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Are you interested in launching a career in graphic design? Graphic design is one of the most innovative and growing creative industries in the word. New design schools are appearing all the time to meet the growing demand and interest of wannabe designers. If you are interested in educating yourself as a professional graphic design, then where should you begin? Should you choose a two-year degree program at a graphic arts school? Or should you choose a traditional four-year Bachelor’s program? Here is a brief overview that will show you some insight into deciding on the right graphic design program and school for you.

1) What to look for in a graphic design program.

What should you look for in different graphic design programs? You can compare many aspects of a graphic design program. Some aspects include the curriculum, the type of degree awarded at the end of the study program, the ration of students to instructors, the facilities, and the mix of academic and hands-on courses in which the school offers.

2). Consider your personal and career goals.

You want to choose a graphic design program that fulfills your personal, academic and career goals. If you are interested in gaining entry-level employment in the graphic arts industry, you may be satisfied with a fast-track program that allows you to graduate in two years or less. If you want a fuller program with the possibility for graduate study or teaching, you will want a four-year degree program.

3) Examining the four types of graphic design programs and schools.

In general, you can find four basic graphic design programs. The most conventional academic program is the college or university four-year degree program; this leads to a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts. Many schools also offer a graduate degree in graphic design, usually designated as a Master of Fine Arts, or MFA. At most universities, you will find the graphic design program is part of the College of Fine Arts. At smaller universities, graphic design courses may be part of a Fine Arts major.

4) Choosing a Specialized Art School.

Another popular choice to study graphic design is the typical art school. These are often described as “institutes of design.” They offer an intensive, hands-on experience focused solely on graphic design. If you are not interested in anything but graphic design, a specialized art school may be right for you.

5) The two-year graphic design program.

Many community colleges have two-year programs leading to an Associate Degree (AA) in graphic design. Some colleges may offer a certificate in graphic design. Usually you can transfer these credits to a four-year institution and apply them toward a Bachelor’s degree.

6) Which graphic design program is right for you?

You may wonder which graphic design program suits you best. You need to consider many things in regards to which degree you want in graphic design. Look closely at the different curriculums and degree requirements. Some programs may offer more classes that appeal to your personal interests. Are you more interested in receiving a broad liberal arts education, or finding fast employment in the graphic design industry? Are you interested in the history and aesthetic of graphic design, or are you intrigued by hands-on instruction? The answer to these questions can point you in the right direction.

Whether you choose hands-on instruction or a more broad-based four-year program, always keep in mind the preparation and quality of instruction that you will receive at one of these schools.

Gaphic design is an essential part of every marketing plan. It can greatly increase the professional look of your business, or express your bands creative style. Right from the first glance it will leave an impression.

Finding the right design company or freelance designer, can be a little daunting if you do not know what to look for. I am a freelance design and I could simply end here saying you want to use me. However, I would rather you choose me only after you are informed and know what you need to know.

Portfolio

Every designer must have a portfolio, both printed and online. This is how they sell themselves, by showcasing their work. The better the designer, the larger the portfolio will be. It may contain work they have created for themselves, or just for fun, but should be largely comprised of work they have done for their clients. Look over a designers portfolio and see what they have done, and more importantly, see if the work they have done, is the type of work you are looking for. If you see wild designs for bands, but need a corporate marketing package, you should probably keep looking.

Quality

If your looking for a graphic designer, it means your looking to have something done right. Make sure when looking at a portfolio you see professional quality graphics. Graphics that sell you on what they were supposed to. If you see poor quality images put together or basic clip art graphics being used in a portfolio, then that is likely what you will get as well.

Price

Price is a big issue with everyone. You could say “You get what you pay for” or you could say “You get more than you could have hoped for”. Getting the lowest price does not always mean getting the least work. IF you choose to use a large company, expect to pay more. If you are going with a freelance designer, expect to pay less. The best way to determine if the price is right, is to check the portfolio, then request a free quote. Compare the quote to the quality of work in the portfolio. If you see good work, and a good price, you have a good designer.

Background / References

After you have looked into the portfolio and are happy with the price and quality, check into the background of the company or designer. If you intend to have more than 1 project done or are looking to start up a long term project, it is important to check and see how long the designer has been around, if they have any other long term repeat clients. This way you can ensure they will be around for the duration of your project and an future need you may have.

