Posts Tagged ‘Graphic Designer’

How many times have you heard this: “Just go and pull the logo off the Web site.” That is not one of the top ten phrases a graphic designer wants to hear when creating your company’s print ad.

There are two different worlds a graphic designer works within: 1) the Web world, and 2) the print world. Unfortunately they are a universe apart. I will try to simplify.

In the print world, graphics and images are produced/created in “high-resolution” or (typically) 300 pixels-per-inch (ppi). Prior to the advent of the digital age, resolution was referred to as dots-per-inch (dpi). Printing presses produce imagery on paper using technology that results in a very crisp and detailed image.

In the Web world, graphics and images are produced/created in “low-resolution” or 72 ppi because that is the resolution that computer monitors use to display images on the screen. If the designer uses images that are larger than 72ppi, the file size increases but the quality of the image does not change. Web graphics need to stay as small as possible so images load faster, since the data is traveling through cables.

Before assuming, discuss your project’s intent with a designer so you can provide the correct content for them to work with. Knowing the end-use of the project, Web or print, will tell a creative professional what steps need to be taken to ensure a well-executed end result.

Your small business has purchased an advertisement in a local magazine. Not having a graphic designer on staff, you must rely on an outside agency or the magazine’s graphic department to produce your ad. Regardless of how talented your outsourced designer may be, the ad will sink or swim based on the components you provide to the designer and the timeframe you give the designer have to complete the project.

Chances are good that the ad, or any printed materials, will NOT come off very well unless you have put some effort into compiling the raw materials – in usable shape – beforehand and given the designer time to create. The risks of poor planning are great, as potential customers judge you in large part by the quality of your marketing materials.

All Logos are NOT Created Equally
Let’s look at the elements you will need to consider. At the most basic level, you will want your logo in the ad. It is critical to know that what works on the Internet, does not work well in print. Don’t say, “Just grab my logo off the Web site.” If you do, your printed logo will assuredly look awful. This is because Web sites only need to display images at 72 dots per inch (dpi). The standard requirement to look good in print is 300 dpi. So always have a good, high-resolution logo stored away for printing purposes.

For the same reasons, it is wise to file away good, high-resolution photographs that may be used in ads. Once again, just because they look good on the Web site does not ensure they will in print. If saved electronically, they must be at least 300 dpi. Most designers can also easily scan a photograph.

Understand Copyrights
Another consideration before using photographs is copyright law. The photographer holds the rights to the picture unless he or she gives permission for you to use it. This holds for headshots of CEOs as well as pictures you contract for, such as building and product shots. Talk with your photographer before hiring him or her about your intended usage and rights involved. You never want a picture pulled at the last second because you didn’t have permission to use it.

Give Yourself Time
Quality printed materials require time. Work far ahead of deadlines to give your designers ample time to create. Sure, they may be able to throw an ad or a brochure together in a couple hours, but it will be reflective of the effort, or lack thereof, that was put into it. Allow them several days, if possible, to think about your project, knowing that inspiration could come at any time of the day or night. A comfortable timeframe also allows your designer to consider various approaches or to research graphics that might make your ad compelling.

Less is More!
Consider wordiness. A designer’s worst nightmare is to be handed paragraphs of text to fit into a small area. You don’t have to say everything about your business in every advertisement. Less is more in design. What you do need is a compelling thought, question or headline. Allow your designer to answer this visually and possibly with a “call to action” urging the reader to visit your Web site or call for more information.

Dos and Don’ts
Do…
• Communicate and listen
• Supply high-resolution graphics/photos
• Obtain copyright permission
• Give a project time

Don’t…
• Be too wordy
• Be afraid of white space
• Rush anything through

Whether a small black and white ad in a church bulletin, a full-color spread in a magazine, or a company brochure, the quality of the final product is dependent largely upon you. The greatest designer in the world cannot do much with a low-resolution logo, fuzzy photographs, too much text and one hour to deliver the final product.

Thinking ahead will give you the time to obtain a high-quality logo and photography, a concise message for your business and a long horizon with which to give your designer time to create a compelling final product. The results are well worth the effort. If potential customers don’t believe you can execute an advertisement or brochure, how will they trust their business to you?