Last updated on September 13th, 2021
When it comes to the job of graphic designers, most of the people usually have a very vague understanding. They think that a professional graphic designer only create logos and make and edit images in Photoshop. Well, designers do all these things, but it is just a small part of a big picture.
So what is graphic design? Graphic designing, also known as communication designing, is an art of communicating the message in a visual manner. Today, due to advancement in technology, graphic designers can help companies in expressing their concepts through their graphic design ideas.
Nowadays, graphic designing has become an important part of businesses. In order to generate leads and earn profits, businesses are looking for a professional graphic designer that can help them in conveying the nature of their business by combining technology, aesthetics, and creative thinking.
Graphic designers have to deal with all sorts of clients. Some clients are easy to work with while others are very difficult to manage. While dealing with clients, one of the biggest challenges that a graphic designer faces is the communication problem. It is because sometimes clients don’t understand what a designer thinks or what would comprise bad communication to them.
There are various things that one should never say to a professional graphic designer. The designer may not react negatively to your saying but they will also not appreciate them. So what are those things? Let’s have a look!
20 Things You Should Never Say To A Professional Graphic Designer
01. We are still working on content, but can you create a draft of the design?
You must have heard experts saying ‘Content is a king.’ Before your target audience reads your content, they pay attention to graphics. It is when they form their first opinion without reading the text.
Knowing the importance of content, how can you ask a professional graphic designer to create something without sharing with him the relevant content? It may not only irritate them but may increase their workload too. So next time, work on the content first, and then ask the graphic designer to create something unique for you.
02. Can I get you to do something fast?
Unless and until you are making use of any AI-powered tool, great designs don’t get created in minutes. Creating a meaningful and impressive design requires brainstorming, research and detail understanding of the requirement. So, if you are looking for a great design, then give your professional graphic designer some time to work on it.
Don’t ask them how long they will take to complete the particular project. Here we don’t mean that you don’t set a time period for your designer. For every project, there is a fixed duration. We are asking you not to rush over them and ask the same thing (how long will it take to complete) again and again. It may hamper their productivity, and they may also not come up with a great design.
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03. Can you create multiple copies for the same design? We will make decision when we look into it?
Seriously! Will you ask your wedding gown or suit designer to make multiple outfits for your big day so that you can choose one out of the given options? Probably not! Just because graphic design is a digital product rather than physical, it doesn’t mean the designer puts less efforts and time into their work.
As said earlier, the process will run smoothly only if both the parties brainstorm on the ideas and requirements. It will help them in creating something exactly the way you vision or wanted.
04. C’Mon, It will take only few minutes to do it
People, who say such stuff what they think what does a graphic designer do? Graphic designing is not a quick process that can be done in a few clicks. Some designs can be completed in a single day, and some take a much longer period.
So if you have hired a professional graphic designer for your company or project, let them figure out how much time will it take. If you have a time constraint, communicate it to your designer a little early and let them decide on how much time will it take to do a certain task.
05. I do not like it. You are a designer. You should know what to do?
Graphic designers are not a fortune teller or mind readers. They trained themselves for making better designs. And they can create that when they know what you want exactly. When it comes to a designing requirement, it is only you who knows better what will work for your brand or project. You simply have to communicate that idea or expectation to the designer.
If you are not good at communicating your ideas verbally, create a mood board for your project. Put the reference images that matches with your idea, and explain below them what you are expecting or what you want. If you keep taunting the designer every time without letting them know your expectation or idea, then you might lose the resource.
06. It looks little empty. Try to make things slightly bigger
Creating things bigger every time will not solve your design challenge. Sometimes a simple and minimal design can do wonders in communicating the right message. By minimalism, we don’t mean making things simple.
Minimalism is an art of highlighting unembellished beauty without depending on superficial elements. Being design experts, it is one thing that we feel is powerful and can help the businesses in communicating their message with ease.
07. Can you work for free? You will get to learn a lot of new things
A professional graphic designer often likes to have little publicity for their work. But that doesn’t mean they are available to work for free. One of the biggest motivators for people to work is money. We all work for money. And it’s not surprising to learn that it is important to survive in this world.
People do provide their services for free, but that doesn’t mean you can take advantage of that. If someone is providing you specialized services, then you should pay them for their work. Asking them to do a job for free is not a feasible option.
08. Can we use blue and silver? They are my favorite colors
Like any other design elements, color too plays an important role in communicating the message. They have a strong impact on consumer’s emotions and behavior. It communicates with the audience at the subconscious level.
So, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Just because you like some color, it doesn’t mean that it will help you in fulfilling the actual purpose. That is why it is advisable to leave the sensitive stuff in the hands of experts.
The designer may have a better knowledge on which color will look good on the design and which color can kill the actual purpose. So never force the designer to use a color that you like. You can definitely give a suggestion, but let them taken a decision on this.
09. Use the logo. It’s on my website
Logos are the face of the brand. It is perhaps the first thing that is noticed by the audience. The size of the logo use on the website has a low resolution. In order to create designs for print, for instance, requires a high-resolution image. So never ask your professional graphic designer to take the logo image from website.
Taking a screenshot from company’s website may kill the quality of the design. Send them a proper folder with a different file formats. The common file formats are Adobe Illustrator (AI) source file and EPS.
10. There is no pressure. But we need it ASAP
If you are working with professionals, you may not find anyone working with the non-existent deadline. The problem with the marketers is that they don’t have the proper knowledge or understanding of how much time it will take to create a particular design. And the result ‘ASAP’ is defined in different ways.
