Questions tagged [designers]
Questions about the designers themselves; becoming a designer, living as a designer, forming the designer ethos and other theory related topics. It also covers practical topics like geographic location and self promotion. Ask anything about being a designer.
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Charging an Intellectual Property transfer fee for design work
So, you've finished a design job (eg. a logo design) and the client asks for your IP surrounding the logo, eg copyright, original artwork files, notes, sketches, all of that stuff that went into ...
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13
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How do I learn to be creative?
I've been a programmer my whole life, and now I've found that I really need to start designing my own stuff. I know how to use Photoshop in and out, but I just can't create anything nice. I often ...
- 1,911
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4
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How to hire a graphic designer?
I am developing the backend for a website. I always had the trouble of making an attractive design for my websites and have never hired any graphic designer yet. I have no logo nor web template.
What ...
- 347
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votes
3
answers
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Industry standard file format deliverables for logos? [duplicate]
During an academic discussion regarding file formats I received from a most excellent designer, I thought I was correct in writing (based on my experience with hired work):
...the industry standard ...
- 189
26
votes
5
answers
15k
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How would I know how good of a designer I am?
To me my designs looks good, at least for some months.
But to others not so much.
I want to go freelancing but I don't want to be a bad designer.
So how do I find out if my logo/website/business card/...
user8795
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15
answers
3k
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Is Design School a Requirement for Graphic Design?
Is it required for people to go to design schools to become a Graphic Designer? I've heard many cases where they have started from scratch without previous education in design and are doing fine as ...
- 4,885
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votes
13
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6k
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Do web designers need to know how to code?
As a web developer, both front-end and back end architect, I work with many different designers and sometimes find it frustrating working with design comps where no thought was put into how to ...
- 1,487
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votes
8
answers
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Is math needed for graphic design?
I want to be a graphic designer when I am older as I am good at it now.
I am 14 and great with using Photoshop and other software, but I'm wondering if I need to be good at math to become a good ...
- 395
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7
answers
6k
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Must one have a knowledge of fine art to be a Graphic Designer? Should all Graphic Designers know how to draw?
Is it true that nice design comes with a nice drawing?
Do designers have to know how to draw to be a good designer or not?
- 7,174
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votes
8
answers
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How do you deal with clients who bash your designs?
This has happened to me a few times, in bigger or smaller scale, and I think it happens to many of us.
We as designers have the pleasure/curse of leaving quite a bit of us in every design.
When ...
- 26.4k
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votes
6
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What do I do when I quote a price for a design but the client keeps asking for revisions and redesigns?
I'm a freelance graphic designer, so mostly, my pricing and what not is pretty casual and I don't work 24/7 as I have other things to take care of, so when I quote someone, I figure out how long it ...
- 1,103
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5k
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Is a graphical/original resume a good idea for a designer?
This is more a question about graphic design as a field than about methods.
I am applying for web designer jobs out there, and have been wondering more and more about my resume. I have a quite ...
- 570
18
votes
7
answers
15k
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Are Macs preferable to PCs for handling graphics software?
Excuse me for being totally uninformed, but it usually seems like creative types of people i.e. graphics designers prefer Macs over PCs for accomplishing their tasks. I was wondering, why is this? Is ...
- 299
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What makes a design professional?
Can anyone define why something might not look "professional"?
What differentiates between professional/unprofessional designs?
I have clients who have said my design does not look very ...
- 7,174
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4
answers
4k
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Why was my experience with a logo contest so miserable?
I'm starting out as a freelance designer (and no job experience at any company before) and I decided to join "contests" held by freelancer.com's users.
I've joined several of them already and I can ...
- 189
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12
answers
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Why is it that people are so surprised that graphics design can be hard?
Why is it that people are so surprised that graphics design requires skill and knowledge*? Sure superficially there is nothing special in graphics design at first glance. Still, there is quite much to ...
- 58.3k
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How can graphic designers contribute to Open Source projects?
