How It Sucks to Be a Designer and Remain Creative
Posted: December 2, 2008 at 8.29 pmPosted by in Blog, graphic design
Guest Post by Andrew Desjardins
Follow Andrew on Twitter @andydesjardins
Breeding the Rough Clients
I have seen far too often on the internet where designers are pouring their hearts and creative souls into these crazy design contests only to risk far too much time and effort for the smidgen of hope that they will achieve the award, which is usually only $150 or less. This can cover aspects of design such as logo design, web design, print design, even Microsoft Publisher design! What a lot of designers are ceasing to realize is that they are breeding horrible clients and so are these sites that “open the doors” to the design world.
Sink or Swim
I am contacted daily by potential clients, after I send a quote, that say, “Well I got a logo designed for $15 on oDesk.” I politely have to respond, “I’m sorry, I’m not oDesk. If you want an under qualified, less-than-professional designer that you can continuously spy on throughout the day through a web cam on their screen, then you can just march your happy little rear end back over there.” If you can’t tell, I’m not the greatest people person when it comes to people not knowing what is going on the design world.
We, as designers, are allowing far too many clients to incubate this mentality of “Well, I can only pay $15 for a design and expect it to be professional.” Well, the incubation is a fallacy. As a client, you aren’t getting professional work, by any means. Usually, your time frame on these sites is about 24-48 hours as they push it through as “urgent” work and only want to pay around $15 for the design altogether.
Serious and professional designers would not:
- Accept $15 for an assignment.
- Most likely would not just allow $15 for a rush assignment.
- Provide you with adequate quality in this circumstance, by any means.
I, for one, know that it is not my company’s policy, or my own personal freelancing policy to allow a client to procure such a service without a security deposit, a rush fee, and/or a request for hourly pay. In short, $15 can sink my company for that amount of work. It’s ridiculous, it’s absurd, and above all, it’s entirely unrealistic.
What Professional Development Really Is
Professional development is the ability for a seasoned web or graphic designer to provide your company with design services that are symmetrical with big name clients, such as Fortune 500 companies or large corporations that require a sense of professionalism with their designers. A professional can be defined as someone with the following qualifications:
10-20 years of development experience on the web or with popular graphic design programs, and this does not include years of schooling. This is mostly a self-taught arena and is an adequate requirement if you want someone who knows the directions that the web goes technologically (i.e.: Web 1.0 sways, Web 2.0 sways, etc.).
A degree. That’s simple. Most professional graphic and web designers have a degree. A few do not, but that should not detract you from hiring someone. Degrees are just pieces of paper, thus you should know that a good designer is not always book taught. There are hundreds of great designers out there without degrees, but nonetheless, a degree may ease your worries about someone without formal training.
A well-rounded and developed portfolio is a must! If you hire someone without seeing their portfolio, you are an idiot. I hate to be rash, but that is the honest-to-God truth. If you absolutely have not seen their previous work, or you do not like it, do not hire them. It’s that simple. It can put a bad taste in your mouth if you don’t like their work or if you have never seen it.
For example, I meet the above qualifications rather well. I’ve been designing for about 12 years now. I have an Associate of Arts in Web Design and Interactive Multimedia Development from the Art Institute, an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems, Web Management from Ivy Tech Community College at Indianapolis, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications from Indiana University at Indianapolis, a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Communications from Indiana University at Indianapolis, and an Honourary Master of Fine Arts in Visual Communications and Design Technologies from McGill University in Montréal. I have about 10 portfolios as well, but the most recent is in PDF and is a bit simpler for people.
Now that would equate as an über professional and could quite possibly scare you with pricing. Pricing for professional designers is a little high, but it’s not high enough for what people with these qualifications need to be. For instance, since professionals have to compete in a growing design market where Indians are taking over and requesting $2 an hour for pay, we are having to compete against them and reduce the costs of our operations, when in reality, it’s hurting you as the consumer.
“Why does it hurt me?” you might ask. Well, it hurts you because if we have to cut prices because Deepak Pummaraju in Mumbai is offering services for $2, you’re losing out on cutting edge technology to make your design as professional as humanly possible.
