A Quarterly Graphic Design & Printing Newsletter FA L L 2 0 2 0
10 QUESTIONS YOU MUST ASK BEFORE HIRING A GRAPHIC DESIGN FIRM By: Tingalls Graphic Design
Finding the right professional for your next design project doesn’t mean you have to be super creative yourself. It just means you have to know the right questions to ask to find the best designer for you – someone who will click with your team and your company. Here are some questions to help you discover if the design firm you’re considering has the conceptual and collaborative skills, attitude, and the design mojo, to be a part of your creative team. 1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? A firm that has been in business for a long time will likely know the ins and outs of marketing. Experience with a variety of clients allows them to show a vast and diverse portfolio. Inexperienced designers may be creative and even energetic, but without a solid background to back up their design, they’ll lack the knowledge to take it to the next level. Look for a firm that knows all aspects of marketing, including branding, print, and digital design. With 20 years in our back pocket, and knowing our company has grown mainly through word-of-mouth and networking, you are in great hands! 2. DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF WORK IN MY INDUSTRY? It’s not necessarily a deal-breaker if they don’t have a full breadth of experience in your industry, but similar industry experience can be beneficial. Once you’ve discovered what they’ve genuinely contributed to, find the pieces that you like best so you can ask questions on their involvement. Understanding the depth of their strategy from conception to execution will ensure they can tackle your needs in its entirety. Having been in business for over 20 years, we’ve worked with many, many industries in all shapes and sizes. 3. WHO OWNS THE ARTWORK WHEN MY PROJECT IS DONE? In some cases, the designer owns the actual art, but the client is paying to use it. This can be problematic down the line when you want to either switch agencies or use the artwork on your own. Make sure that you will own the artwork after your project is done. Your designer will be able to explain how the hand-off works upon completion (see #10).
4. WHAT SOFTWARE PLATFORMS DO YOU WORK IN? Even though you are not a designer, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with some of the tools designers use. Knowing if they are proficient in more than Adobe InDesign will tell you what they can deliver. Skills in photo manipulation, illustration, infographics, 3D design, or photography will come in handy for more extensive marketing projects down the line. Be wary of designers that work in non-customdesign programs such as Microsoft Word and Canva, or outdated programs like Quark and Pagemaker. 5. HOW LONG IS YOUR DESIGN PROCESS? A good design firm will guide the process to meet a reasonably fast timeline (Tingalls turnaround is five business days!) Before our team gets started, we ask a series of questions to create a project brief which provides us with background information on your company, target audience, marketing goals, intended use, etc. Keep in mind, a design firm with a lower hourly rate might take twice as long so be sure you ask for a complete start-to-finish proposal before signing on the dotted line. 6. WHO WILL BE WORKING ON MY PROJECT? You’ll want to know not only about the firm as a whole but also about the individual designer that has been assigned your project. It’s essential that you feel comfortable talking to them personally and can collaborate effectively with them. Ask for examples of the specific pieces that they have produced. Also, inquire about their track record with deadlines and how they work with others to get things done. 7. HOW DO YOUR DESIGNERS STAY CREATIVE? An experienced design firm will have a well-tuned collaborative process that encourages each designer to challenge each other. The designers will have unique styles but will continuously learn from one another when undertaking a project. Respecting the diversity within a creative group allows the designs to remain fresh but still fulfill the market demands. Each Tingalls design team member is offered four hours of paid professional development time to hone their craft, enhance skills, and research and practice current design trends. 8. HOW DO YOU HANDLE REVISIONS/CHANGE REQUESTS? Some design firms will include a certain amount of revisions in their initial design price, others will not include any revisions. Be sure you know how many change requests are included and also what the minimum change order is. Ask to be notified when you’ve exceeded initial quote as well. At Tingalls, we’re very conscious of our client’s budgets and are in constant communication in regards to estimate vs. actual cost.
9. WHAT WILL BE OUR MAIN COMMUNICATION CHANNEL DURING MY PROJECT? Good designers want client feedback and strive to understand your vision. Communication should include sharing insights and providing options for design. You want a designer that stands by their work and can guide you appropriately as experts in marketing but not someone difficult or secretive. 10. WHAT WILL BE MY PROJECT'S "DELIVERABLE?" Project hand-off when it’s complete is something not to shy away from. You want a design firm that makes the final exchange a smooth process. Ask if they recommend a specific file type for archiving your project and/or sending to press. What training or instruction will they provide regarding the source files? Considering the future needs of their clients should be significant – not just rushing through the job at hand. Now that you have a better idea of what questions you should ask to get the best fit for your next design project, we’d love to talk! At Tingalls Graphic Design, we offer flexible, affordable results, and a turnaround time of five business days or less for your initial design concept. To learn more about our team, services, and how we can help you contact us today.