I want to participate in Open Source projects, but I cannot code (that well. Or.. at all).
I would love to contribute to GitHub projects, but as a designer I'm not sure what's the best way to do ...
- 26.4k
22
votes
8
answers
5k
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Is creative writing needed to be a graphic designer?
I want to be a graphic designer but I'm awful at writing copy, editing, coming up with slogans and catch phrases.
Do I really need to learn Writing, Spelling and Grammar and such to be a successful ...
- 23.1k
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votes
2
answers
3k
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What to include in my portfolio?
I am a relatively recent graphic design graduate. I have been working at a small printing house for about two years, but will soon be interviewing for a different position in another city.
My ...
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votes
4
answers
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Should in-house clients receive native files to make their own changes?
I am the in-house designer for a company that employs 8 marketing managers. These marketing managers are the ones that supply me with the lion-share of my projects.
However, more and more, the ...
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15
answers
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What is the difference between a designer and an artist?
I've noticed that I often use the words "artist" and "designer" in the same context. It seems to me that every designer can be an artist, but not every artist is a designer.
I wasn't sure though, so ...
- 1,576
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votes
6
answers
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views
Developer to Designer path: How To
Being a developer wanting to be a designer, I'm really interested in learning how to create top notch UI for websites, mobile apps, etc. However, I know nothing about Photoshop or anything related to ...
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1
answer
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What if client doesn't like any logo design concept?
I'm in a process of creating Graphic Design contract. I've decided to provide each client with 3 logo concepts and 3 rounds of revision. Ideally, I would create 3 concepts and client will chose one, ...
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2
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How to avoid the tragic fate in the Oatmeal cartoon "How a web design goes straight to hell"?
This is a famous web comic about a common experience in web design:
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell
It's based on the author's personal experiences and describes a typical / caricature ...
- 531
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votes
2
answers
3k
views
How to handle requests for revisions after final files have been submitted?
Recently I have a customer who keeps asking for revisions. The design has been finalized and the final files have all been submitted to them.
Yet, after some time, they contacted me for revisions on ...
- 121
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votes
3
answers
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views
How can I place the product on a social media post better?
(The Logo in corner and product label is hidden for privacy reasons)
When I finalized the design, I got the feedback that the product (the grey thing in bottom left) isn't fitting well. (Image 1). So ...
- 4,220
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votes
4
answers
5k
views
What can a designer do if a client claims that the work delivered is unacceptable and refuses to pay?
I recently had an experience with a client that was a bit messy, and now they don't want to pay for the work I did.
They needed some presentation decks, one of which needed to be editable (text to ...
- 81
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votes
4
answers
25k
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How do you call "Charte Graphique" in English?
This is not really a translation question - more of a designer vocabulary.
How do you call the set of visuals, logos, designs, colors, fonts... that make a whole design project?
In French we would ...
- 183
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votes
3
answers
4k
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InDesign: How to restore text-frame position/size to be managed by the master page instead of the actual page?
I have some designer that moved slightly a text-frame and in order to be managed again by the master page we need to remove the page and create a new one inserting the content in it.
Is there any ...
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answers
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Where to ask for free work?
I am keeping a close eye on the question about logo design contests, and I hope that my 1st Question here does not get completely slammed.
It never really occurred to me that 'logo design contests' ...
- 201
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votes
5
answers
5k
views
How should I get started if I want to work as a 3D designer for games?
I graduated from college with a degree in math-computer science and have been working in the subd/cad industry for 1 year. My company attends siggraph every year and after going this year, I was ...
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4
answers
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What kind of tablet are pros using?
This is more of a curiosity, but I was wondering what professional graphics designers/artists are using now that tablet pcs have been much more common and powerful in the passed few years than they ...
- 153
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votes
3
answers
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views
What job can help bridge me over to graphic design while I study?
I would like to have some kind of creative job role while I teach myself graphic design.
I currently work in a factory on an assembly line that has nothing to do with what I'm studying. So I've ...