What do you mean? If we cut our prices down to $2 an hour, we’d be using either bootleg copies of Adobe Creative Suite or an edition that is so old that the web has evolved about 20 times before we can get to you.
Luckily, there are sane clients out there that know what it means to pay for quality design. If your designer is not using up-to-date technology, which can be at least 1 or 2 years back (since technology evolves within a month of a new release), you’re not getting the quality you deserve as a client.
What Should I Request as a Client?
As a smart and informed client, you will request the following from a designer:
- Develop a budget and an idea. If you have neither, do not contact a designer. Contacting someone and saying, “I have no idea what I want, but I want to spend $2,” isn’t going to cut it. Develop your idea and figure out how much you REALLY want to spend. $2 is completely unrealistic. The design world isn’t Wall-Mart or the Dollar Store.
- A Portfolio is a requirement. You always need to ask for a portfolio. See the past work, review the past work, and ask questions about the past work.
- Fill out a Creative Survey. Some designers have them, some designers don’t. If you’re a designer and DO NOT have a Creative Survey, get one. Write up a few questions that may aid you in your design. These surveys help develop the client’s viewpoint and what they would like to see. Here’s a link to mine. Get a grasp on what you want in your design first! DO NOT SAY, “OH SURPRISE ME!” That doesn’t give anyone any information. Give the designer some inkling as to what you require!
- Get a Quote. If a designer does not provide a quote, but provides a flat rate, get out of there now. A designer that does not provide a quote, but says, “Oh yeah, I can do this for $45,” means there’s trouble abrewin’. That usually means that you’re about to get a piece of crap template from Template Monster that uses Times New Roman font.
- Accept the Quote and ALWAYS PAY THE SECURITY DEPOSIT ON TIME. Accepting a quote is easy and can be as simple as just saying, “Sure,” through an e-mail. Paying a security deposit, which ranges from 25-50% of the total bill, will always ensure that your work is done properly. PAY IT ON TIME. If you pay it immediately, the designer will most likely start work immediately, unless it has been otherwise specified that your design work will begin in another month, few days, etc.
It’s that simple. There are no tricks or gimmicks to design as long as you are informed and make smart decisions. If you don’t make a smart decision, you’re going to end up with a piece of junk that has no web standards and has probably been used on the internet time and time again.
Designer Enabling
As designers, we have a responsibility to our fellow designers to make clients live up to the professional standard. We are constantly being berated by clients that only want to pay $50 for a full website design. Honestly, that’s as much as someone pays for one graphic on a blank page with some web design firms.
Do not accept $5, $10, or $20 for design. You are only enabling the client to think that every designer is the same way. Plus, you are not getting compensated for the plethora of time that you are sitting at your computer screen getting countless migraines and risking cataracts by age 50. You need to bring yourself up to the professional standard and represent your colleagues.
Freelancing is a beautiful thing, but it is continuously abused by underqualified designers. If you have a penchant for design standard and professionalism, you need to evolve with the times and understand that design is everything in this day and age. If you continue to enable clients, you will end up sinking, because everyone will one day believe that this is the continuum and refuse to pay at some point or another.
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29 Comments
December 2, 2008 at 8.36 pm
When I say Indian designers, I’m not referring to the professional ones, I’m referring to the ones on freelance websites that bid the lowest out of anyone. Like $1.77 an hour for work… I thought I should just clarify that!
December 2, 2008 at 8.48 pm
Excellent article, Andy. I was having a similar conversation with a potential partner yesterday! We both agreed that “you get what you pay for” and if you spend $99US on a logo and happen to see it on another business down the road, TUFF.
As with any profession (plumber, doctor, lawyer, and many others) if you want their services then you pay the industry standard rate. I don’t understand why graphic & web designers are repeatedly asked to lower their prices to match oDesk or similar gig outlets.
I, and only me, will decide when a price adjustment is necessary. I’m willing to work with a client to keep a relationship intact; but don’t ever take advantage!
The tools of my trade are expensive and can have a steep learning curve. Factor in continually changing trends and technology as well. This adds up to more than $2/hour to me.