Response Time

It is important that a designer responds to your requests and queries as soon as possible so you know you are important to them. If they take days to respond to your email or voice mail, they are either too busy to work with you, or are simply not very professional. Either way, they are not for you.

Efficiency & Clarity

Make sure the designer is able to understand what you are looking for. Nothing worse than have a mental picture of what you need, only to get back samples that are so different you wonder what went wrong, and need to explain it again. A good designer will read your needs, confirm everything with you and ask question or provide suggestions before any work will begin.

These are all important points to consider when choosing the right graphic designer. It may take some time to find the right one, but if you do your homework, you will get the right product for the right price from the right designer.

When you are looking for a professional Graphic Desiigner, keeps these points in mind and you will find the right one for your project.

Ready to get a free quote? Get one from Creative Compulsions today.

Never worked with a graphic design firm before? If so, you may be unsure which criteria are most important. Portfolio? Price? Proximity? Reputation? Needless to say, your own company’s reputation may be riding on this decision. So here are a few tips to make your choice of a graphic design or marketing firm less stressful and ensure that you choose a good match for your project and your company.

The Portfolio

Begin by looking at the online portfolios of several reputable graphic design firms. Don’t even think about price yet; simply focus on finding quality work – work which looks smart, sophisticated and visually enticing.

Price should never be your primary criterion in commissioning creative work. If the work is first-rate, it will generate profits for your company which far exceed your initial investment. Good design is the most cost-effective form of marketing. So hire the best firm you can, and the results will speak for themselves.

Don’t assume that you need to find a design firm with years of experience in your particular industry or a brochure in their portfolio that looks exactly like the brochure you want for your company. Instead, look for an abundance of creative talent and design versatility.

You also shouldn’t feel limited by geography. Working with the firm around the corner can be wonderful, but in today’s digital universe, it’s just as easy to communicate via phone, fax or emailed PDF files.

Freelancers vs. Design Firms

The advantage of using a freelancer is obvious: they typically have less overhead and lower rates than a bona fide design firm.

However, unless this is a simple one-time engagement, you should steer clear of freelancers, who may not be able to provide the full spectrum of services or creativity your company needs. Even if he/she does satisfactory work, a freelancer’s output will screech to a halt when they’re sick or on vacation, and your company may not be in a position to wait patiently for their return.

Freelancers may be self-taught or have one “signature style” which imparts a predictability to their work. Multi-person design firms, on the other hand, are generally more flexible in handling a multitude of projects and deadlines. They hire the most talented graduates from the leading design schools, who are highly-educated in all the latest design techniques as well as the finer points of typography, color theory, graphic design history, and so on. Chances are, this sort of design team can handle any creative challenge you throw at them.

The Interview

Instead of simply firing off an RFP (Request for Proposal), call up the firm with the best portfolio and chat informally with the owner or creative director.

Tell them a little about your project and notice whether they spend time asking intelligent questions about you and your company’s challenges. If their primary focus is on bragging about what they’ve done for other companies or how many design awards they’ve won, beware: you may be dealing with a design prima donna who cares more about his/her personal agenda than your company’s success.

Ideally, the designer should be peppering you with questions about your competitors, your customers and your sustainable advantages in the marketplace. They should come across as hard-headed, pragmatic business people as well as creative thinkers.

Ultimately, all their design decisions (regarding the use of color, typography, photography and design motifs) should be strategic decisions, aimed at reaching your target audience with a compelling call to action.

Good design is always based on careful research and sound business strategy. It’s never superficial decoration. So the best designers are problem-solvers, highly intelligent and well-educated as well as artistically inspired. They possess a rare combination of right-brain and left-brain intelligence which should be evident even in your initial consultation.

With these simple facts in mind, you’re bound to hire a great design firm for your company.

First, let me say that I am an independent graphic designer. My business model dictates that I only hire additional artists and professionals on a per-project basis, so I expand and contract as needed. It allows my business to be highly competitive and flexible in the talent I select.

Admittedly, I’m interested in gaining your business, however I can be objective in shedding some light on the process of choosing design services. This article is based on my years of experience and observations within the design community.

