What do designers do?
Designers share insights into their jobs...
DTG quite frequently receives email and inquiries from readers or students asking what it's like to be a designer, or to be involved in the creative field. Rather than answering the same question over and over, we decided to go out there and let some others share their experiences.
We hope you enjoy these thoughtful comments as much as we did. BRAVO! Each of these will win a great prize from the Design Center -- and we invite you to share your experiences too!
Downside: Collecting payment from clients...
Here's what Peggy says when asked about challenges in the graphic arts field :
1) Communicating with non-technical individuals.
2) Unrealistic expectations about the web - it isn't pixel perfect like print design. You can't just move something a little to the right. In addition all browsers often do not display a website the same. Sometimes there are slight variations.
3) You have to always be learning new technology and stay up to date, searching for good solutions that meet client needs.
4) The work comes in sporadically, as does the cash!
You must be flexible and ever changing!
Most difficult project?
Toughest client was a store owner that was more concerned with the visual look of a site than with functionality! My focus is on usability and function first, which in web design is very important.
Another one was a website that was to be pixel perfect. It was a freelance job done in tables, which I rarely use but was forced to as a requirement of the company I was designing for. Browsers don't handle table layout the same so if it worked in one, it didn't in the other. I was fairly new, having just graduated and I finally told the firm that I didn't have a solution. A more seasoned designer fixed it and afterwards, I did discover the same solution. By the way, I still do freelance work for the company!
One of my jobs as a web designer is to inform clients of the limitations of the web. I don't promise them that things will be exact across all browsers. It will be close but not pixel perfect.
Do you like your job? Would you change anything to make it better?
Yes, I love my job! I wish I didn't need to deal with the finances but as a sole proprietor, you gotta do it all, unless you're lucky enough to be married to an accountant -- I am not!
The worst job I had was trying to collect payment from a nonpaying client. Fortunately I only had one of those and it taught me a lot about billing and prepayment requirements.
Who controls the creative? You or the boss?
I am the boss, so my answer would be both! However, the client actually dictates how the images appear. In the initial interview we discuss type of site, i.e., professional, casual, etc. That helps a lot.
Occasionally I get a client who never is satisfied with what I do and at that point, I tell them to show me what they like and go from there.
When you have complete control, what do you do?
I always use vector art so that the finals can be infinitely enlarged for any purpose - think billboard/side of buildings large!
Average projects per week: I can work on as many as 5-10 depending on what's going on. This is often 2 or 3 new sites and many updates for current clients.
Average layouts per job: I meet with every client for 1-2 hours to gather information and get a basic idea of what they need. Then I prepare one mockup for approval, with modifications until they are pleased. After the home page is approved, we go forward. I rarely do more than one or two revisions.
Overtime required: My office is in my home and I do not have a normal schedule. Overtime? If you mean more than 40 hours a week - yeah, most of the time, though I don't count. I love what I do so it's easy to just do it without regard to hours worked. I work when I need to - my husband would say 24/7.
Most used software: Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Illustrator
Peggy is a web design professional from Mifflinburg, PA (?)
Magazine Design that's stress free
Here's what Alina says when asked about challenges in the graphic arts field :
I design magazines for a Newspaper so I have to work closely with editors which is sometimes a challenge when it comes to what they see in their mind as to what I see and create.
As for freelance, I don't like projects when the client already has the project designed in their head...it doesn't leave any creative room for me.
I work on a PC at home and a mac at work. I would like to work with a mac all the time, and plan to save $ for one in my home soon.
Most difficult project?
For my current job it was my first project. I'd never layed out a magazine before, but I jumped right in and did my best...it turned out to be a success.
Do you like your job? Would you change anything to make it better?
Yes. I work with great people and my work enviroment is stress free. The only thing I would like to change is my salary. I also like freelance work when I have the time...I enjoy even more freedom.
Who controls the creative? You or the boss?
I usually design the way I want, but am flexible when the editor or client doesn't like something.
When you have complete control, what do you do?
The most creative and best fitting images for the particular project.
Average projects per week: 2-3
Average layouts per job: I design magazines so around 6-15 different layouts in each magazine depending on size and number of stories. For some stories I create around 2-3 different layouts. For the covers I usually create about 3 options.
For my Freelance work I will usually give the client 3-5 different options if it is something small like business cards or postcards. For larger projects like brochures I usually only give them one design to start with...it's more time consuming.
Overtime required: I don't typically work overtime or at home for my day job, but I do some Freelance work from home. About one job a month.
Most used software: Quark and Photoshop at work and Photoshop and Illustrator at home.
Alina is a design professional from Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
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