of output in lesser time.
Graphics is a form of carrying out advertising of products or services to the target customers. The medium through which advertising is done is also significant depending upon your business type and budget.
Graphics on internet is closely related to the website design. Vital aim here is to communicate with images and visual text for better interaction. A static web page that does not have any room for conveying information would surely lag behind in success. These graphic designers work in a manner that can fulfill company’s intentions and gives better online experience to the visitors.
Advertising through graphics is indeed a challenging task as they not only have to promote but also sell the products/services. Many aspects like customers, their behavior pattern, range of products, company profile, etc have to be kept in mind while doing the designing work.
The increasing use of graphics is also seen in the field of education. Experts have discovered that kids experience better learning when text is combines with suitable visual illustrations. Many educational institutions are using animation that are in motion rather than static graphics for better course explanation and interest generation.
Copyright © 2009
Graphic design has become inevitable part of our day-to-day life and we come across it in some form or other. The way advertising is done and things have changed, major chunk of credit goes to graphic designing.
There are different methods of doing graphic designing that varies from web page layouts to screen printing. Creativity knows no bound here and many different ways can be used to do designing.
Graphic designs are good source of information and excellent platform for communication by using numbers, images and letters. It can help in conveying messages across the target audience by means of different sources like images, visual presentations, sound, etc.
The creativity level of the graphic designer is dependent on their mind and how do they go about doing designing. A good designer should know and have idea as to what is needed to be illustrated through graphics. The next step is to choose the right kind template or computer program for constructing the graphics.
You can find different types of software programs in the market that can accomplish designing of website layouts and graphics. Due to availability of software, graphic designer can now carry out their job in much easier and hassle-free manner leading to much better quality of output in lesser time.
Graphics is a form of carrying out advertising of products or services to the target customers. The medium through which advertising is done is also significant depending upon your business type and budget.
Graphics on internet is closely related to the website design. Vital aim here is to communicate with images and visual text for better interaction. A static web page that does not have any room for conveying information would surely lag behind in success. These graphic designers work in a manner that can fulfill company’s intentions and gives better online experience to the visitors.
Advertising through graphics is indeed a challenging task as they not only have to promote but also sell the products/services. Many aspects like customers, their behavior pattern, range of products, company profile, etc have to be kept in mind while doing the designing work.
The increasing use of graphics is also seen in the field of education. Experts have discovered that kids experience better learning when text is combines with suitable visual illustrations. Many educational institutions are using animation that are in motion rather than static graphics for better course explanation and interest generation.
Copyright © 2009
Freelance Graphic Design as a Work-At-Home Business
Brian Scott asked:
Are you a whiz kid with a pen in your hand? Can you whip up photographic mash-ups that make the Mona Lisa look like illegible scrawl on a bathroom wall? Do you look at album covers and glance at the heavens above, shaking your head knowingly? Then why not put those skills to use and show those rank amateurs how it’s really done?
Whether it’s putting together album covers, posters and logos for the local garage band, doing ensemble flyers for traveling street theatre or producing viral advertising for the world’s largest shoemaker, there’s never been a bigger market for freelance graphic designers, or a better time to be one. The software and hardware that once made digital design and subsequent mass-marketing a rare and expensive medium has cheapened to the extent that anybody with an internet connection, an inexpensive personal computer and an inspired idea can have their work broadcast to tens of millions of people around the world.
Graphic design in its truest form is about conveying a message with a combination of carefully selected colors, symbols, images, shapes and words that, put together, create a unique identity for a product. Those who can do this with rapidity, enthusiasm and a little flair are always in demand. If you’ve got some ability within the realm of traditional fine arts, all the better, but it’s not the be all and end all of your career. Like all artistic pursuits, though, you need the right tools for the job. Specifically, you’re looking for the following:
1. Software. Whether you work with a can of paint and an easel or a mouse and a monitor, you are going to eventually end up with a digitized version of your finished work for delivery to the client. For those of us with liquid assets, I highly recommend Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. If you can’t splurge the high cost for these programs, you can find extremely serviceable replacements in the free, open-source GIMP and Inkscape. Together, these should cover your needs for vector artwork, photo retouching/manipulation, post-processing and final file exports.