The Graphic Designer
The core of any creative work is the designer. Each one comes with a varying degree of talent and experience, whether they’re independent or part of a firm. Many independents or “freelancers”, as some call them, have years of experience with established firms. Personally, I don’t like the term freelancer, because it carries the stigma of a lack of talent, experience, and professionalism. It also leaves the impression that they cannot find gainful employment.

Freelance Design
Designers aren’t certified or licensed (I think we should be), so anyone can call themselves a graphic designer. Unfortunately, there are some who have the above traits, and they are cheaper to use in the short-term. The long-term downside is that your project may be beyond the scope of their abilities. In addition, they may not have a good understanding of the creative process, fail to anticipate technical issues and normal expenses, and use unlicensed materials to cut costs. All of this can translate into a disappointing solution, and possibly legal issues in the future. When it comes to something as valuable as the perception of your company and future sales of your product or service, “cheap” should never be the focus.

Professional Design
Professional designers can be with a firm or independent. They typically have formal training in design or visual communications, and may have additional experience in related fields such as advertising or marketing. They follow the customs and procedures of the design industry, use specific contracts, and devote the needed time to the creative process. A professional will be more expensive, but cost shouldn’t be a top consideration in hiring design services. Good design doesn’t cost money…it makes money…far more than the initial design investment, through increased revenue and exposure to potential customers.

Large Firms (Size Matters ? Sometimes)
A large design firm will give you a sense of stability just by the sheer size of their portfolio, number of staff, and resources available. They offer a wide variety of services across several media such as radio, TV, print, etc.. If that’s your situation a large firm should be your focus. On the other hand, if your project is within a specific area or two such as web, print, or multimedia, a small firm or independent designer may be an excellent choice.

Another consideration is teamwork. As the saying goes, “two heads are better than one.” Depending on the scope of the project different perspectives during the concept phase can be a distinct advantage. While multi-person firms assign a design team, many independent designers overcome this by having their work critiqued by fellow designers or submitting their work to online design forums for review.

Small Firms and Independents
Small firms and independents may not have a sample of your specific need, so it’s important to look at the solutions they’ve provided other clients. They tend to be more motivated in getting your business, so you’ll often get a more personal level of service, and work directly with the person responsible for your project. Furthermore, you’ll generally pay less due to reduced overhead costs. In many cases independent designers will have more design experience than the combined years of a design team at an agency. Many talented designers tend to either move up the ladder or start their own firm due to pay ceilings at a firm.

Variety of talent is another consideration. Large firms may have one or two copywriters or illustrators on staff to choose from. Small firms and independents have the flexibility of offering several established outside vendors to specifically fit your individual tastes, style and preferences.

Also, consider that the designer or designers working at a large firm may not be particularly interested or excited about your project, or even proficient in that area of design; they don’t have control of what’s assigned to them. While this may or may not be the case at a small firm, an independent designer will typically have a high level of interest and motivation, because they want to expand their portfolio and client list…especially if your project type or industry is new to them. If they contacted you it’s likely they’ve already done some background research on your company.

Finally, with advances in computer technology and declining prices, independents and small firms use the same or higher levels of hardware and software as large firms. They also don’t have to go through the approval process and internal IT departments, so their upgrades happen in days rather than months.

Conclusion
When you are looking for design services remember that you don’t have to know exactly what you need; that’s what a design professional is for. They will offer specific solutions according to your needs. If price is a concern, be up front about it and ask for a range of two or three estimates. Be aware that the lower figures mean that less time will be devoted to research and concept development; it doesn’t mean that the designer is reducing their hourly rate. Less time translates into a less creative and unique piece.

Start by interviewing several designers and design firms before making a decision. Ask them what their hourly rate for creative work is, and view their portfolios. If you’re happy with the solutions they’ve provided other clients, comfortable with the way they present themselves, and think you’d enjoy working with them…hire them. Clients who understand the value of good design realize that a talented designer has the ability to influence their existing and potential market; create a positive perception of their business, and ultimately increase their revenue.

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About the Author
Derald Schultz is the founder and principal of Mediarail Design, Inc. A design firm based in Atlanta, Georgia specializing in graphic design, web design, and commercial printing services. Mr. Schultz holds degrees in Printing & Publishing, and Visual Communications. He worked within the design and printing communities for over 25 years before launching his own firm. Mediarail Design serves a wide variety clients across the country.

