There’s no shortage of businesses, freelancers and ‘wanna-be’s out there who label themselves as graphic designers these days. Some college-educated, others who have learned graphics on the job. With the sophisticated technology and unlimited tutorials readily available to the general public, paid or cost-free, it’s really very simple for just about anyone to easily ‘whip up’ graphics, access stock images and clip-art, and put together something that at first glance “really doesn’t look so bad”.

For that matter, anyone who owns a business could likely create acceptable graphic designs for themselves,  even if they’re not a graphic designer… all it takes it time and the energy to search out the necessary tools and resources with which to perform the task.

But don’t be fooled; working on your own, or with an amateur or self-taught graphic designer may not be all it’s cracked up to be. There are certain factors and design considerations that only a truly professional graphic designer would understand. While self-taught, novice designer may save you a few bucks up front, they’re likely costing you more in the long run, in terms of flexibility and results.

If Your Graphic Designer Doesn’t Know, It’s Time for a New Designer

Aesthetics and originality aside, there are additional, behind-the-scenes considerations to be taken into account when creating a custom graphic design; any graphic designer who is unfamiliar with any of these concepts cannot be considered specifically an expert in the field.

This is not to say that every professional graphic designer knows everything, nor that self-taught, novice designers can’t create a decent graphic design. But if your prospective design firm can’t check ANY of these boxes, it’s safe to say you’ll be better off looking elsewhere for your graphic design needs.

Here’s a short list of criteria your best graphic designer should understand outright:

• A design graphic should be usable for printing as well as web use – if your graphic designer creates your original image in a small size for use on a website, this same image cannot be later re-sized for use in print materials such as brochures, banners and signage. Your graphic design should be created in a large, high resolution size, which affords the option to size down as needed for web and other low-resolution applications.
• A design graphic should look great at any size – if your high-resolution graphic is overly complicated or filled with intricate detail, it is likely that displaying it in a smaller size will make the graphics unrecognizable. Keeping graphics simple will ensure that regardless of display size, the images will still make sense.
• A design graphic should work well against any color background – if your graphic is a small red circle inside a large black square, the impact can be quite dramatic when placed against a light background color. But if you place that same graphic design against a black background, all your viewers will see is a red circle. Consider what you want your viewers to perceive, and how that perception may be altered when displayed against various backgrounds. If necessary, you may request two or more color options for the same logo, so that you’ll have a version to use in whatever the color environment calls for.
• A design graphic should display well in black and white as well as color – even if your logo is in color, keep in mind that the occasion may arise when a magazine or other print circular will display your logo in black and white, or a potential customer may wish to print out your advertisement from the internet without color. You’ll want to ensure that your message is appropriately conveyed in either instance.
• A professional graphic designer MUST have an acute understanding of printing specifications – even if you don’t necessarily intend to use your graphic in print at first, a future occasion may arise when you’ll want to do so. For this reason, your design graphic should be developed with consideration for print specs such as printable areas and edge bleeds – and again, in high resolution. Your original graphic is not designed with versatility in mind, so that it may be used in any fashion you so choose, now or later.

Obviously there’s more to designing exceptional graphics than meets the eye. Consider these factors when interviewing a possible graphic designer for your marketing imagery, and you’ll most certainly save yourself extra money and headaches later on.

The Graphic Design Firm Who Has The Answers

At PearTree Designs, our professional graphic designers combine years of education, experience and expertise to provide unique and remarkable graphic designs that meet (and exceed) all the necessary criteria for producing phenomenal results in every size and available medium.

Our diverse team of highly-qualified, talented printing and graphic design experts offer a wide range of ideas and selection to meet your marketing requirements, regardless of the size of your business. We offer every option imaginable in the realm of printing and graphic design.

To find out how affordable it can be to use our graphic design services for your business, just click here to tell us about your project needs, and we’ll email you a custom quote for printing and graphic design services within 24 hours.