It is important to get under the surface of a Business in order to project its message.

To ensure your business identity is communicated to your clients through your artwork, you must communicate it with your designer first.

Creativity has to be supported by knowledge, so it is important to share the meaning and aims of a company to find the direction to take the company’s artwork.

TIP/ Email your company website or previous artwork to give the designer a greater understanding of what you like and/or don’t like.

Make your business’ artwork stand out with a distinctive design, personal touches and a genuine sense of involvement and commitment to the industry. It is important to give a clear brief which guides the designer in the right direction and expresses what you expect to see without restraining the designer’s creativity too much.

TIP/ If you have a layout in mind, produce it roughly in word or paint and email it to your designer. You are not doing their work, you are enabling them to spend more time on the detail of your project and ultimately produce artwork you are 100% happy with.

If you have company images, corporate rules, likes or dislikes for your artwork, communicate them at the beginning of the project alongside any brand guidelines or specific logo requirements.

There are a variety of stock websites where you can purchase the perfect image from your promotion. The chosen image(s) will dictate the style, colours, identity of your artwork, so search in advance and discuss with your designer if you are unsure.

Click Here to Search Images

If you purchase the images you are in control of the licence and can ensure it is used throughout your print and digital media further increasing brand consistency.

TIP/ Visit stock image websites such as this one (Click Here to Search Images) for inspiration.

If your print has a specific deadline ensure this is communicated at the beginning of the project. A realistic expectation from both parties is important to ensure there is no disappointment.

Whilst discussing your design requirements communicate your budget and expectation. A client who wants black text on a white background and supplies the typeface will not be charged the same as a client who wants a comprehensive corporate re-brand.

Before any work is carried out a quote is provided based on the brief and the estimated studio time to create your artwork. A change of brief does not reset the clock nor does your requirement for the design remove the work carried out from the space time continuum.

TIP/ A professional designers time is not free nor never ending. To reduce costs provide a clear expectation and a clear brief and your designer will work above and beyond to deliver you a design which meets them.

There’s nothing more frustrating than coming across an intriguing piece of artwork only to find it littered with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and wrong information. So make sure you give it the once over yourself and, if in doubt, get someone who knows their spelling and grammar to read over it.

Most text errors occur when text is edited and changed during the design process, a word removed at one point, can change the context of another in the paragraph.

TIP/ Spend time before sending the brief to confirm the copy is correct. Ask someone who is not involved in the project to proof before briefing and before approval.

The designer is your friend! If the designer fails to provide the correct piece of artwork first time around, give constructive feedback explaining what you would like changing, work together to create the perfect outcome. Revisit your initial brief and try to outline the areas that need adapting.

Design is subjective, so whilst it may not be what you had in mind, it has been produced using the information you have provided.

Take the opportunity to discuss further what you like and what you don’t like and provide as much detail as possible. If you don’t like the colour, suggest a colour you do like.

TIP/ Give as much detailed feedback as possible. Point out the good and the bad to help the direction of the artwork.

Discuss what print media would be most suitable for your product; getting the correct print media can make a vast difference in the end quality of your product.

Also you need to think about what scale your product should be to serve its purpose. There are a great range of printing methods to suit each and every product so consultation about this is highly recommended.

TIP/ Request a product sample pack to help view the material or product you are ordering.

We like to work with our clients to get the very best results throughout all our design, print and digital output.

Open and honest relationships with examples and information are the key to ensuring a smooth and relaxing order process.