Partnering with a graphic designer has the ability to reinvent your project or business. Working with a designer helps transform your ideas into captivating images, whether you’re looking to design a new logo, marketing collateral, or a visually pleasing website. 

But when you work with a graphic designer, what can you expect? What is the process from A to Z and what goes on inside their mind? In today’s blog, I’ll present the outline of 7 main steps you should expect during the collaboration process.

Consultation Call

Before any designs can be created, we need to have an initial discussion about what you need. This talk can include your brand vision, brand identity, and what needs to be done to achieve your end goals. Some questions you might be asked are:

  • Do you have any existing brand materials that you’d like to use? (Logos, colours, fonts, etc)
  • How do you describe your company?
  • What message are you conveying?
  • What is your deadline and budget

The more information you provide the designer, the better. Including more details allows the designer to understand you better and sets the overall tone for the project.


Project Proposal

After the consultation call, the designer will follow up with a thorough proposal that includes the project’s scope, budget and deadline. Pricing can differ depending on the designer you’re working with, but some common pricing types are:

  • Hourly: The amount you pay depends on how many hours they’ve worked
  • Flat: A single cost for the whole project, regardless of how many hours were worked
  • Retainers: If the work is ongoing, you pay a fee per month for a specific amount of hours or tasks


Research Development

  • After an agreement has been made on the project’s scope, the designer will dive into research development.
    By using the information given during the consultation call, the designer will begin to research and explore creative solutions for your business. This can include researching competitors, current trends and aesthetics that match your business’s identity. 
  • In addition to research, the designer may provide mood boards or sketches for you to show where the design
    is headed.


Drafts and Feedback

Once the designer has created some concepts, they’ll provide you with a few drafts that you might like. The drafts could be some simple, rough sketches on paper (or from a stylus and tablet).  Once a general decision has been made, the designer will start to create high-quality, refined mockups or wireframes. This phase is where your input is important to determine the rest of the project.

Expect to:

  • Give specific constructive criticism: Be specific on what you like and don’t like from what the designer has presented. This will let the designer know what you don’t like so they can focus on what you like/expect in the final project.
  • Work Together: The most successful designs come from a collaborative effort between the client and
    the designer.
  • Multiple Revisions: Go through rounds of revisions to target what you want in the final design. Some designers include a maximum amount of revisions in their contracts. Be aware of how many revisions you can do and if there are fees for additional revisions.


Finalizing

After revisions and the client is happy with what they see, it is time to create final designs. Expect a refined version that achieves the objectives and vision of your project.

Make sure to double-check the files:

  • Look for any inconsistencies that might’ve been missed: This could include typos, alignment and other minor issues that would need to be changed. This may be your last chance to make any changes before completely finalizing the design.
  • Have the correct file types: This could differ depending on the files you need. Most commonly, they are
    print (high-resolution JPEG/PNG images), web (screen-optimized WEBP images), and professional
    printing (EPS files).

 

File Delivery

When the design is complete and ready, the designer will hand the files over to the client. Depending on the project, this could include:

  • Images for print, web or professional print
  • Vector files
  • Videos
  • Mockups of the final design
  • A website design

Make sure to talk about ownership rights with your designer. Generally speaking, once you complete the payment for the final project, you are the owner of the work. However, the designer may retain the rights to showcase this project in a portfolio.


Post-Project Support

  • Some designers provide support after completing the project. They can help with small adjustments or how to use your new materials properly. Be sure to ask your designer if support is offered in their packages.
  • If your project requires continuous updates like website maintenance or more marketing materials,
    consider negotiating a retainer plan for continuous support.

 

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the graphic design process isn’t just about making pretty designs. It’s a whole process that needs time and dedication to create a smooth process between the client and designer. It’s a strategy that mixes creativity, marketing and critical thinking.

If you were thinking of working with a professional designer and were stressed about the process. I hope this blog post alleviates some of your stress now that you understand the process from start to finish.

If you’d like to collaborate with Sunrise Creative on a project, please book a complimentary discovery call with us.