₦airaland Forum

Promhize: OP how can one learn to become a seasoned graphic designer, is it just by knowing how to coreldraw and photoshop?

It's not just about the applications, it's about your imagination, drive, passion, perseverance and consistency. The applications are just a means of expressing yourself and are useless if you have nothing to express.

engineerd: Can you explain why my drawing was deleted? i am making use of shapes!!!!!

This topic is on FP so you should understand that different age groups including minors will want to take a peek and participate. Let's not scare them with adult content please.

Sorry if you feel slighted, just trying to maintain the sanity of the thread.

Thanks

A freelance graphic designer is a profitable and rewarding career for individuals who have a natural talent for design. One of the best benefit of working as a freelance graphic designer is that you can easily work on your own terms and time. Here are 10 expert tips to help you succeed as a freelance graphic designer.

1. Find your niche:
Are you a print or digital designer? Are you a web designer or brand identity specialist? Before you dive into the competitive freelance design word, learn what you’re great at, master it, and then use it as your unique selling point to potential clients.
https://www.iahbe.org/images/trends.jpg

2. Develop your own personal style:
Spend some time developing your personal artistic style to help set you apart from the gazzilion other freelance designers.
[img]http://www.onmyge.com.ua/lialat.gif[/img]

3. Market yourself:
Obviously you will need clients in order to succeed as a freelance graphic designer. To build clients, you must market yourself. Every designer has a different marketing strategy, but based on my experience you should:

**Showcase your work on several online creative platforms; Behance, Coroflot, Krop and DeviantArt
**Try paid advertising; Google Adwords, Solo Ads
**Guest blog on leading design blogs
**Start your own design blog. If you need help getting started, sign up for Empower Network viral blogging system
**Build a stunning portfolio site. If you do not have extensive web design or coding experience, consider using WordPress and purchase a creative portfolio theme from Themeforest or MojoThemes

4. Manage your time and bill accordingly:
As a freelance designer, managing your time is essential. To be successful, you will also be communicating with clients and marketing your freelance practice frequently. Consider using Paydirt, an online time tracking and invoice software and Basecamp, an online project management software. Although Basecamp and Paydirt are not free, both platforms are extremely valuable to freelance designers.
https://blog.ubmcanon.com/Portals/156893/images/time-management.gif

5. Don’t take on too much work:
Do yourself a favor by not taking on any work that you do not have the time or capacity for. Your reputation is everything so do not ruin it by putting out shitty work because you were overwhelmed.

6. Don’t take on any type of work:
Be selective of the work you take on, especially as a new freelancer. The clients you choose to work for are a representation of you as a designer.

7. Reward returning clients:
The equation is quite simple. Loyal clients = guaranteed business = steady income. If you want to earn a steady income from your freelance design practice, work on building a loyal client list. For instance, offer special discounted rates to returning clients.
https://www.oc-extensions.com/image/cache/data/modules/142/front-750x488.jpg

8. Keep learning:
There is always room to grow no matter how much experience you have. Take online courses or other educational methods to enhance your design and/or technical skills.
https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/sites/www.intellectualtakeout.org/files/Keep%20Learning.jpg

9. Don’t follow the latest design trends:
It’s important to be knowledgeable of current design trends, but you do not have to follow them. Your goal as a designer is to create timeless work and most design trends come and go.

10: Don’t budge (At-least not all the time):
Many freelancers often lower their rates to accommodate clients. You may need to adjust your pricing for the right client or work, but such action should be done occasionally. If a client does not think your work and time is worthy of the price you’ve presented, then they weren’t worthy of working with you.

Source: http://kyhryt.com/succeed-as-a-freelance-designer/#!

Onegai: Thanks. You don't have to be an artist to draw or learn, a lot of graphic artist would benefit from it. Overseas, graphic arts learn Art skills, but in Nigeria, we just buy a mac or download PS and CorelDraw. It usually shows the lack of drawing skills and design skills afterwards.

You are God sent.

Nigerians and the "awoof" mentality. We'll go to any length, even pay a greater price on the long run just to make sure we don't acquire a service the proper way.

The main reason people don't like glo is just because they have very tight security and their BIS service can't be used with any other device. I applaud them for that. We don't always have to look for short-cuts and illegal ways to acquire things.

