Anyone do Graphic Desgin?????

[yumpet]

Should have laid it all out to start with i suppose, i have most of the required stuff done already i just need a logo/design for business cards (and magnets), letter heads etc.

i found a design online i liked and just need someone to draw it up properly as the picture i have is pretty small and because the logo is a square (white included) it makes it really hard to place on a card to use in vista print or anywhere really, i do appreciate the advice from all you guys, this has been quite a process and i've stretched it out because i've seen so many people fall over because they had no direction and just done what they seen companys do that have been in business for years

ill attach the design i have, what you guys think?


spose i should add, business name is Knights Electrical Contracting

[matt-chops]

Mate, I've been a Graphic and Web Designer for near on a decade now and I can give you a few pointers to get the most out of your money and time spent with a designer.

• Don't print with Vista Print. Their quality is crap and you can spot their cards a mile off. It screams 'I'm a cheap bastard' and this maybe isn't the first impression you want for your customers. I could quite happily recommend some offset printers who will do an exceptional job.
  
• Decide on your business name, colours, web address (if you're having a website, and check availability) and have a good brainstorm about how you'd like your brand identity to look and feel.
  
• Brainstorm what you would like on your business card. Single or double sided, which contact information you would like, how you want it printed (full colour front and back or maybe full colour front and some lines on the back for writing quotes or info) and even do a google image search for some cards you like to give your designer a very clear brief on the layout - This saves a lot of concept time and time spent back and forth.
  
• Same goes for the logo - decide what you want and give a very clear brief to your designer. Is it text only, is it text and graphic, what kind of graphic (remmeber keep it simple and able to be scaled very small and very large), does it work in the colours you have chosen as well as in single colour white or black in publications you might advertise in (think school newsletters, local footy team jersies, that kind of thing), does it give a clear indiciation of your business and what it does, does it need a tagline included with the logo? Also think about fonts if you want to get into that much detail - try www.dafont.com for loads and loads of free fonts.
  
• Give careful consideration before hiring a uni student to do the job - they might be the cheapest, but I've seen more examples than I care to mention of someone asking me "can you fix this" and giving me the remnants of a TAFE project to piece together.

If you go to your graphic designer with as much detail as you can possibly think of then you're not paying for their time in creating concept after concept which might not be at all what you have in mind, instead you're paying them for refining your concept into something with the right proportions and layout, and in the right format to be used by printers. Just be mindful that this can go too far the other way too - if you're too specific with what you ask for the result might just be straight up crap.

I'm happy to offer advice on any questions you have to make your experience with a graphic designer a pleasant and streamlined one.

[walldog]

Um I'd suggest you find out a) who owns that image and b) who owns the copyright to the design, before you use it. Could save you a heap of cash in the long run. Just my 2c worth


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[NTRubicon]

Originally Posted by yumpet

Should have laid it all out to start with i suppose, i have most of the required stuff done already i just need a logo/design for business cards (and magnets), letter heads etc.

i found a design online i liked and just need someone to draw it up properly as the picture i have is pretty small and because the logo is a square (white included) it makes it really hard to place on a card to use in vista print or anywhere really, i do appreciate the advice from all you guys, this has been quite a process and i've stretched it out because i've seen so many people fall over because they had no direction and just done what they seen companys do that have been in business for years

ill attach the design i have, what you guys think?


spose i should add, business name is Knights Electrical Contracting

I see either chess pieces, the regal version of the crusader knight, a shield or the like, perhaps a 'fleur de lis' design with your lettering involved? That's assuming the KNIGHTS is the unique identifier

What you have is the more technological image, one that implies a certain knowledge, as it looks to me like an Electrocardiograph line. are you specialising in medical equipment servicing? this image makes me think you provide vital services to hospitals or medical equipment,

If you want to the lettering as the main part of the image, continue as you are, just make sure when it's printed on a high vis shirt (assuming like most sparkies you spend the majority of your time wearing high vis gear) that it stands out and works with high vis colours. sorry once again, I'm working from a space where I can't access my desktop to put something more visual out there.