December 2, 2008 at 9.18 pm
[...] Accepting a quote is easy and can be as simple as just saying, “Sure,” through an e-mail . Paying a security deposit, which ranges from 25-50% of the total bill, will always ensure that your work is done properly Original post [...]
December 2, 2008 at 10.47 pm
If a job pays too little, I usually just freebie it or use a bartering system instead. That way, I can retain a lot more creative control. I get way more in return creatively at least.
creativeherb´s last blog post..5 Golden Rules of Logo Design
December 2, 2008 at 11.25 pm
This is a GREAT article. As (primarily) a software designer, I don’t usually have to deal with this as much anymore, but I used to. Graphic designers should only do this sort of work, or work cheaply for an employer, to build a portfolio of quality work. Then they need to research rates in their area, set up a professional business for themselves, and offer services on the low-to-mid-range to begin, and increase rates to where they are competitive over time by doing good work for people. Throwing your name in the hat of a site where there is a lot of “cheap” work being bought and paid for is NOT the way to get exposure and people to take you seriously, so proceed with caution.
Kris C´s last blog post..The Art of the Signup
December 3, 2008 at 12.16 am
Fantastic Post! You just got another subscriber!
December 3, 2008 at 12.23 am
Thanks for the comments everyone! Keep them coming. Anyone have an opposing viewpoint? I would absolutely love to hear it.
December 3, 2008 at 12.56 am
Great piece Andy!
December 3, 2008 at 1.13 am
Good rant… but I hope people don’t mistake it as anything else.
There’s a whole heck of lot of anger in this article - anger at clients who try to get work done for lower than market value, anger at other designers who don’t participate in “fair market” pricing, anger at people considered “unprofessional.”
I’m a designer too (one without a degree btw), and some years ago, I may have written a similar rant about the evils of spec work.
These days, I’m a lot more laid back about the whole situation:
There’s people who undervalue work in EVERY industry, and there’s always someone who is willing to go with the lowest quote. Designers are not the unique pretty flowers we make ourselves out to be (at least not in this sense).
And the reality is that if you are good enough, if you are qualified enough, people will always see value in that. And they’ll be the right kind of customers.
Despite a down turn in the economy and the increased popularity of sites that hold “contests” for design work I still haven’t seen a lack of customers who value quality work at a fair price.
And I invite designers to continue to charge $20 for a logo. No, I encourage you.
You know why? Because one of two things will happen:
1. You’ll starve. Or you’ll have to work a day job doing something else.
or
2. Your client will get work that is of equal value to $20, and they’ll come find me to redo it.
PS - When I saw the title of this article, I thought I was going to read something about how working designers can sometimes struggle to remain creative when being creative is their day job.
December 3, 2008 at 1.31 am
The full title originally was Breeding the Rough Client: How It Sucks to Be a Designer and Remain Creative. Graham shortened it, most notably for SEO purposes.
@Liz: I liked your rant and I like the way you think about it. :) It’s not necessarily opposing, but it was a step in the right direction. :)
Andy Desjardins´s last blog post..How Knowing People That Know Other People Works
December 3, 2008 at 1.37 am
I should also mention to Liz that there isn’t any “anger” in the post. If it was anger, I would’ve been using expletives and acting very childish. :)
Andy Desjardins´s last blog post..How Knowing People That Know Other People Works
December 3, 2008 at 1.38 am
… and I would not have posted it. :)
December 3, 2008 at 1.41 am
Big thanks Andy for the post, I like to create some ‘ripples’ as it causes good discussions or ‘vibrant’ debates’.
I’ll be posting my views at some point… so watch out.
December 3, 2008 at 1.49 am
Exactly. I’m professional in my blog posts, even if I have a differing ideal. Granted, Graham has been attacking the NO!SPEC campaign all night on Twitter. :P
THIS IS NOT THE SAME. I support crowdSPRING… and that’s about it. crowdSPRING has adequate pricing… oDesk does not… by any means.