2. A good digital (or even film-based!) camera is a useful optional extra. I prefer Canon DSLRs for their aggressively reasonable prices and excellent image quality, but high-end point and shoots can do the job in a pinch. They do, however, lack slightly in credibility while on-site. For those of us nostalgic for the days of 35mm, you can find brilliant film SLRs on eBay for knock-down prices.
3. If, however, photography isn’t your cup of tea, then free stock photo services such as MorgueFile or Stock.xchng are excellent resources that do all the work for you.
4. Finally, a flatbed scanner always comes in handy, whether you’re digitizing hand-drawn designs, scanning client-provided images or transmitting 35mm negatives. The Epson Perfection and Canoscan 8400F have garnered extensive praise for being well-rounded and affordable. Throw in a color inkjet printer or a membership to the local Kinkos, and you’re done.
So now you’re well-equipped and looking to set the world on fire as a gun-for-hire designer, but don’t know where to start. Assuming you haven’t done this kind of work before, your first priority would be to produce a varied portfolio guaranteed to blow the socks off any potential employer. A useful technique, I’ve found, is to start by going through your collection of books, video games and CDs, and picking out a few of each with covers you either **** or love. Decide why it is they produce such strong reactions in either case, and what you would have done differently. With this in mind, attempt to redraw as many as you can in your own image. As you come up with successful designs, put them aside.
Similarly, find some eye-catching stock photos and see what comes about when you simply sit and play with them in your chosen image manipulation software. Get to know the functions of the software and the way images respond to different treatments until it’s second nature.
When you think you’ve got a killer portfolio and the mindset to successfully close a deal, it’s time to find a client. Great first-time employers include local musicians and stage acts, as well as neighborhood businesses with uninspiring logos or lackluster advertising material. (You know what we’re talking about when I mention brochures or restaurant menus that look like they were put together by a ten year old using Word Art and MS Paint).
Most potential clients of this caliber don’t know how presentation affects their business, or feel that hiring a graphic designer to do work for them would be too expensive, so offer them a cheap, friendly, local alternative: yourself! For small projects, offer a flat rate; and for larger ones, keep a log of hours you spend and how many designs you produced so that you can bill accordingly.
It helps, too, to do some gratis work to get your name out there. Use your judgment and offer to redesign for free when you think it’s suitable. Networking and subsequently maintaining contacts in the local business community is what can net you, initially, the most lucrative projects, as well as long-term contract work. Graphic designers in the freelance arena have to think of themselves as part-artist, part-salesperson. Pound the pavement, scan the back pages of community newspapers for projects that look interesting, make calls to fashion, art and IT magazines to see if they have any space for an aspiring designer in their ranks.
On a larger scale, attracting corporate clients requires an online presence, and enough of the above to make an impression. Magazine freelancing in particular can generate contacts and assets in the upper tiers of international marketing and design. Spend some time uploading your creations to a website like Flickr.com or DeviantArt.com, where you can get free exhibition space, as well as having a place to call your own that you can point people to for easily accessible examples of your work. This is just an extension of your portfolio; but like your portfolio, make sure it’s a showcase of all your abilities. Indicate especially that you can diversify and handle different mediums and project sizes.
Freelancing as a graphic designer can be initially difficult; more often than not you may find potential clients slamming doors in your face. Take this in stride and persevere. Like most creative positions, as you accumulate paying jobs, more will become available to you. There’s a lot of demand globally for you to carve out a niche for yourself in freelance graphic design.
Are you a whiz kid with a pen in your hand? Can you whip up photographic mash-ups that make the Mona Lisa look like illegible scrawl on a bathroom wall? Do you look at album covers and glance at the heavens above, shaking your head knowingly? Then why not put those skills to use and show those rank amateurs how it’s really done?
Whether it’s putting together album covers, posters and logos for the local garage band, doing ensemble flyers for traveling street theatre or producing viral advertising for the world’s largest shoemaker, there’s never been a bigger market for freelance graphic designers, or a better time to be one. The software and hardware that once made digital design and subsequent mass-marketing a rare and expensive medium has cheapened to the extent that anybody with an internet connection, an inexpensive personal computer and an inspired idea can have their work broadcast to tens of millions of people around the world.