TINGALLS COMPANY NEWS Tingalls Turns Twenty! On July 15th, I celebrated my 20th wedding anniversary which also marks the day that "Tingalls" came into existence. What started as a funny nickname soon became a logo and the rest is history. I'd like to send a heartfelt thank you to all my clients, staff, vendors, mentors, friends, and family that have supported me and my small business throughout the years. Now more than ever, I feel very blessed to be in a career that's brought me so much joy. Sincerely, Tara Ingalls, Owner
OFFSET PRINTING OR DIGITAL PRINTING? By: Wells Print and Design
If you ever have wondered why your printer ran your print job offset vs digitally or vice versa, here is a quick snap shot on the two different processes and their strengths and limitations. OFFSET PRINTING: The offset printing process begins with an image being burned/etched onto a plate. Once on press, through the roller system, this image is transferred to a rubber blanket and then onto a sheet of paper. The term “offset� means the ink is not transferred right onto the paper. The advantage of offset printing is the ability to print in large quantities cost effectively. (The more you print the less per piece). Also, it offers the use of custom inks, Pantone, metallic or fluorescent colors with superior print quality. The initial offset set-up takes longer and is more expensive, but as the quantity increases the cost per piece comes down dramatically. DIGITAL PRINTING: There are no plates used in this process, images are digitally transferred by rollers/drums using toner or some liquid ink (Think laser printer/copier). An advantage of digital printing is the ability to print a smaller quantity to the exact number of pieces needed, say a run of 10 or 100. This keeps the cost of materials (paper, toner) down, so there is less waste. The set-up costs are generally lower for digital printing compared to offset. A unique advantage that digital has over offset, is that it can run variable data. This means that each printed piece can have a different name, address or number. Offset printing cannot give you this option. The print quality has also improved immensely over the years making the digital process more comparable with offset. Offset and Digital both have their place in the printing market. Each have specific benefits depending on the requirements of your printing project. If you are in need of a large quantity of printed pieces or a specific Pantone color, offset would be the best choice. On the other hand, if turnaround and the need for minimum quantities are what you need, then digital would be the way to go.
3 RULES FOR EFFECTIVE LOGO DESIGN By: Tingalls Graphic Design
Your logo is more than just a visual on a page. It’s an essential part of your company’s identity. An artistically balanced logo design should not only attract attention but create a fantastic first impression. When done well, your company logo will pull together the many aspects of your business identity and start a conversation with your customers and clients. Since you only get one chance to make a first impression, getting your logo right is critical. The following three simple rules will help make your logo stand out from the rest.
#1 Make sure your logo has scalability
Your logo needs to be able to be scaled up or down without losing its identity or effectiveness. Make sure that your logo looks aesthetically pleasing in both small and large sizes. In other words, it should look as good on a business card or pen as it does on a large tradeshow banner or even a billboard.
#2 Your logo should work well with one-color printing
While there certainly isn’t anything wrong with having a colorful logo, recognize that you may want or need a version of your logo that’s printed or displayed in a single color. Shapes and styles that can easily translate into a single-color format are best to use. In other words, the design should not rely heavily on the colors to form the overall look.
#3 Keep it simple and avoid too much detail
Overly complicated logos are often forgotten, but simple logos are quickly recognized – think of Nike’s swoosh or the McDonald’s arches. A straightforward logo will have sharp lines and clean shapes that reduce and enlarge much better than more intricate ones. Simple doesn’t mean simplistic, though. Good logos should be unique and feature something memorable. In addition to the three basic rules above, the best way to ensure the long life of your logo is to make sure you love it! By hiring a talented team of graphic designers to work with like the team at Tingalls Graphic Design, you’ll ensure your brand’s logo will meet your business initiatives for years to come. Visit the Tingalls online logo gallery today and see why we are considered the cream of the crop when it comes to Wisconsin branding and logo design. Then, contact us and set up a free consultation!
www.printanddigital.com
steve.namio@printanddigital.com
608-274-7474
Contact: Steve Namio
www.tingalls.com
tara@tingalls.com
608-268-5525
Contact: Tara Ingalls
FRESH INK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Madison, WI 53713
3121 Watford Way
c/o Wells Printing and Digital Services
•O ffset Printing or Digital Printing?
• Tingalls Turns Twenty!
• Rules for Effective Logo Design
• Questions you must ask before hiring a Graphic Design firm
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