Tips for successful freelance design
Rob Cubbon wrote
Meeting customer
Spend some money on your clothes and briefcase or bag-type portfolio to create a good impression. People can deny it, but they will always think: expensive clothes, a lot of money, well, good designer. smartish dress, but not fashionable - Nobody likes the designers fashion.
When meeting the client, I would always advise you to smile in the first moment and to look directly into the eyes. Of course, some studios and workplaces can be serious and aggressive and it is probably not a good idea of walking around them with a silly smile.
But First impressions count and I always found it better to try to be the first disarmingly friendly. Do not go over, but try to give that impression "I was happy before this moment, I am happy now and I would enjoy working with you in the future."
Taking the brief
This may be the moment when everything goes wrong so be careful.
A brief if someone who knows very well a story that explains to someone who knows nothing. For this reason, it is incredibly common that the writ will leave something very important or, as county, spend hours talking about past events that are totally irrelevant to the job in hand. But stay tuned.
We must maintain eye contact, look interested and, if possible "mirror" of your client's posture and movements. Hear thus, if your client is sitting upright, standing straight. If your client is a nod, sign with them. If they smile, smile. If they look serious, more serious. If your client is poor at maintaining contact with eyes so be careful not to look him too closely.
Being a level and equal your client in every sense. Try to ensure that your eyes are level with her. Do not "turn over" or "shrivel below" the customer. And stay tuned.
And all this time, your brain is churning background thinking. You must know the parameters and if the client has not told you everything will be on the extent of them. You must also know the target audience and, of course, what he is trying to accomplish.
So remember, size - I can decide the size or format? Colors - what can I decide the color or do I use the business? Fonts? Font business or I can choose? Illustration? What kind of graphics device do I use to illustrate the piece? What style of photography, illustration, editing, etc.? Message? What is the hero? What do I contact?
If the memory is written that you have no excuses: read again and again to read it in the middle of the project and read at the end. It's amazing how many times people miss the simple things in a memory.
Never during all stages of the design process, forget the memory.
Do not Go to Work
So, your memory and you understand what the client wants to communicate. And now? Sit down and think about something else.
The problem with the creative spirit, it is rarely effective when it is supposed to. You are sure to get your best idea immediately or suddenly days later, at a time you idle strikes like a meteorite ... The idea most surprisingly good.
So do not think about the subject ... think about the subject.
Using the Internet using lateral thinking
Creatives are paid fortunes to think laterally, to come with a word or an image that no one else has thought. But now we have the most amazing resource lateral thinking at our fingertips - the Internet.
You have dictionaries and thesaurus to help you with words. There are directories of idioms and expressions in English which are particularly useful with a copy of the advertisement. But My favorite Internet using lateral thinking is the image search.
One of the most difficult but potentially most creative and the funny thing may be illustrating abstract concepts. Try putting a short-term is consistent with your memory (can be empty, separation, Together, the contrast, love, hatred, anger, comfort) in the search engine a photo site and see if it gives you ideas. Remember research is not normal search engine like Google Images or Yahoo! They are becoming better and give you a different option to stock stuffy image.
Computers do not have associations with words what we do. They just match the word without passion, we type in. Think about all the time you had a search fail. It is these "failures" that can trigger a UN-thinking of the angle that could really make a campaign.
Logo Design
Type the name of the client in an application program of the police as Suitcase and you will immediately see in many types of characters different. Try all different combinations of uppercase and lowercase.
When scribbling on your pad remember to use all kinds of different writing materials to give you an idea. Pens, pencils, markers, pens, charcoal, you can get your hands on. If you are right handed write the name of the logo with your left hand a few times. Get colleagues to write as writing other people can give you idea.
Use the idea of abstract image search above to give you the corners of the icon or symbol ideas.
Illustration
The style of photography and / or artwork may be covered in the memory or may be you, but anyway try to push limits a bit.
We all have our favorite photos libraries, but try others - and do not forget the image search Internet. Try to choose something other than the obvious image.
Remember the versions of Adobe Illustrator CS have a trace tool that allows direct redraw an image in vector form which you can present as an illustration of a miracle solution to deny the necessity of the Commission.
Remember that illustration and photography can be combined.
And I think simple. Simple and iconic still sells.
While the design
It is important not to fall in love with one of your designs. It can be very easy to be attached to an idea or a drawing and convince you its luster, especially if you work in isolation.
All comments are a good feedback. Then ask someone, your other half the children, the concierge, your opponent what they think. It may be that you've spent ages at the point of a title that is misspelled!
Presentation
Here comes the moment when everything counts. You will present your ideas.
Present your work as you can. Get the most beautiful prints and mount them on cards of equal size.
If your presentation on the screen do the largest available and in a way that covers the entire screen, not with a messy desk in the background.
If you have a website, maximize the browser window. If you are in Photoshop click the tab button to get rid of all the pallets ugly and press the F key to get rid of office.
If sending ideas as PDF, use the initial view in the document properties to adjust the page or Open in full screen. First impressions count.
Always present your ideas one by one. Never put everything on the table at once.
Start with your lower initial idea and ending with the strongest. Always keep something up your sleeve if the customer does not like the idea.
Claim you are responsible for the amazing shop in the world showing a billionaire on the most perfect diamond ever.
Rob Cubbon
About the Author
I am a freelance creative artworker and graphic designer, based in London, with over 11 years experience.Born in Kent, England, 30 May 1968.
Educated in local schools until 18 where left to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in University of East London. Started working in publishing 1989, involved in writing, photography and design for various magazines and newspapers. Worked abroad as English teacher.
Freelance designer for print and web since 1995.
www.robcubbon.com