That's why the white race will always be superior, the greater number of them will pay appropriately for services being enjoyed and only a few bad eggs go about looking for short-cuts the way most Nigerians do with pride.

Let's change our mentality, pay for services enjoyed. How do you discipline your kids and younger ones when they involved in illegal things. You might have unconciously given them your approval from your own actions.

This isn't the government destroying our nation, this is our mentality leading us to our ruin. Change yourself, preach change to your neighbour and trust me, the government will get the message.

Codedrock: lol. I guess you are the liker bro.

Sorry, i'm not. Just thought you needed to be enlightened in case of another time.

Codedrock: @post
WHAT? AND SOMEONE LIKED THIS TOPIC. Is that a good thing? GOD HELP MAGSALANDERS O.

Bros... Take it easy. Some people like topics because they don't really have anything to say but want to follow the thread.

If you understood my post, you'll notice I'm not in support of what happened in Libya. Was just trying to ask where you were then with your anti-impunity campaign. Jonathan is not a nairaland member and I don't see anyone threatening to harm him. All they do is insult him which doesn't contravene any nairaland rule since he's not a nairalander.

I'm sorry but I need to ask, has the president complained to you? I hate when people just come and act like Nigerians are the only different disrespectful inconsiderate selfish uncultured people in the world. Libyans didn't only insult their president, they killed him and everyone was happy... why? Cos he was a tyrant? Why didn't you speak up then that they should respect his position and the office he held? As cruel as Ghaddafi was, he loved his people. He was only cruel to foreigners and I'm sure you understand why that is.

But we have a president with so much theoretical achievements and no physical indication of the achievements. The people are suffering and can't do anything about it because only the powerful get justice in Nigeria. All they have is their mouths, should they not talk too? Please allow them express their disappointment and pain verbally cos it's the only way they know how (aside mob action).

Let the president live up to his position and see if anyone will have his time again. They'll even praise him.

1. Wanting Great Designs for Cheap Prices

Because everyone seems to have Photoshop and know a designer nowadays, many clients tend to have a bad idea of what design is worth. While it can be ok to have low prices when you are starting out, when you are confident enough and your work is good enough you should come up with prices that make it worth your time.

Many clients also try to outsource their projects to India and other places where designers work for rock bottom prices, but you need to stick behind your work and hold out for those clients who know what you are worth. Let them know why you are the best choice!

2. Asking you to Design on Spec

This is when clients want to see a finished design before they pay. You should avoid doing this as much as possible, but in times of desperation it could be he only option. Be confident though and let clients choose you based on your portfolio and not on spec. Be especially careful of designing on spec for people on classifieds and forums because it’s a common scam in places like those where they really are not clients, but designers themselves looking to steal your work and use it for their own projects.

3. Slow Payments

Some clients are notorious for paying slowly or not at all. The way I combat this is to ALWAYS require a down payment before I begin work. For smaller project I usually ask for all the money upfront and I never send the final files until I receive the last payments.

4. Not Planning out the Project Upfront

I find it extremely important to plan out a project as much as possible before starting work. Even if they have a tight deadline make it clear the project must be fully planned out before you begin. After all meetings and discussions are done write up an estimate listing all of the details of the project and your prices and terms.

5. Not Giving you all the Copy and Images Needed up Front

This is probably one of the most common bad habits of clients. I try to stress several times that I require all copy and images before I begin and this usually gets them to give it to me on time. Although don’t be surprised if you end up having to design using dummy text and make annoying adjustments later to fit the actual copy.

6. Not Having High Resolution Images for Print Projects

This is usually due to the fact that clients do no understand the fine points of resolution or that they just do not have any high resolution images available. Try recommend using high resolution stock photography or illustrations instead, but if they really must use those images try to keep them as small as possible. If this happens make sure you write in your contract that the images provided were of low resolution and may not reproduce well when printed.

7. Forcing you to use Poorly Designed Logos and Other Elements

Many times clients will ask you to include pre-existing logos or other design elements within the project you are working on. You will have to judge when and when not to argue this if you feel it hurts the overall design. Learning how to negotiate and inform clients on what you believe is best can be considered an art form and takes practice!

8. Can you Make that Type Bigger?

This has always been on ongoing battle between designers and clients and has become a sort of inside joke for designers. Even Paula Scher commented on the issue by naming on of her books Make It Bigger.