Andy Desjardins´s last blog post..How Knowing People That Know Other People Works
December 3, 2008 at 2.37 am
Thanks for your post–I was planning on having an educational section for clients on my site that went along the same lines as part of this. :)
Like you said, people will pay a normal rate for a plumber/etc, but “anyone can do design,” so some potential clients feel the need to balk at even relatively low rates.. but that’s the great thing about the words “sorry, but no” :)
December 3, 2008 at 10.41 am
[...] Another fellow blogger placed an interesting blog post on How It Sucks to Be a Designer and Remain Creative | WeAreJustCreativeHere’s a brief overviewAccepting a quote is easy and can be as simple as just saying, “Sure,” through an e-mail. Paying a security deposit, which ranges from 25-50% of the total bill, will always ensure that your work is done properly. PAY IT ON TIME. … [...]
December 3, 2008 at 11.00 am
Am from India and am a designer…not only I agree with your post…but there are a lot of designers I personally know who just see a logo on the internet and recreate it on Photoshop with a few touch-ups here and there. I appreciate that you clarified on the nationality part - its not that all of us here are into low quality - cheap labor business
December 3, 2008 at 1.25 pm
“As designers, we have a responsibility to our fellow designers to make clients live up to the professional standard.”
Amen!
December 3, 2008 at 1.56 pm
[...] How It Sucks to Be a Designer and Re… [...]
December 3, 2008 at 2.07 pm
Great article, I’d love to learn how to do a creative survey, is it any article about that? thanks!
December 3, 2008 at 2.50 pm
Andy,
Great article, not only because a lot of what was said is right on point, but because it is breeding discussion.
We need to help educate one another as a design community. Talking about things such as client frustration, Spec Work, Outsourcing (offshore), helps us define our standards, and refine our process.
Thanks Graham for another great read, and keep up the good writing Andy!
December 3, 2008 at 10.06 pm
If a degree is just a piece of paper like you said, then why does it still trump any other level of experience no matter what?
December 3, 2008 at 10.55 pm
I agree with just about every statement you made except the flat rate. I prepare a proposal based on my experience as to how long something will take me to accomplish and I factor in a bit more, based on an hourly rate (which my clients ARE aware of). It’s my business model and it works for me. However, if there are overages or scope creep, I DO charge for that by the hour.
If “designers” would just stop long enough to visit http://www.nospec.com, they’d understanding why “design contests” cheapen the profession and while the winner may gain a few shekels in his pocket, he’s the loser in the long run, and so is the client. Those contests foster bad web design because there simply cannot be enough thought put into the design. No one wins. Not even the winner. </rant)
December 3, 2008 at 10.57 pm
ERRATUM: correct URL for No-Spec is http://www.no-spec.com. My apologies.
December 3, 2008 at 11.37 pm
Joni, the flat rate was referring to people who just say, “That’ll be $45 please,” for every single design that they do. I also charge an hourly rate on top of basic design fees.
Andrew Markle-Desjardins´s last blog post..How Knowing People That Know Other People Works
December 4, 2008 at 6.21 am
As far as the survey goes that you guys have requested, you can view mine at http://co.dcreate.me/Survey.pdf.
Andy Desjardins´s last blog post..How Knowing People That Know Other People Works
December 4, 2008 at 8.04 am
@CSSTinderbox I don’t know why it does. I think it’s because it’s just giving someone the realization of formal education and training. It’s an added qualification to an already long list of qualifications. In all actuality, I don’t think clients should just hire degreed designers.
I make it a habit when hiring new designers for my own company to hire ones without degrees because they have the most creative inspiration out of the people that I interview… You can tell by the portfolio.
December 6, 2008 at 10.28 pm
So true!! Really good article in the swamp of all others!
Dainis Graveris´s last blog post..The Third Month And Time To Talk!
December 1, 2009 at 11.00 pm
Great article, here’s one more enabler of low cost rush jobs. I worked at a local newspaper before I started freelancing and the ad reps there could charge $200 dollars for an ad. But quite often I would be creating much more than that. Many times a logo and or a complete ad campaign would be created in the matter of a few hrs. Although I was generally proud of the end results I knew it could be better and in the back of my mind I knew I was “taking work from a local designer” As long as a company paid to advertise, the staff designers were at their mercy. Multiple revisions, poor direction, as well as a non-cooperative attitude. For $200! Then the newspaper prints and distributes it. It’s no wonder designers in my area are either moving or changing careers