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vote
2
answers
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views
Why are the terms DPI and PPI so misunderstood?
It seems the terms DPI and PPI are misunderstood by more people than actually understand them. I'm not just talking about average Joe trying to print a holiday snap, I'm talking about graphic ...
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vote
1
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How to build an online portfolio?
I want to build a personal portfolio so my questions related are as follows:
What should I include in the portfolio apart from Home, About, Work, Contact?
I have never worked on any real life ...
- 11
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vote
2
answers
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Is it possible to become a creative director by starting out as an art director?
I am interested in becoming a creative director, but I have learned that it is not a job you can simply get straight out of college.
Is it possible to become an art director and make your way up to ...
- 29
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11
answers
10k
views
How do I handle an increasing lack of faith in my design abilities?
Do any of you seasoned design professionals have any advice for a young graphic design student/novice?
Especially with respects to improving upon knowledge and picking yourself up post-critique. ...
- 387
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votes
9
answers
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As a graphic designer, should I use my personal name or create a business name/branding?
For a designer who begins doing freelance or start (or renaming) his/her own business, there's usually that critical decision that must be made:
Should I use my own name or have a business name for ...
- 13.8k
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votes
9
answers
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Is it ethical to copy the work of other designers?
I am neither a graphic designer nor do I consider myself one. I have little grasp of colour theory, and basic knowledge of design principles. I do possess a sense of what looks good, though, and I am ...
- 662
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votes
9
answers
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I already have LinkedIn, DeviantArt, Dribbble, and Behance. Do I need a personal website?
With the presence of different social networking sites that allow anyone to easily create a web presence, as a graphic designer do I still need a personal website? What is the pros and cons of having ...
- 137
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answers
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views
The role of the designer in content – should he have one and how big should it be?
I'm a designer, not a marketer, and not a writer (at least not professionally). A lot of the work I do involves working with material in a field that can be above my head. Because of that, I'm content ...
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votes
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answers
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views
How can I get a mentor currently, as a student?
I'm currently a student at an art school, however I know I lack a large amount of experience to even be considered a graphic designer. I don't think I have the portfolio/experience yet to do ...
9
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5
answers
4k
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How much software experience do I need to be a well-rounded graphic designer?
How many different software applications should a designer be familiar with? I've been asked to work on Illustrator, and also .paint [Paint.NET? -Ed]. I'm confused about how many applications I need ...
- 7,174
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2
answers
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What are the branches of Graphic Design
Does anyone know what is the full-branch of Graphic Design and the title for the person doing it.
Graphic Design
|- Web Design - Web Designer
|- Illustration - Illustrator
|- Photo Manipulation - ...
- 607
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3
answers
633
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Good Methods To Substitute A Design Education?
While I know that going to a Design University is the most optimal way to learn and master Graphic Design, in my case, it would be difficult for me to attend one because I also have to do some other ...
- 4,885
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3
answers
4k
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Do I need to be Creative and Artistic to be a graphic designer?
I don't like to draw things, and I'm not so creative and artistic.
Can I become a graphic/UI, UX designer?
Your kind suggestions are highly appreciated.
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votes
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How to get motivated when drained
I know many work in where they enjoy but lately after spending all day at work I get home and all my thoughts and ideas for my freelance projects all day become annoying after I am drained and ...
- 18.3k
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2
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Is it ethical to make derivations (adaptations) of an external agency's work as an in-house designer?
I work as a graphic designer in a big European (but not E.U.) public establishment with two fellow designers.
We have a corporate communications coordinator, which usually deals with all kinds of ...
4
votes
2
answers
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When to create a brand style guide?
Should we create the brand style guide before or after we design the touch-points (like stationery, marketing material, website, etc)? Why? Is there any rule on when it should be created? Thank you.
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Are there any platforms on which we can keep our Psd's and AI file safe and also for sharing purpose?
I am looking for some platforms on which I can keep my heavy PSDs and other AI files safe. Also, I want to be able download them later when I want.
How do design companies share files? Through ...