9. Asking for Way too Many Revisions

This one can be pretty easily avoided by establishing a set amount of revision rounds and initial concepts before starting a project. Make sure you get this in writing or at least save your emails where they agree to your specifications. This is most commonly done in the logo and identity design area of graphic design.

10. Asking for Additional Work on top of the Original Agreement

This one can be good or bad. It’s bad when they spring additional work on you and don’t want to pay more, but it’s good if your agreement outlines the pricing for additional work.

11. Never Available to Questions or to Look at Samples

Often clients can be extremely busy and working on multiple projects at once. As designers it’s important for us to be able to contact our clients to show them samples, revisions and ask important questions. This one is really up to you guys. You can either try and deal with it and get the project done or you can let the client know about the issue and try and resolve it or drop them.

12. Pinning Printing Costs on You

Many designers handle printing for clients, but I try to stay away from this. I’ve seen way too many clients try and stick designers with outrageous printing bills because of an error in the final design. I basically say I can recommend printers to you and do an initial check of the files to make sure they are print ready, but it’s up to you and your printer to do a final prepress check and make sure the files are correct, because I will not be held responsible for any printing costs whatsoever.

13. Not willing to pay for Additional Costs

This usually turns out bad if you try to spring additional costs on clients at the end of the project. Once again this problem can easily be avoided if you specify upfront what the additional costs are or might be. This can include stock photography, stock illustrations, printing costs and rush fees.

14. Canceling Projects

Whether you or a client decided to end a project you should be covered in some way. Using a contract again is a simple way to protect yourself. Simply state that if a project is canceled, you will invoice for work completed up until that point. Some designers give no refunds at all and some are happy to refund clients if they are the ones who drop the client because of issues.

15. Returning Many Months Later for Login Information

I recently had a client from over two years ago contact me in desperation because he lost certain login information. Lucky for him I keep good records and I was easily able to look up his info. I’m not sure what would have happened if I didn’t have it, but having it in my records made it an easy problem to solve.

16. Asking for Files Years Later

Similar to log in information clients often misplace files you send them. I always keep files on my computer, even from projects years ago and I make sure to back up my files on multiple external hard drives.

17. Legal Action

No one likes this one, but it does happen so be prepared. Always save emails and paperwork in case you need to present them as evidence. Also make sure you find a lawyer that can help you if something comes up. Ask family and friends if they know any good lawyers who would be willing to represent you if a problem occurs.

18. Over Controlling

Some clients are very over controlling and don’t allow for much creative freedom. When dealing with an over controlling client it’s important to let them know you are the designer without sounding to harsh or rude. Just give them your honest opinion on issues and suggest things when you can without being to pushy.

19. Lack of Research & Planning

Sometimes clients want a website or some other project done, but they have absolutely no idea what’s going on. By this I mean they have done no research or planning before hand, but still want a complicated website that’s easy to update.

This makes things extremely difficult for designers because we have to explain every last detail several times for clients. While helping clients is our job there are some clients who really need to go back to the start and do more research on what they are getting themselves into.

20. I Know Everything

Similar to over controlling clients, some clients think they know everything there is to know about design and what your job entails. They tend to tell you exactly what to do with your designs and can be very pushy. Sometimes you have to just deal with this, but as mentioned before don’t be afraid to give your input. I mean they did hire you because you are a professional designer right?

Know Anymore Bad Habits?

If you know any bad habits we forgot to mention or you have a good client story please let us know in the comments!

Source: http://justcreative.com/2007/12/08/worst-graphic-design-clients/

Yeah yeah... its photoshop, agreed. They should provide us with the original pictures that were edited. abi??

Seun: The 30kb restriction did not prevent yusufu16, lightheart and others from submitting fantastic banners with no compression artifacts.

Sir! You are the boss. I'm more into print designs and branding. I never work against size, I just pour out my creativity. Kindly excuse my ignorance.

***takes a bow***

[quote author=Me-n-You]@Seun: Thanks for the update. We have been waiting patiently since.
@erad: Accept my consolation. Your entry was creative and also inspiring. And I believe the correction you encountered in the course of this contest will without fail, impact positively on your future design career. Lets always endeavour to pay attention to details.[/quote]I'm really not fazed, I was expecting something of sort. Its just sad Seun doesn't know quality images and design come with a price (large file size). Putting a 30kb size restriction on a design and expecting clear crisp images is like buying a player for $1million and expecting him to be highest goal scorer. Its never done!

