I totally understand that it is really hard to communicate with a graphic designer, especially when you are trying to describe a feeling that you want to achieve in a artwork. So as a freelance graphic designer, let me try to help you with some of these areas.
1. “I don’t have design brief leh, but you can work on the mock first or not?”
As much as I would like to help you, I am not a mind reader. Maybe for a start, you might need to sit down and think what you are trying to achieve with your project. Let me know a few key points like, your unique selling point of your product, who are your audience? Why did you come up with this brand or product? What are your competitors doing that you like and dislike?
I know you don’t have all the answers, so we can always discuss first together before I work on the mocks.
2. “I don’t want to trouble you la… you put in a format that I can edit, can?”
There is a reason why graphic designer purchase these expensive adobe suit to work on their projects. I mean, if i can do the design on power point, you can do it too, am i right? So, it’s ok, trouble me… let me help you with the changes.
3. “Eh, my photo pixelated leh… you can up the resolution or not?”
Well, you CAN up a photo’s resolution but the by product will look REALLY shitty. The results will not be very obvious on web, but will be SUPER obvious on a large format print. So… don’t la… do yourself a favour, buy stock image lor…
4. “Wah! very expensive leh! I know some one who can design a logo for $5 only!”
You know how my face looks like every time some one says this to me? like that.. -.-
I am not saying that ALL $5 logos are crap cause sometime you can get some decent work from them. I am saying is, when some one offers you a $5 lobster hor fun, you don’t really expect them to use real lobsters right?
I understand budget constrains, so speak to me about that. let me work out something for you.
5. “Eh the design a bit flat leh… can make it POP!”
I know you want this work to STAND OUT. But you have got to help me here because obviously I am doing something that is not working for you. Let me know what is not working. And let me know what works for you. Visual reference will help a lot here. Show me artworks that gives that “pop” feeling for you.
But also, don’t any how show me artwork that is not related to your projects la! Like you selling apples, then you show me posters of inspirational quotes. Bo link de….
6. “I don’t want this blue, I want a tropical sky blue, but not the typical sky, more like the stormy grey with a bit dusty pink.”
This one I never bluff you, some one really did try to explain THIS colour to me before. After much adjustment, he actually wanted purple… (pantone 2077C)
So to make life easier for both me, a designer, and you as a client, try to find the colour you want here. https://www.pantone.com/color-finder#/pick?pantoneBook=pantoneSolidCoatedV3M2
7. “Eh, you graphic designer leh… you don’t know what is this font meh?”
According to google, there is roughly about 300k fonts in the world. NO BODY KNOWS ALL THE FONTS! I can help you to look for a similar font. But if you need that exact same one, I will need the name of that font in order to help you.
So I hope that this list will help you to communicate with your designers better and that together, we can find the perfect artwork that you are looking for.