Graphic Designers
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What is Graphic Design?
Artists, graphic designers, aren’t they all the same? Not really, graphic design is a pretty broad term and with a lot of people confusing the two it can be tricky to really know what you are looking for when it comes to finding the right graphic design help for your project.
Although both professions work in the ‘commercial art’ environment, (we’re talking the likes of magazines, marketing and advertising) and increasingly, digital fields: (websites, games and 3D design) the fundamentals of what they do can be quite different. An ‘artist’ or graphic artist, has usually defined their own style, whether that be life-like illustrations or cartoons that really pop and are primarily hired for that very reason; their personal style is what just the client needs for their project.
Graphic design is the art of putting a project together, often using the work of the artist (alongside typography and other imagery) to convey the overall message as set by the client. This is where the art of capturing the attention of the audience and persuading further action comes in, something that the artist might not normally consider but the graphic designer has down to a tea. If you’re after a definition, graphic design is essentially a process, one centred around visual communication or communication design and problem-solving using a combination of different types of imagery, typography and a sprinkling of marketing knowledge.
That said you might come across graphic designers with some cross over between the two, but understanding their differences will mean you’ll have a better idea of the right questions to ask when you’re meeting prospective designers.
What Does a Graphic Designer Do?
One of the biggest keys to good design is communication, and this doesn’t change when it comes to graphic design. One of the best things your graphic designer can do to you is listen; listen to who and what your brand stands for, your business needs and objectives and any your problems you have. The right graphic designer will work with you to formulate solutions in line with all of these things, they’ll all of a sudden become an invaluable part of your brand and should feel like a natural fit. It’s pretty likely that you won't know exactly what you want your end product to look or how it will work, but a good designer will walk you through their solutions in a way that puts your concerns at ease.
Here are some key attributes to a good graphic designer to look out for:
- Personable and able to discuss and clearly communicate ideas.
- Able to provide accurate and fair quotes for potential work
- Develop design briefs based on what you want.
- Illustrative skills to guide you through any initial ideas and concepts.
- Being able to work as a team, you’ll need someone who feels like a natural fit.
- Sounds obvious, but having a real flair and love for creativity; something you should be able to pick up on pretty easily through meeting them.
How Does Graphic Design Help?
Graphic design is about so much more than imagery, it’s a carefully formulated process often informed by not only outstanding creativity but also market research and an excellent understanding of the audience or end user. Although sometimes an undervalued aspect of the work, graphic design is often about return on investment; that beautifully creative way of subtly incorporating calls to action into their designs. It’s this invaluable ability to meet business needs in a way you probably hadn’t thought of before that makes investing in a graphic designer well worth the money.
Us humans are a fairly simple species and love to look at nice things. If a designer can create something that not only captures our attention but maintains it long enough to subtly (maybe even subconsciously) tell us to do something or buy something, then a graphic designer has already paid for themselves.
Want to Hire a Graphic Designer?
Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who can draw a little, or maybe even knock up a few images on your computer, but unless you have the specialist knowledge to turn those into a marketable, working products you’ll need a graphic designer to give you a hand. A lot of graphic designers work alone or are freelance, but some Web design agencies often have in house graphic designers and can be a good place to commision your next project to. If you still have a few questions, why not take a few minutes to read our guide "How to hire the best graphic designer in the UK" to help you in your quest to finding the perfect graphic designer for your project.
Here at Pixel Puppet we only list UK based businesses, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find someone local that you can trust. If you’re looking for a graphic designer, whether freelancer or a company, finding someone nearby can make it easier to meet them face to face and review their portfolio.
If you are a graphic designer based in the UK and looking to attract the right customers, then why not
add your business to Pixel Puppet. We personally review all registrations to ensure the quality of your business, so that our readers have the confidence to know that your listing is accurate.