One of the ways can be ‘by tomorrow’ while the designer may require at least three days to complete the project. So instead of giving a vague deadline, always give clarity on the exact timeline. If you are clear with that in the starting of the project, it will be easy for both of you to work together with no difficulty.
11. Can you make just one more change? I promise it’s the last one
No matter how perfect the designer creates the design, the client will always ask him to make multiple changes. Just like a client, the professional graphic designer is short of time too. They want to be appreciated for their time and efforts. So instead of saying them the above statement, say something like ‘I’m so sorry to continue to take your time like this, but I’ve found another change I’d like to make.
Can you make changes in typography, color, or graphics, for instance? And don’t hesitate to add extra credits for making changes multiple times. This way they will feel that their efforts and time are being appreciated. So, make a list of changes and share it with the designer all at once.
12. Make it like this, but don’t copy it. Just make it different but keep it the same
Please be clear about your requirement. Designers are designers because they have the technical and artistic skills. Trust their skills and let them come up with their own designs. The design you have shared with them may not work for your business.
It is only a professional graphic designer who knows what can be the best option for your brand or business. You can, of course, share the references or give them feedback, but don’t confuse them or waste their time saying the above statement.
13. Can you copy the style of other designer?
Seriously! How can someone ask one professional to copy the style of another professional? It is a way of insulting or doubting their skills or knowledge. Moreover, copying someone else work may lead to getting into the copyright issue.
Also, no professional likes to copy the style of another designer. So instead of asking them to copy someone else’s design, brief them what you like in that particular design. Tell them to do their own take on the inspired work.
14. “Can you add these additional elements to the design?” – In between the project
After finalizing the deal, asking a professional graphic designer to add additional elements in the middle of the project is one of the worst things a client can do from a designer’s point of view. If you agreed upon creating a logo design, for instance, and in the middle of the project, you are asking them to create business cards and letterheads for your business, this is something not professional.
If you are ready to pay them extra for the work, then it’s fine. But if you expect them to add those extra elements within the same package, then you may not only lose the reputation but a professional graphic designer too. If you want to add additional elements to the design, have a proper discussion with the designer and sign a separate contract.
15. It’s Okay. Low Resolution looks fine on my screen
Are you getting the design ready for yourself or for your customers? A lot of clients make a mistake in understanding that the design which is looking good on their screen may not fit or looks good on someone else’s screen.
If you design a website, for instance, and as per the professional graphic designer, it may not look good in someone else’s screen then you may experience an increase in the bounce rate on your website. Trust your designer. You have hired them after judging their abilities and knowledge. And moreover, they are the one who knows what is best.
16. Can’t you just Photoshop it?
Photoshop is one of the powerful tools to create and enhance images. One can develop templates with the help of layers which can be edited or rearrange in a single click of a mouse. Being a magical tool, it doesn’t mean one can do everything with it. There are certain things that are technically impossible.
Even if you can add some effects on your own, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is right from the design point of view. The choice may backfire. So it is better to ask the designer to give constructive feedback for the design. They are the ones who know what will work and what will not work for your design.
17. I think we should go back to your original concept
When it comes to graphic design, it goes with a lot of phases. The designer creates a design and asks the client for feedback. On the basis of feedback, amendments are made in the design. Because of a lack of clarity, sometimes clients keep asking the designer to create multiple designs for the same project. They think that graphic designing is very easy.
Designers simply have to choose the image and place the content. They sometimes fail to understand that just like other jobs; graphic designing also requires time, efforts, and skills to create something unique and impressive. Asking the designer to keep making changes and at the end telling them to go with the original concept may irritate the designer. So it’s better to be clear with your requirement and explain it to the designer before the starting of the project.
18. How much would you charge for the project? – without explaining the whole project
The answer to this question is not as simple as you may think. Every design project has different requirements. If, for instance, you want to hire a freelance graphic designer for logo design, the designer will charge you a different price than designing letterheads or brochure design. Thus, if you want to know the cost of the project, you first need to have a detailed discussion with the designer.
Factors like complexity, time of delivery, type of formats you required, where it is going to be published or printed, are many more plays an important role in determining the price. In case you want o have an idea about the cost you may have to bear, you can find it easily. All you have to do is to Google, ‘how much do graphic designers make’.
19. Can you create it in a Word format so that we can edit?
In place of MS Word, can you write content, to-do-lists, or any other important things on Photoshop, Illustrator or any other design tool? Hopefully not! So how can you ask any professional graphic designer to create a design in a Word format? Tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. have been created by experts to design something amazing.
Just for your own comfort, never ask the designer to create a design in a word format. Asking them doing so may make a negative image in front of them. They might find you someone who calls himself a manager or a boss but doesn’t know the basic things.
20. I know someone who can do this in $10
Really! Do you know someone who can create 25 designs in just $10? It really sounds great. You should approach them and get your work done. It will definitely be a great design with proper finishing, and you will get that design on time as well. No! None of these things will happen. The fact is quality comes with the price.
If you want your designs to be created not only in a professional way but in a meaningful and impressive manner, then you need the help of a professional graphic designer. And professionals will obviously charge according to their skills and experience. Saying the above statement to a professional may lower your image in front of them.
Wrapping Up…
No matter in which field you are in, people love to work with the clients with whom they can communicate clearly and establish expectations. So whenever you hire a graphic designer or any other expert for that matter, the best thing you can do is simply let them know what your expectations are and give them liberty to work by using their own knowledge and skills. This way they will feel more valuable. If you are looking for a professional graphic designer for your upcoming project, then Designhill should be the single stop for you. The platform lets its users to get connected with thousands of designers from all around the world.