This document is a presentation about graphic design and how to work effectively with graphic designers. It contains the following key points:
- Graphic design is not about art, it is about communication and problem solving.
- When briefing a designer, provide the aims, objectives, target audience, budget, content details, and deadlines to give the designer what they need to get started.
- Tell the designer what you don't want rather than dictating what to do, to allow for their creative expertise.
- Ensure briefs are clear, concise and avoid ambiguous language to help the designer understand what is needed from the project.
- Work with the designer collaboratively and claim joint ownership of
Mind The Gap - Bridging the gap between strategic & creative thinking.
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Notes de l'éditeur
Hi. My name is Eoin White. I’m a graphic designer, and I run my own studio here in Galway called White Design.I have worked with a vast array of clients from many different fields, such as entertainment, construction, hospitality, publishing literature, eductaion, medical, technological – you name it!
Like all of the design professions, graphic design is not art. Though aesthetics is a very important part, design is about problem solving; Form Follows Function.
Here is a short video briefly explaining what graphic design is.
Your brain is a giant, super fast processor. The left and right hemispheres process information and thoughts differently. We all use one side of our brain more than the other. The right side process information in a random fashion leading to more creative ideas. The left side processes information in a more sequential way, leading to more logical thoughts.
Now its time to move onto a very important subject that deserves a lot of attention and respect.
In fact you can even use Skype or Instant Messaging too!
I recently work on a brand identity project with a client in Sydney, Australia, and all we use ever used was Skype and email.
The brief was simple. Design a brandmark for a speech pathologist...
...that appealed to kids! But after working through a few ideas, we discovered that what was really needed was a brandmark that appeared to appeal to kids, but actually appealed to the kids parents!
And so here is the finished product. So it turned out the brief was off base – and actually, Catherine Downs was a real ‘pain in the ass’ client. But that’s OK ‘cause she is actually my sister.
Anyway – back to business! To help avoid headaches and budget over-runs you need a tight brief!
The message you are trying to communicate.‘20%’ Cheaper calls with 02 roaming’
The response you are trying to acheive.‘Increased sales’ – ‘Brand awareness’ – ‘More inquiries’
The most important being the date in which the campaign goes ‘live’. Leave plenty of time!!!!! A good designer should furnish you with a project schedule once they have had time to analyse the brief.
You should mention the campaigns target audience. Supply the designer with any market research you have compiled.
Outline your budget. You may need to take into account other costs like...
Supply examples of design you like, and don’t like.
The designer probably has a good understanding of graphic design. If there is something you don’t like – point it out. But don’t TELL a designer how to design.
Soft copy.
Soft copy.
High resolution images.
High resolution logo.
Actual measurements!!!
Keep all your information clear and concise.
As well as being clear and concise, don’t be afraid to use emotive language to paint the right picture in the designers mind. Remember, designers are visual thinkers – meaning they understand something better once they have visualised it! (Hence the blanks stares)
A good designer will return to you with a well executed and clear solution to your brief. Too much management will hinder the design process and lead to an unfocused solution.
More ofthen that not you will need to get sign-off from your boss, or marketing dept. manager.
This ad works perfectly well for Wonderbra – do you agree?