People often ask me how I think as a designer, and what process I use to turn an idea into a final product. With my artistic background (having earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts) and over a decade of experience working in various corporate design studios, my outlook on design has become a blend of ‘right-brain’ (intuitive) and ‘left-brain’ (logical, analytical) thinking. Combining my creative instincts with a pragmatic and strategic approach to finding effective design and branding solutions are essential to my creative design process. When I started my career as a graphic designer, the best piece of advice that I received was to view any project from a holistic perspective: to see design not only as a conduit for effective communication with an audience but also as a part of a larger, multifaceted process of finding solutions for the client. Over the years, the market has evolved and my role as a designer has expanded to include an integrated marketing approach in the creation of compelling content to communicate a company’s message across multiple platforms and distribution channels. Beyond print, website design and merchandising, social media marketing provides a unique opportunity to generate interest in a brand’s appeal through the use of images and content specific to your company’s message. Creating brand loyalty through the use of consistently strong, eye-catching design is as important as emphasizing context over content to connect with and engage an audience on a personal, interactive level. But first, for any design project to come to visual life, it must be anchored in collaboration and communication between the client and the designer. When starting a new project, there are 7 Key Steps Of The Graphic Design Process to follow that will help both the designer and the client achieve their goal, which is to sell the client’s product or service within the framework of a strong brand. Step 1 - Communication & Information Gathering Before starting a project, I like to determine exactly what the client needs and what he or she is trying to communicate, advertise, promote or sell, to what target audience and in what tone. Tone is the manner in which you approach your audience; it is the emotional or psychological aspect of your brand. Tone is constructed through the choice of fonts (serif or sans-serif, modern, traditional or nostalgic), colour (bright, dark, warm, cold or neutral), layout style (classic, bold, sleek or simple, high-contrast or low-contrast) as well as logo design and photography. The tone of your brand is formed through the combined use of these design elements with the goal of conveying a specific feeling and targeting a specific audience. A tone may be: Mature, serious, exclusive, polished, refined, professional, conservative,… Or on the other hand, a tone may be:· Youthful, friendly, comedic, festive, light, playful, carefree, inviting, down-to-earth, simple,… All depending on the audience you are trying to reach. Beyond determining tone, there are several questions that a designer will typically ask a client in order to gather all of the information that they need to begin to plan and develop a design:
Step 2 - Branding Branding extends far beyond your company’s logo. A brand is the essence of your business. What message are you trying to deliver to your potential clients? Getting this part of your image right is one of the most important things you can do for your business. It represents the values of your business and is part of every interaction you have with customers and business contacts. In effect, your brand creates and maintains your reputation and reflects your customers’ experience and perception of your company. Your brand is your company. Branding is developed through the consistent use of a font family, logo design, layout design and photography across multiple platforms (print, web, social media, merchandising and beyond). This consistency creates a familiarity that will help build a stylish image and identity for your company and make a lasting impression with your customers. Step 3 - Proposal & Quote Using the information collected in the meeting with the client, the designer will provide the client with a quote, which includes an outline of the project, its different components and the approximate number of hours that will be dedicated to the project until its completion. Dimensions and technical specifications for print, web, digital and social media marketing work will be included in the quote, as well. The quote will be presented to the client for approval before proceeding. Step 4 - Research, Development & Execution The next step in the graphic designer’s process involves using an exploratory approach to play with different design elements and map out the direction of the design. At this stage, to bolster creativity, I may brainstorm, create a “mood board” or a “mind map” to collect and generate ideas. I will source the design elements needed for the project through:
Step 5 - Concept Design Using the information and images I’ve assembled and the preliminary design comps, I will select and integrate my ideas into a few design concepts, offering the client a specific range of layout and format options that satisfy the needs for both form and function. I will also create:
Step 6 - Revisions & Refinement
Several more drafts will usually be created and presented until the final design begins to come to fruition. Communication between the designer and client is key during this step of the process to assure that the project is following a clear and precise direction. Step 7 - Completion Depending on the nature of the project, the final, high-resolution printer-ready files are delivered to the client (or the website and social media accounts are launched). A website must go through a thorough testing and editing process before it’s ready to go live. Keeping up with customers, not competitors, has become the greatest challenge to companies. The ultimate goal of a successful design project is to help an audience understand a message and, in turn, reap benefits for you, the client. Thoughtful design paired with an integrated branding and marketing approach across multiple platforms generates the consistency you need to connect with your customers effectively. Contact me for a free consultation on how I can help you design and build your brand.
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Rachel Hélène Amram, Art & Design
Having worked in layout and print design for over 20 years, I have a wealth of experience as a creative director and graphic designer. While working at design firms, publishing houses and wine agencies, I produced and managed projects, including magazine layouts, package design and promotional campaigns, specializing in digital marketing and social media. ArchivesCategories
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