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You were doing your grocery one day in one of the largest shopping mall in town. You noticed that when buying soaps, toothpaste and canned goods among others, you were picking up those products that has packaging and logo design that appeals to your eye. And the lady next to you was doing the same. Then you wondered what made these products appealing and saleable to consumers. And your thoughts wondered onto who were responsible for doing these attention-grabbing and money-making packaging designs.
Basically, the person responsible for making a logo or packaging design look superb and marketable is called a graphic designer. They are the ones responsible for attracting potential customers and increasing a company's sale. In order to be a successful graphic designer, one must have excellent interpersonal skills and the knack to sell their ideas to executives.
If you wish to be a graphic designer you must be prepared to receive a college degree in advertising or fine arts focusing in graphic art and computer graphics. Although there are some who make it to the industry just by talent alone, most still need a degree or some sort of certificate to land a job as a graphic designer. Employers won't even look at you if you lack the piece of paper that shows that you have been trained in graphic design related program. In addition, much of your competition would be graduates from college so it is better if you come prepared before plunging into the exciting world of graphic designs.
There many schools across America that offers graphic design related courses. There are courses in visual communication, graphic design, animation, advertising, and multimedia and web development among others. There are short term and long term programs offered in different schools. Short term programs are usually for one or two years while long term programs such as Bachelor of Fine Arts degree are often for three to four years. Nevertheless, both these programs offer a work placement in a business or studio during or after your studies. This can be a stepping stone for you in gaining the experience that you need to get hired.
To improve your experience in graphic designs, you can also do freelance work whenever you can. This will help you have a solid portfolio to present to your prospective employer when you get out of school and hunt for a real job. Likewise, you have to pay attention to the packaging designs and advertising trends in all forms of media to keep you updated with what is the latest in the industry.
Remember that being a graphic designer necessitates you to learn new software and be up to date on design trends constantly. There is more to being a graphic designer than sitting in front of the computer. Thus, you need to learn how to speak efficiently and learn how advertising and PR influence design decisions.
First impression of your company is conveyed by the visual impact of the marketing collateral, including print advertisement, brochures, catalogs, packaging and web site design. Updating or creating new marketing collateral can be an effective way to create new excitement around your company and its products. If you already have a graphics designer, it is natural to go back to him or her for new designs. But if you want to infuse new thinking and a fresh look, it is advisable to consider new designers.
How do I select a graphic designer?
Compare price quotes from multiple Graphic Design Services vendors. Also ask your business associates and friends for recommendations. Shortlist about four designers for further evaluation. There are a number of things to keep in mind before hiring graphic design services.
* Check the portfolio: First step in evaluating a graphics design service is to ask for their portfolio and review specific projects that are of the same category as your design project. A graphic designer's style is evident from the portfolio. The material she creates for you is likely to be in the same style, so it is important to feel comfortable with it. If you are going to hire a design firm, insist on reviewing portfolios of specific designers who may work on the project.
* Check for expertise in web design: If your project includes web design, make sure the graphic design services company has software developers familiar with good web design principles. Don't be impressed with snazzy web designs that use a lot of multimedia, heavy graphics and advanced features. Such designs usually raise a lot of challenges, crash often and are frustratingly slow.
* Agree on the number of concept designs: A good graphic designer will create several concepts for you to review before finalizing the design and creating the final product. What would happen if you don't like any of the concepts?
* Graphic Designer should be a good listener: If you want to provide input before the design process, make sure the graphic designer is willing to spend the time to listen and consider your ideas. She needs to strike a good balance between soliciting input from you and using her creativity and imagination to develop the concepts.
* Check references: It is important to check references before hiring someone for the project. Specifically ask if the graphic designer is good at understanding the requirements, incorporating your feedback and providing revisions.
Here are some tips regarding working with a graphic designer.
As with any other project, it is important to define the scope of the project and definite milestones with expected deliverables. Also agree on the number of expected revisions.
In what shape and form are you going to receive the graphic design? Clarify file types, sizes and preferred color scheme if any. It is generally a good idea to take ownership of the soft copies of the design. They will come in handy if you want to make minor tweaks later or reuse the design. To avoid any future conflict, also take copyright ownership of all material developed for you.
Communicate frequently with the graphic designer and provide continuous feedback. If the project is not going as expected, meet and resolve issues without any delay.
How much does it cost to hire a graphic designer?
Good experienced designers can be expensive. It is best to get a few competitive quotes before hiring. To get the best deal compare price quotes from multiple Graphic Design Services vendors.
You will pay extra if you use licensed material like stock photos. Many graphics designers charge by the hour. Avoid such a relationship unless you have worked with her in the past and are comfortable with such an arrangement. Instead ask for a project based quote. Payment for the project should be tied to the milestones. Be wary of graphic designers who ask for a large and non-refundable upfront payment. If you are on a budget, it does not hurt to look for up and coming graphic designers who are eager to get established and may offer substantial discounts.