Graphic design in its truest form is about conveying a message with a combination of carefully selected colors, symbols, images, shapes and words that, put together, create a unique identity for a product. Those who can do this with rapidity, enthusiasm and a little flair are always in demand. If you’ve got some ability within the realm of traditional fine arts, all the better, but it’s not the be all and end all of your career. Like all artistic pursuits, though, you need the right tools for the job. Specifically, you’re looking for the following:
1. Software. Whether you work with a can of paint and an easel or a mouse and a monitor, you are going to eventually end up with a digitized version of your finished work for delivery to the client. For those of us with liquid assets, I highly recommend Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. If you can’t splurge the high cost for these programs, you can find extremely serviceable replacements in the free, open-source GIMP and Inkscape. Together, these should cover your needs for vector artwork, photo retouching/manipulation, post-processing and final file exports.
2. A good digital (or even film-based!) camera is a useful optional extra. I prefer Canon DSLRs for their aggressively reasonable prices and excellent image quality, but high-end point and shoots can do the job in a pinch. They do, however, lack slightly in credibility while on-site. For those of us nostalgic for the days of 35mm, you can find brilliant film SLRs on eBay for knock-down prices.
3. If, however, photography isn’t your cup of tea, then free stock photo services such as MorgueFile or Stock.xchng are excellent resources that do all the work for you.
4. Finally, a flatbed scanner always comes in handy, whether you’re digitizing hand-drawn designs, scanning client-provided images or transmitting 35mm negatives. The Epson Perfection and Canoscan 8400F have garnered extensive praise for being well-rounded and affordable. Throw in a color inkjet printer or a membership to the local Kinkos, and you’re done.
So now you’re well-equipped and looking to set the world on fire as a gun-for-hire designer, but don’t know where to start. Assuming you haven’t done this kind of work before, your first priority would be to produce a varied portfolio guaranteed to blow the socks off any potential employer. A useful technique, I’ve found, is to start by going through your collection of books, video games and CDs, and picking out a few of each with covers you either **** or love. Decide why it is they produce such strong reactions in either case, and what you would have done differently. With this in mind, attempt to redraw as many as you can in your own image. As you come up with successful designs, put them aside.
Similarly, find some eye-catching stock photos and see what comes about when you simply sit and play with them in your chosen image manipulation software. Get to know the functions of the software and the way images respond to different treatments until it’s second nature.
When you think you’ve got a killer portfolio and the mindset to successfully close a deal, it’s time to find a client. Great first-time employers include local musicians and stage acts, as well as neighborhood businesses with uninspiring logos or lackluster advertising material. (You know what we’re talking about when I mention brochures or restaurant menus that look like they were put together by a ten year old using Word Art and MS Paint).
Most potential clients of this caliber don’t know how presentation affects their business, or feel that hiring a graphic designer to do work for them would be too expensive, so offer them a cheap, friendly, local alternative: yourself! For small projects, offer a flat rate; and for larger ones, keep a log of hours you spend and how many designs you produced so that you can bill accordingly.
It helps, too, to do some gratis work to get your name out there. Use your judgment and offer to redesign for free when you think it’s suitable. Networking and subsequently maintaining contacts in the local business community is what can net you, initially, the most lucrative projects, as well as long-term contract work. Graphic designers in the freelance arena have to think of themselves as part-artist, part-salesperson. Pound the pavement, scan the back pages of community newspapers for projects that look interesting, make calls to fashion, art and IT magazines to see if they have any space for an aspiring designer in their ranks.
On a larger scale, attracting corporate clients requires an online presence, and enough of the above to make an impression. Magazine freelancing in particular can generate contacts and assets in the upper tiers of international marketing and design. Spend some time uploading your creations to a website like Flickr.com or DeviantArt.com, where you can get free exhibition space, as well as having a place to call your own that you can point people to for easily accessible examples of your work. This is just an extension of your portfolio; but like your portfolio, make sure it’s a showcase of all your abilities. Indicate especially that you can diversify and handle different mediums and project sizes.
Freelancing as a graphic designer can be initially difficult; more often than not you may find potential clients slamming doors in your face. Take this in stride and persevere. Like most creative positions, as you accumulate paying jobs, more will become available to you. There’s a lot of demand globally for you to carve out a niche for yourself in freelance graphic design.









