Quite often I see people are looking for a ‘Good Graphic Designer.’ But how do you know if someone is a Good Graphic Designer, and if they’re the right person for you to work with?
The first thing to think about is what does graphic design actually do?
- Grabs attention
- Invites the reader in and keeps them reading. Engages!
- Delights the reader, often makes them smile through the use of imagery or layout
- Makes something that might not otherwise be, easy to understand, easy to read or view
- Easy to follow – a well considered layout and fonts can make all the difference
- Often fits a big message in a small space
- Makes a first impression. To read or to scroll past?
- Impresses
- Reassures
- Encourages people to want to read and see more – click here!
- Prompts people to take action, sign posts them – read more!
- Makes something easily and often instantly recognisable… memorable!
- And so much more…
How do you know if someone’s a good graphic designer?
A lot of potential design clients will ask to see samples of work or a portfolio. I say always ask, particularly because I don’t showcase all of my work on my website or social media, and I’m sure other designers are the same! Some clients would prefer to keep their work and suppliers discreet but are happy for this to be shared to support me securing new clients on a one-to-one basis.
Taking a look at a samples of work or a portfolio will help you to see whether a Graphic Designer’s experience is relevant to your project e.g. digital or print (two very different beasts behind the scenes) or branding and advertising (from roller banners to magazine ads with cut and bleed to billboards and the backs of buses).
Really get to know the person you might end up working with
Talk face to face, video call or on the phone and discuss the projects – it’s not a job interview, but you need to get on with the person you’ll be working with. You also need to know that this designer created a logo from concept rather than going online and popping a business name into a logo generator and then billed their client! It happens unfortunately.
Good budgeting
Be crystal clear on your budget, in your mind and the designer’s. If you know you’ll need additional assets further down the line, make that clear. It might be better to have several stages in a project or to create all the assets in one go!
Adding extras further down the line might cost extra.
Good briefs (not the kind you wear!)
Good briefs make all the difference!!! Graphic Design is like a recipe… you have a mix of creativity, some science and insight, experience and of course communication with the client. (Bet you wondered why there are macarons at the top of this post!!)
The briefing process is probably the most important bit.
Designers ARE NOT mind readers so you need to be clear in your mind what deliverables you would like from the project. Lay your specs and measurements on the table, but also think about what you want and need now, as well as in the future. A good graphic designer will help to make sure your project is future-proofed as far as possible. No logos that don’t fit into social media profile circles or delivering you just EPS files that you won’t be able to open unless you use Illustrator.
So it’s all good right?
If you are thinking about outsourcing a project to a Graphic Designer, make sure you give yourself time to find a good designer. I know that great freelancers are usually booked up and busy; the person you want to work with may not be available straight away so give yourself time to find the right fit for your project. Once you’ve found the right person, get your job scheduled into the their diary!
If you’d like to find out a little more about the way I work with clients, why I do what I do or tell me about your Graphic Design related tales I’d love to hear from you! If you want to find out more about how I can help you communicate your message with your audience, or if we haven’t been in touch for a while and you’d like to reconnect drop me a line, I would love to catch up! You can email me on bhavini@b81designs.com.
I’ll be posting more blogs so make sure to check back here soon, or follow me on social media for regular updates, handy hints, tips and design inspiration! See you soon!