? 2006-2008 Derald Schultz, Mediarail Design, Inc.

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When you can?t do something in-house there are only two ways you can go: outsource it or forget it. But even when you can do it with your own efforts, outsourcing can be a pretty appealing option. However, choosing the right offshore web development services is a critical decision to make. There are a number of factors to consider when looking for quality offshore outsourcing services.

First of all you need to find the right destination to outsource the work to. India has been dominating the market of offshore IT services for such a long time that people somehow have got used to considering it the only outsourcing destination available. Although India?s position is still very strong there are a number of other countries offering offshore web development services, such as China, Argentina, Vietnam, Russia and Belarus. When choosing the destination a lot of factors come into play apart from the price. For example, you need to take into account the time difference. Naturally, you?ll want to communicate with your outsourcing team to monitor the progress of the project and make sure it?s going the way you want. Many offshore companies adjust their working hours to make them overlap with those of the customer. However, if the time difference is too big this could be a problem. The language and cultural differences are also an issue to consider. You need to make sure that the staff of the company have a good command of English and understand your business philosophy. Although India has been in the industry for quite a long time, emerging markets of offshore web development services offer great opportunities for investment and innovation.

Choosing the company is even more important then choosing the outsourcing destination. You need to make sure that the offshore web development service provider has some experience of working with businesses similar to yours. It would be a nice idea to talk to their previous clients and find out their opinion of the company as well as see the results of the completed projects. When discussing the project, make sure that your potential service provider show interest in your business goals and needs.?

If you follow these simple guidelines you have all the chances to find reputable offshore web development services.

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Learn about quality Offshore Web Development Services in Belarus.

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Once you decide that your company requires an Online presence, you begin searching for a web development company that can work on the construction of your website. Searching for a good and qualified web development company is quite a tough task as it is extremely important that your web designing firm be trained, skilled and most importantly must understand the need of your business.

To begin with your search for a good web site development firm, you can take the help of the search engines. Search for web development companies that are expert in their work and most importantly have a great client?le. The worth of a good company can only be judged by the client?le they support. If a firm has big corporates in their client lists, that have impressive Online projects too, you know that the company is professional and skilled in their field too.

If you do not really rely on the companies that appear in the search results, or are unable to find a suitable company to design your website, the next best option is to ask friends. When in doubt about something, word of mouth suggestions always make it easier to decide. Float the message in your circle that you are looking for a good web development company. Your friends will automatically come up with suggestions and recommendations making your job simpler.

Once you have found your web development firm, the first thing you need to discuss with them is their rates. A professional website development company will not hesitate to place their quotation in front of you before they begin discussing the project with you. Do a good survey of the market rates, ask a few people who have got their websites constructed about the rates and services that they received, before to hand over your website project to them.

Your website is your virtual business place. Hence it should have features and facilities that you desire it to contain. Before discussing your website project with the designing company, sit with your team and chalk out a frame work of how you wish to have your website. What are the features that you require and the pages that you need to include.

In order to create an excellent website, it is important that your web development company understands your project requirement. It is only then, that they will be able to create a website where your thoughts and ideas will rightly be projected in the website design and the applications that are developed in the site.

In this day and age when the world has shrunk – all thanks to the availability of Internet connections it pays to consider doing your business online. The internet has allowed many people to earn a lot of money from conducting their businesses online which of course means that in order to succeed with your online endeavors it is necessary to create content and websites that are relevant to your business aspirations and which also help promote your business. Whether you are just getting started with your online business or you are an experienced online businessman you just cannot do without hiring a web development services company.

Handles All Your Spadework

These web development services companies will do all the spadework on your behalf and will help you create a website that will surely help propel your business to the top. Only a well designed website will help visitors to your site to know everything that there is to know about your products or services. What’s more, if you have been impressed with some of the better designed websites it is but natural that you too would want similar and excellent websites for your business.

The first step that you need to take is to find suitable web development services companies that understand not only their own work but who are also well acquainted with the type of business you intend to pursue. Unfortunately, the hard part for you is finding the right web development services company. With so many of these web development services companies to choose from you would not know how or where to start.

