I have a few years of workplace experience plus freelance experience with digital design.
Ranging from print, website, UX/UI, branding, logo designs
Note: Design is subjective but the answers will be based on my experience only.
[AMA] I'm a graphic designer - Ask Me Anything
hasher22 on 17/11/2020 - 23:36
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It comes down to experience and how you sell yourself. Junior designs are more likely to lowball themselves even though they create amazing designs on the level with mid to senior designers. It comes down to confidence and how you pitch yourself to a client.
A lot of designers are underselling themselves because platforms such as Fiverr, Airtasker and offshore designers can make amazing designs within a small timeframe for next to nothing. This culture undervalues the talent that graphic designers go through day in and day out. A client may want a "simple" logo and I could explain my process and experience then give a flat fee or per hour charge which may seem high then they could go to Fiverr and get it created for half the price I'm asking for.
The culture around pricing vs experience vs specialty vs effort vs competition is hard to juggle.
I myself have undervalued myself because I wanted to win the job, then there are times where I quoted my normal costs and the client backed off because they are shopping around.
You never know with clients, I think its best for designers to stick to their strengths instead of bowing down to every job they come across. Again, double edge sword, we need real-world clients for the experience but at the same time keeping our values and ethics in check.
Payment is a whole different story and it comes down to how a person deals with it. For example: with me, I get a 20% deposit first before I start work and if they cancel, I keep the deposit and they receive nothing.
I 100% agree with the marketing abilities to sell a brand and services. Some graphic designers are AMAZING at selling themselves to be the best when in-reality they are average. I have a mate who is killing it in the website design and coding business, he's a freelancer and has some good brands under his belt, but he admitted that he's only average when creating websites but he's been doing it for 8+ years.
What is your favorite graphic file format?
It would be PNG or TIFF.
Most hated is jpg
What’s your favourite BIC pen?
Haven't used BIC in ages!
I guess the blue pen with the cap I've used years ago? lol
I now use a stylus pen on pad?
What’s your favourite typeface?
Papyrus
Comic Sans….. so versatile
Jokes…..
Sans Serif most of the time and typeface would be Bebas Neue. Thing is with this typeface, this is one of the elements that won over my first huge projects that started my career. But at the same time, I never knew how popular it was!
What do you think about taking the typefaces that are incorporated into a logo, and using them throughout all other branding? Like all headings in one of the fonts that was in the logo, all "special deal!" signs in another font that was used in the creation of the logo. It's like built-in recognizable branding, yeah?
It really depends
Type logos and pictorial logos in one, in my view, are meant to be unique to the logo itself.
Let's go with 2 examples:
Adidas
Adidas has both the name and the pictorial in the logo. The typeface used for the word Adidas is 'ITC Avant Garde Gothic' (quick google search, may be wrong). Now this typeface can and could be used as headings or whatever context throughout another branding medium. For example: in a website, the headings could use the same typeface or in a magazine the heading could be the same typeface. Reason for this, is because the typeface is not complicated, its easy to read and I am sure other companies have used this typeface as article headings or in business cards etc…Samsung
Samsung type logo has the letter 'A' without the stroke in the middle and the letters are quite separated from each other (called tracking). In this case, I wouldn't use the typeface for headings or used throughout other branding mediums because that typeface is unique to the logo and I would think it would just look bad and not in unison with the hierarchy of information.@hasher22: And the more expensive the logo was in the first place, the more likely it will be to have custom or hand written type. Which you will never find an identical typeface for, unless you make it yourself.
@AustriaBargain: Exactly,
For example: Instagram is custom made but people are set that it's an actual typeface people can download.
Adidas most likely would have minor adjustments to the type logo and to adjust every letter to fit other branding materials is not worth it for the goal of unity and consistency. The feedback from the average consumer is not worth it. Unless the type logo is just a generic font they found online.
Another example: I used to design for Dare and their type logo is completely different from the headings they use in branding. It's actually 2 typefaces in 1.
To keep it safe and unique, IMO, keep the type logo separate from other branding materials….
@hasher22: Isn't the old Instagram font Billabong, and then they came up with custom letter version later? It's a lovely font in any case even if isn't an exact match for the old Instagram logo.
@AustriaBargain: I've only seen recent comparisons of the current logo comparing it's Billabong. What I know of Instagram, it's a custom typeface. But if someone wants to create an instagram-like graphic, I am sure Billabong will be fine.
What are your thoughts on fuschia?
I have no real opinions on it? Does it have some sort of stigma? lol
What are your thoughts on it?
How many offers for payment via "exposure" do you get?
I get more offers to do stuff for free rather than exposure. You'd be surprised how many friends and family members that would guilt you for designing stuff for them for free. "we went to highschool together", "we know each other for 10 years", "do this as a favour?", "Remember that one time I helped you!?"…..
Though I've had companies that asked me to do X graphic for them, in return I get a free meal or like a free coffee. I mean…… I just block them.
I've had 1 "influencer" that was very nasty to me because I wouldn't create them an Instagram logo for exposure. I then called him out on his followers for being purchased lol.
It's a shame that the clients who really could give you really great exposure are already in a position to just buy whatever designs they want. I'm sure any junior designer would kill for a chance to make Kanyes new logo for free, but Kanye would never waste his own time and would just go to a pro service or a pro friend in the first place.
It's interesting, there's this animator on youtube and rejected an agency working for Kylie Jenner because the agency offered exposure.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeVj-ASeGLsThere are other creatives out there stating they did it for exposure for celebrities but got very little or nothing in return.
I think it should be illegal to offer non-monetary/non-item based offers in exchange for goods or services.
@hasher22: And you can put a dollar value on real exposure too. You can't if that exposure wasn't worth anything in the first place, but for real exposure you can work out what it's worth. YouTubers know all about how much a minute of their time is worth shilling.
Do you work in a organisation or you are freelance worker?
Are you able to work still with the covid situation?
To be honest, I am on jobseeker atm and I am barely getting work. I am trying to look for a job with an organisation but the competition is crazy. I had an interview last week but didn't get the job, they only interviewed 2 out of 160 people that applied and unfortunately, I came 2nd.
I had another company that wanted to interview me but they ghosted me when I replied I will be available to the next stage.
I can easily expect 150+ applicants for 1 graphic design role. Plus the requirements for each job is vastly demanding.
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Yep. Another failed AMA on ozbargain.
I think that if op has not responded in the first hour of asking for questions that the AMA should be deleted.
Bit harsh when I am not on my computer 24/7. I am sure you have not responded to enquiries within the first hour in your life.
Ah, your’e a graphic designer, I wasn’t expecting you to reply until at least next week some time… :D
Dang. 1 hour and 27 minutes to reply.
I was fluffing around at bunnings instead.
Bit of an open ended question here - what's your design philosophy?
Interesting question.
For me personally, design has meaning, use and logic. Design can be studied, taught and evolve. Can design be art? For me personally, no because I have my own description on what art is but I think design can be and will be inspired by art.
Design has function, thus design solves problems and ironically creates them as well. Design is everywhere, from the keyboard you're typing on to the tissues you blow you nose on.
Design is timeless and endless from mother nature and man made.
What's the best way to get people to pay more for the same designs, and pay on time, without lying to them. Feel like some designers are underselling themselves, and others are overselling their abilities but they must be great at marketing to sell the designs in the first place, that marketing ability must increase the value of their designs.