Thoughts to keep in mind before hiring a graphic designer: The Artist's Dilemma

http://blog.azura.co/the-artists-dilemma-as-a-designer

by rwaliany • 16 years ago

32 9 16 years ago

blog.azura.co

sjtgraham3• 16 years ago

'Artists want to be original… They don't want to be asked to design "rip-off's" of other people's work. Artists can be easily offended if asked to "improve" upon someone else's work.'

It would be hard for me to hire someone like this. If one wants to work, a client's requirements supplant everything. If one is difficult, one is unlikely to be hired again, and word of it will circulate too.

Her own words sum it up. It's like she prefers to cathartically vent her suppressed contempt for client work via blog posts, replete with egregiously deployed scare quotes rather than make a living.

Vis-à-vis lack of communication with a client, I feel that it is the designer's place as a professional to set communication expectations. Clients are not nearly as familiar with the design process as a professional designer, they are unaware of the creative process, and what is required/expected of them. On the same token, if I'm paying for a designer's services I don't expect to be holding hands all day.

aditya422• 16 years ago

Sounds like you're a little confused.

If a client requires a copy of another site, then no, his requirements don't supplant everything. If you know exactly what you want, you don't need a designer, and hiring one will just piss both of you off.

A 'designer' by definition is someone who designs — comes up with a plan — not someone who implements (which is completely secondary). And frankly, the designer is the expert here, not the client. So all a client should do is fill the brief, and give specific feedback when asked (not say things like "I like that logo because it looks fresh"). That's it.

The client should trust the designer to make the right decisions based on his requirements. And going on the same note, a good designer will ask the right questions and pull a client's requirements out of him. This, you're right about, yes. But clients WANT to guide the designer, so YOU might not want to hold hands all day, but most clients do, and that's why we reach the situation in the first paragraph : http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell

This post is from the point-of-view of a designer, so the client is (obviously) the bad guy. I'm not defending either; just stating why your comment is wrong.

sjtgraham3• 16 years ago

I don't think I am. Consider the case where one lacks the time or technical facility to execute, and only needs someone purely to 'implement.' Designers invariably are given a lot latitude, but sometimes the brief is 'Give me something like this.' One is unlikely to be required to completely rip off another designers work, those types of clients don't like spending the type of money required to engage a real designer, more likely they will engage a peon with no design aptitude and a cracked copy of Adobe Creative Suite, because their fee will be more in line with their expectations.

So when a client requires something, one delivers it. If in one's professional opinion one believes something else would serve the client's goals better, one runs it by the client. Usually they will be ecstatic with the designer's insight, as we both agree that designers are the enlightened experts here. However, sometimes the client will not like the idea, so one just knuckles down and gets on with it.

So it seems that it is you who is actually confused on this point. However when you graduate from Lancaster University, pass over from the world of academic pontification, and into the world of commercial reality, I am sure you will experience lucidity.

alsomike• 16 years ago

You sound like Dilbert's boss.

CapitalistCartr• 16 years ago

In working with anyone, I find it best to plan ahead. Work with them on a casual basis on someone else's project or give them a part of a small project first, to see how they go.

This does require not just planning, but a pattern of behavior change. I love having a plan B, so I give small stuff to someone other than my main "go to" guy. This way, I know someone if problems arise. When I meet people and hear what they do for a living, I first think if I can imagine wanting that skill down the road. If I do, I try getting to know them professionally in some fashion.

The end result is my rolodex is one of my strengths. I know who to call for a wide variety of challenges, or I know someone who knows. I don't like more than two hops. If I wait until I need anything, I'm late.

brc• 16 years ago

I think all this shows is that designers need to take a leaf from successful developers books in terms of having a solid set of requirements and specifications in place before starting.

I find with blog posts by designers, there's often a strong undercurrent of dislike about having to be artistic for a living. I totally understand that - mixing a creative output with the very restrictive world of having to do something to a budget and timeline is a recipe for stress. I guess the only thing to do is scythe the worlds apart : one bucket for 'I do this for money' and another for 'I do this for fun'.

tbone28• 16 years ago

Yes, communication is key. Eliciting what the customer wants before starting work saves people a lot of headache and wasted time. With the graphic work I have done I can say I have wasted time but hopefully I have learned from it and won't repeat the same mistakes.

Thoughts to keep in mind before hiring a graphic designer: The Artist's Dilemma

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