You can do with some help in learning how to identify the better web development services companies. First off, it requires that you understand the special requirements of your kind of business. Only if you are sure about what your business needs are can you request the web development services to provide you with suitable solutions.

Second off, you should have a good idea about current technologies being used in creating websites. This means that you should learn about ASP and .Net and Java and more of these programming languages because then you can suggest a suitable technology that the web development services can use and also not be confused when the web development services recommend certain programming languages. It is better that you do not depend too much on the web designers.

Thirdly, it is important that you get to see the web development services company’s client list and also view their live projects. A web development services company that is reputable will be able to show you a host of clients and they will also be able to demonstrate many of their live projects which will allow you judge their quality of work.

Another important consideration that needs to be taken into account when selecting web development services is their cost effectiveness and consistency of service. For more choice you can use the Internet to check out different options.

Also, you need to take into account that a good web development services will be able to develop excellent content for you and that of course is a most important aspect to successful online business. It is not necessary to be reminded that content is king in the online world. A good web development services company will have the right kind of skilled content developers and content designers to ensure success of your website. So, sit back and relax.

The content designers need to be familiar with the fact that the content they create should be relevant to your business and to your website. In addition, they need to ensure that they ensure that it is always easy to navigate your website. Both relevancy of the content and ease of navigation are the most important factors to successful online websites. Let the web development services companies handle this for you. Of course it does make sense to ensure that you deal with web development services companies that have the necessary expertise to deliver to you the kind of website that will ensure success of your online venture. Other than that there is nothing to getting a website designed properly.

How to Choose a Web Developer

Unless you know what to look for, choosing a web developer can be a very difficult task. Because there are no licensing requirements for web developers, and the barriers to entry are almost nonexistent, the web development market has become flooded with individuals and companies of all skill levels and capabilities. This whitepaper provides tips for what to consider when choosing a web developer.

Tip #1: Look for Specialization

Many web developers claim that they can do it all. The truth is that most web developers are primarily either graphic designers or programmers. The fields of graphic design and programming are fairly specialized and it is uncommon to find people who are able to do both well. When looking for a web developer, we suggest asking the professionals to designate who will be designing your web site and who will be doing any custom programming. If it is the same person doing both pieces, we advise paying even closer attention to their portfolio.

Tip #2: Look for a Strong Portfolio

The sites that a web developer has worked on are typically strong indications of the type of work that you can expect from them for your own web site. When reviewing a developer’s portfolio, keep an eye out for aspects that you want incorporated into your own site. If you are looking for a bleeding edge design, then look for those types of designs in their portfolio. If on the other hand you are looking for complex programming, make sure you tell the developer that you would like examples of those types of sites.

Tip #3: Expect a Focus on Marketing

In the early days of the Internet, simply having a web site was enough because not every company had one. Today however, a web site is an important aspect of marketing for small businesses. Make sure that your web developer will perform search engine optimization on your web site and that they will help you increase your rankings in search engines.

Tip #4: Understand Who Will Host Your Web Site

How a web development company hosts the web sites that they create is an important but often overlooked aspect of choosing a web developer. Many web development firms simply act as a reseller for a company that performs the hosting. The danger with this is that if you experience problems with your web site or email it sometimes isn’t clear who is responsible for fixing the issue. This can result in finger pointing between the web developer and the company involved in hosting the site when a problem occurs. This can be especially problematic with complex web sites that perform e-commerce or other custom functionality. Make sure that you understand who is responsible for assisting you with any hosting or email issues that you have before signing on with a web developer.

Tip #5: Think Long Term

There are several long term considerations that should be considered in your decision of which web developer to use. Make sure that you understand how ongoing maintenance will be charged and at what point your initial project ends and the maintenance phase of your relationship begins. It is also important to make sure that if your web developer will register a domain on your behalf that they put it in your name or the name of your business. This ensures that you can gain complete control over your domain in the event that you need to make a change to your hosting without the assistance of your web developer. Additionally, make sure that you have a copy of your web site. We’re always surprised at the number of people who spend many thousands of dollars on a web site but don’t have a copy of it in their own hands.

Tip #6: Request References and Actually Call Them

Once you reach the point where you have a web developer that you want to use, we recommend that you request references and actually call them. This will be one of your best indications of how the developer maintains and manages client relationships and it provides one last measure of safety before you begin your project.