Merry Christmas! Or Festivus! Or Samhain! Whatever.
Jennifer | 9:15 pm | December 25, 2007 | Uncategorized
Hi everyone,
I’m taking some time to enjoy the holidays, even though Santa didn’t bring me Graphics Master, but things will return to their semi-regularly updated posting in January. I hope everyone gets to enjoy whatever time off they manage to get!
Spec’ing the project
Jennifer | 10:07 am | December 18, 2007 | budgets, terminology, process, workflow, plan, planning
When beginning a job, the best defence against cost overruns is to properly spec the job. To create specifications is to define the limits of what you’ll do for the price you charge. All too often I see vague specifications lead to misunderstandings between creative and client. Properly detailing the job will help prevent this.
Specifications on a job should note the following:
- What pieces you’ll do
- What the client will supply
- What rights the client is purchasing
- How large each piece will be (number of pages, size)
- How many versions there will be of each piece (i.e. names on business cards)
- What type of final art will be supplied
- Who is responsible for purchasing fonts, illustrations and photos used in the pieces
- Delivery dates
- Budgets
Keeping to the specification is important when developing a job, especially with a new client. Go with the motto that no detail is too small and this should protect you from a client demanding more than what you expected.
Help from Stora Enso’s “Ed” Series
Jennifer | 11:20 am | December 14, 2007 | paper, suppliers, prepress, printing, planning, General
Several paper companies offer promotional materials to qualified designers to help sway your choices in paper stocks. One great series that I’d recommend you look at is the Ed series from Stora Enso. It’s printed to promote Productolith, an FSC certified coated sheet. I use Productolith quite frequently; I like it.The series is up to issue #11 and covers everything from metallic inks to Prepress to finishing options. Very good for both process and project information, as well as inspiration to designers when choosing projects.
You can order the series at the Stora Enso site, or check with your local paper merchant to see if you can get copies delivered. I think it’s well worth it.
Learning to say “No.”….or at least, “I don’t know.”
Jennifer | 9:46 am | December 13, 2007 | process, suppliers, workflow, plan, planning, General
One of the hardest parts of managing any ad campaign is managing expectations. Unrealistic ideas of how long a job takes are a common reason for jobs going wrong. It is really important to have a realistic view of the length of time needed for a job.
The best defense against broken promises is to not make any before checking in with your team. Don’t make promises on behalf of suppliers or other departments; you don’t know their workload or capabilities. This goes double if you don’t have the technical background needed to truly understand the job.
A good example is in photo retouching. Many assume that this is a quick and simple process, when it’s one of the most time-consuming parts of a job. If you’re working with a large file (ie, outdoor signage) the size of the file ensures that even the simplest changes will take a long time. Complex changes, such as retouching portraits, will take a very long time to ensure that they’re realistic.
Another big area of confusing is finishing. Once a job is printing there can be special folds, die-cuts, foil stamping, etc…. This might be done by a machine or it could be an assembly line, but until you get your timing from your supplier do not assume it’ll be a quick turnaround.
Don’t promise your client a delivery date before you check your timing. Clients would much rather you get back to them with a well thought out plan, rather than quickly agree to their delivery date, only to have to change it on them later. The former gives the impression that you’re putting in thought and effort, the latter looks amateurish and disorganised.
Protect yourself and your client; put in the time to generate a proper, realistic plan.
Usage & Copyright. A quick primer.
Jennifer | 9:37 am | December 10, 2007 | copyright, suppliers, process, General
With the advent of royalty-free photo sites everywhere, it’s tempting to think that purchasing a photo or illustration is like buying a piece of equipment. It isn’t. When you purchase photos, illustrations or fonts, you’re actually buying the right to use them in your work.
Many illustrators and photographers refuse to hand over copyright and that’s ok, you don’t need it. What you want to buy is an exclusive, unlimited usage license. The reason for the distinction is that if you own the copyright then the photographer or illustrator is legally unable to create copies of the work for use in their own portfolios or on their own websites. Paying for a “full buyout” or the exclusive, unlimited use means that no other company can use the image, and your company can use the image anywhere, anytime, in perpetuity.
If you don’t have the money or need for the full buyout, you can purchase a smaller license. You can buy usage for one year, or a small geographic area. Generally, if it’s a photoshoot you’ve arranged, there’s no point in the reduced license as the cost of the shoot will include the full buyout license for a nominal fee. However, if you’ve found the image on a website and want it for your work, take a look at how you wish to use it and negotiate with the photographer based on that usage.
Once you have the high res illustration or image, make sure you track usage! If you have not purchased a full buyout and your rights are limited you need to be sure that you don’t illegally reproduce the image. If that happens, contact the photographer or illustrator right away, and they’ll negotiate a reasonable re-use fee (normally a 50% discount is applied for all uses after the first) with you.
If you use images without a license, you’re opening your company up to fines that could be well in excess of what you might have paid through a license. The internet has allowed photographers, designers and illustrators to police their work, so don’t try to save money by using images without compensation.
I should bring up a special note with regards to fonts. Like images, you buy usage rights, not the font outright. There are many free font sites out there, make sure you look at the fontographer’s notes. Many fontographers do not grant free use for commercial interests. If you’re using it in your advertising, you’ll need to get the ok from the originator of the font.
How to specify paper.
Jennifer | 2:56 pm | December 6, 2007 | paper, suppliers, terminology, printing, budgets, planning
Paper comes in a myriad of colours and weights, so it’s important to know the differences when you’re running your job. This will give you a brief primer on selecting your paper stock.
Paper comes in coated and uncoated versions. Coated papers have a slicker feel and can be matte, dull or glossy. These are typically used for collateral pieces such as brochures and rack cards. Photographic images usually print more clearly on a coated sheet, because the coating stops ink from soaking into the sheet. Uncoated papers are used for stationery and fine collateral pieces. If the design is done with an uncoated sheet in mind, you can get a very elegant look at a low price.
Papers come in various weights. The tricky part is that the weight is determined by putting 500 sheets on a scale, but those sheets might be different sizes. As a result an 80lb sheet in one grade won’t be the same thickness as an 80lb sheet in a different grade, but they’ll likely be close. Most paper stocks come in text weight and cover weight. The cover weights are for use as covers, folders and anything requiring a stiffness to the sheet. The text weights are for lighter brochures and inside pages.
If you’re going to do a stationery package, make sure the stock you pick has envelopes available. To create an envelope is a very expensive process, so it’s best to use a sheet where #9 and other common business sizes are available.
There’s a lot more to know about paper. This site will also help you with your choices.