Seasoned graphic designers can make their job seem so effortless to an outsider. A few strokes of the mouse and things go from mediocre to magnificent. However, even the best graphic designers are limited by time, patience and sometimes, unclear vision for the project.
Although the work of a pro graphic designer may appear to be easy and take no time at all, our graphic designer at Fox and Forth, Kellsie, has a few important things that she wants you to remember when working with any graphic designer on an array of different projects.
Promotional Products – Graphic designers ALWAYS need a vector!
If your business is interested in putting your logo on promotional branding items like tee shirts, tumbler cups, or even lanyards, you need to ensure that you’re sending your artist a vector file to work with. A vector image type can be one that’s compatible with Adobe Illustrator (.ai), an Encapsulated PostScript (.esp), or a Scalable Vector Graphic (.svg)
This is because many machines used for printing on these products require a high-resolution file format that will ensure your logo will come out clean and unpixelated on the promo products you’ve selected. Vector files will always get the job done when it comes to designing and printing promotional products, so remember to send your designer any of the above file types, should you find yourself needing a logo printed on an item. Trust us, your designer will thank you!
Printing requires much finer detail or higher resolution than a computer monitor does, and so the use of vector images wherever possible is critical for printing a clear and sharp image on your branding items.
Social Media – Don’t overcomplicate the graphic.
We’ve all seen those gorgeous and meticulously thought-out social media profiles on Instagram. Everything from colour patterns to image layouts on these profiles, someone out there on social media has put in the time to plan out this aesthetically pleasing profile. Although these profiles are eye-catching, one thing that many of them have in common is that they’re not overly complicated or busy when it comes to the design aspect of their posts. This is because simple designs are easier for viewers to digest, resulting in more time spent on your post.
When collaborating with a graphic designer for your social media, it’s important to keep in mind that not all of the information that you want to give to your audience needs to be in the graphic itself! After all, this is what the caption section is for. It’s good to keep in mind that your graphic designer will likely lean towards using negative space and minimal text to get your message across to your followers online.
Logo Design – Keep it simple!
Pop quiz! Nike. Apple. Pepsi. What is one thing that all of these logos have in common? Other than the fact that they’re massively popular brands, their logos are simple! The simplicity of each logo is a testament to its success as a brand and makes a lasting impression on its consumers for this very reason.
If you are looking to have a logo designed for your brand, you’ll want to keep it simple. By this, we mean simple enough that it’s easy to read, easy to figure out what your business does, and easy to print for promotional products and branding purposes.
Your logo says A LOT about your business and is usually the first thing people see. Try to avoid complicated handwritten fonts, too many details, and don’t use more than 3 colours. A pro tip? Always make sure you ask your designer to create a light version and a dark version of your logo.
In the above video, Kellsie demonstrates the prowess of designing a simple, yet effective, logo.
Web Design – Beware of too many elements.
Everybody wants the coolest, and most efficient website in their industry… And that’s okay! If you want explosions to happen every time someone clicks on a website button, or confetti to burst on the screen when someone completes a purchase funnel, that’s all fine and well… But a word to the wise… Overcomplicating your website by adding too many elements will do your site more harm than good. Let us explain. When creating your website, graphic designers try to keep things simple while still portraying your brand. If there is too much information or graphics on the page the viewer will get overwhelmed and move on. Too much content can cause the reader to become unfocused and abandon their efforts to peruse the site. It's important to understand the factors that go into designing a website as well as specifically tailoring each site design to the business at hand.
We’d also like to note that you also run the risk of your website loading slowly which, again, will cause the viewer to move on to someone else. You want just enough information on your website that explains who you are and what you do but you want to leave some out so the viewer feels inclined to contact you to learn more.
We’re NOT illustrators!
There’s a big misconception when it comes to graphic design. Although we can create logos and build wicked websites… A common assumption is that all graphic designers know how to draw.
Don’t get us wrong! There are a lot of designers out there that do illustrate, and are damn good at it, but not all can. So what’s the difference between a graphic designer and an illustrator? A quick answer would be: A graphic designer works with design software, and an illustrator draws with their hands. We know… That’s so generic and the part about illustrators isn’t always 100% true, because there are graphic illustrations as well. So here’s a better way to understand it: The biggest difference between graphic designers and illustrators is their purpose of work and the tools they use for work.
If you are looking for illustrated elements with upcoming design projects, make sure you ask your graphic designer if illustration is something they can do before assuming they can do it.
Final Thoughts.
With any creative profession, it’s vitally important to trust the process when hiring a graphic designer to assist in a project that you or your brand may have. Having a clear vision of what it is you want, and providing constructive feedback when necessary is all part of the collaboration process when hiring a graphic designer, or any artist to complete work for your brand. And remember, investing in good graphic design is an investment in your business!
Looking to add that WOW factor to your business?
Fox and Forth can help!
Whether it's assistance in graphic design, logo creation or promotional printing, our team of marketing experts are here to help deliver a product that you can be proud of! Get in touch with our team today for high-quality design and marketing services that lead to stunning results.