...

princeaduro: clearly understand your start, but believe Ayomidewunmi also speaks the truth, tell me if you are to design Techno logo, would putting a Techno phone be a mandate.

Now you are just trying to complicate the matter. Designing a tecno logo will come with its brief and if it states anything relating to a mobile illustration, i'll work along that line. Don't compare a logo to a banner please, they serve very different purposes and cover different scopes.

Ayomidewunmi: yusufu16 i read that before and i understand clearly, get my point, seun is not promoting a series of techno android phones but all techno android using bbm as an advantage. to make it more accurate you can design a concept without displaying none of the techno phone but making use of the bbm and android symbol to make more louder. like example, if you are to design a banner that speaks for both young and old...there is a way to illustrate a better concept that represent but old and young in a more dinamic way, showing old people symbol without the young people can forfeit the message you are passing across.

Mr. Ayomidewunmi...
I had no intention of partaking in any discussions or arguments here but i felt there's a need to enlighten you based on what you think is appropriate for the tecno banner. the brief clearly states "4. BBM on Tecno Android Phones (promoting Tecno phones)"... Going by your opinion, how does one advertise the tecno "brand" without reference to a tecno phone?? Android is a OS running on tecno and similar mobile phone brands and isn't even exclusive to tecno. Therefore leaving out a tecno phone on the banner and illustrating android instead is 'completely' off-brief. I'm not trying to challenge your authority, just stating this so you don't confuse other contestants.

Thank you.

...

Sincere 9gerian: Those guys are shameless hypocrites. They all conveniently turned a blind eye to where it was stated that the state govt is trying destroy the structure of the Christian schools. Why is the state govt invading the Christian schools? The govt is to set the standards and monitor the private schools for compliance. Standards has nothing to do with trying to convert only girls schools to mixed schools forcefully. That has nothing to do with standards. If the govt is desirous of having mixed public schools, it should go ahead and build more public schools. Aregbe should leave the christian schools alone. He should take his Ifa subject and other indolatrous subjects elsewhere

I really wish to understand how your brain works if it ever works at all. Sometimes I wonder if you go through your own posts and see how senseless and myopic they are. Even if you have to lick PDP's ass, at least apply little knowledge. The only conclusion I've arrived at about you is... You are either a well paid PDP propagandist or an ordinary individual without any atom of conscience. I really don't know how I'll stand for the things you stand for and be able to wake up every morning and look at myself in the mirror.

So now I have to pay N1000 for an unlikely chance to win N10000. I'll pass... if I invest that money on internet bundle, I know the number of potential well-paying clients I'll get...

People should please be careful before registering for these kinda stuffs, confirm that the company truly exists in whatever way you can. This is a public forum and no one will take responsibility if you end up being scammed.

[quote author=Yoshi-Master]Also, did you start with an organic "A" first and then clip off parts and add the edges, or did you draw that from scratch.

I really like the edges on the "A" and the "V", trying to replicate it using CS6.[/quote]I use illustrator CS4... I derived the 'A & V' from a letter 'V'.

kcjazz: I understand you want to sell your graphic design skills but LOGO is not the most important part of a brand. For all I care Coca Cola the most popular brand in the world has changed its logo so many times. Your brand is your story. Have this beautiful logo and sew terrible shirts, customers won't come back for the logo they will come back for how good your shirt makes them feel.

Does 419 have a logo? Why is it attached to Nigeria?
What is gala's logo or even close up?

Coca cola has modified its logo many times. the only time they totally changed it was in 1890 and it was reversed to the previous logo with slight modifications within a year. That should tell you that even them understand the importance of a unique logo. I don't want to start an argument, google is there for more enlightenment.

expert1: LOGO is IMPORTANT. However, don't forget that there is a different between Logo and the Brand.
I observe that you are a graphic designer but you made some mistakes in the logo you created and the mistake is the tone color you used as background.
Lastly, could you please explain the concept behind your logo?

I didn't use any tone in the background. That's my logo as gray scale over the logo. Logo is the most important aspect of any brand, that's wat every other thing (business cards, posters, brochures, letterheads, etc) is built around. If you notice, the article is summarised... People get bored when there's too many text to read. About the concept behind the logo, that's irrelevant for now.

Maybe some other time when something related to that comes up, thanx.