A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of being featured on Ladies Who Launch in an Ask The Expert session. The live Q & A session was created by LWL as a way for industry professionals to share their expertise with the community, promote their business simultaneously and provide valuable learnings to your fellow launchers.
The ladies asked really great questions, many of them I often hear from new clients. Read the entire Q & A session below:
Q. Hello! I’m in the process of changing my major to Graphic Design, and will hopefully graduate with a degree in it within the next year. I’m not entirely sure of what I’m going to do when I graduate, however. I was just wondering if you had any advice for someone who was trying to start a career in Graphic Design.
A. In my opinion, the best place to work for designers is a design firm. You will be able to interact with clients, work on a wide variety of projects, and learn so much from fellow designers in the firm. I would not recommend starting off doing freelance as there wouldn’t be much interaction and learning involved when you’re on your own. Lastly, find a mentor, whether it’s someone in the same field or just someone you look up to, a mentor will guide you in your career and give you tons of great advice.
Q. I’m thinking of developing an e-zine for our company. First, is there a free (or low-cost) flipbook software that you recommend? I’ve seen that people use Issuu.com, but I’m not sure about that. What do you think? Also, how long do you recommend that a magazine be? That is, how many pages?
A. There are some other software that you can use to create your ezine. You can take a look at some of my recommended links below. However, I think that Issuu is one of the top contenders. I recommend keeping the magazine somewhat short and to the point, with the most important content in the beginning of the document. As far as the specific page numbers, I don’t have a recommendation for that. You can learn more about creating ezines here http://www.zmoon.com/articles/newsletter12.shtml. http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions http://www.yudu.com http://www.slideshare.net http://www.lulu.com.
Q. Who has ownership of the finished website?
A. After the websites are completed, I give full ownership of the finished website to my clients. All I ask for is permission to show the website as a part of my portfolio on my own website.
Q. I make organic and chemical free healing skincare products. I am now working on packaging. I would like to have a label design than can be easily edited for different formulations. What format would this be and where would I look to have these custom labels printed in smaller runs?
A. I usually create my label designs in Adobe Illustrator which is a design software. This gives me more freedom in terms of design while other applications such as Word would be more restrictive. However, I can also work in Word if the client needs to have an editable version that they can keep updating themselves. For printing small runs, I suggest you find a local print shop that offers digital printing. The cost for digital printing is much lower compared to other types of printing and you can do small runs.
Q. Does the graphic design of the site need to be tested for browser compatibility?
A. Yes, all websites need to be tested for browser compatibility. Each browser displays websites differently and this could affect the design of the site. I test my websites on all major browsers to make sure that they display consistently across all browsers.
Q. How long does it usually take to design a website? Weeks, Months?
A. My websites usually take at least 4 weeks to design. Of course this all depends on the scope of the website. A 5-7 page website takes about 4 weeks while an e-commerce website would take longer to complete.
Q. What is the latest trend in graphic design, colors?
A. The current color trend in graphic design as well as web design are bright, yet pale colors. Some of the colors for 2011 include honeysuckle, vintage wine, and citrus yellow. Another trend is contrasting colors – desaturated images and icons with strong yellow, orange, and red text is a strong trend. Earthly tones are also big in 2011.
