Graphic-licious

Relationship Client-Designer

What I call the relationship Client-Designer, is the connection between the person who is requesting, and the person who is offering the work. Both are important, but if one of them is not appealing the other one, the relationship does not work correctly. The client should know about the designer they're requesting from: their style, their examples, their payments, their rules, etc. The designer should know about the request: the mood, the complexity, the color palette they want, etc. 

For this connection to work though, whether you are a designer or a client, you might want to know these two simple tips:

1. Being nice and respectful is the best way of communicating. Doesn't matter how bad is what you're going to say, the manners will always lift the mood. It permits a more clear and appealing conversation, and that benefits both. 

2. Have patience. Patience allows the designer to feel less pressured, thus, having more time to do a good cover. For the client, it allows them to feel comfortable requesting.

If you're a client . . .

1. Follow the rules. Following the rules means you took the time to read and inspect our thread. Since you took the time to check out our covers, examples and thread; we will take time to make your cover the best we can.

2. Don't pressure us. We need time to make your cover. Please don't pressure us into making your request under a certain amount of time that's not possible for us. We do have lives, and we are busy, too. 

3. Say things nicely and respectfully. If you don't like how your cover turned out, feel free to say so! You are the client, and our job is to make you happy with our artwork. We like and appreciate honesty, as long as it is said nicely. If you don't like the cover, we will most likely change whatever you don't like and more. 

4. Be honest. We appreciate honesty. If you already requested elsewhere for the same graphic, it's better for you to tell us than finding out through someone else that you did. If you aren't happy with the cover, just tell us! We want your feedback, and even if you won't use the cover, it's still practice for us. Don't be shy!

5. Ask us anything nicely. We really don't mind. In fact, we love being asked questions about design. It makes us feel like you're interested, and that produces a comfortable relationship. 

 6. Know what you want. Please decide. Telling us that it's up to us, and to do whatever we want will just end up in a crappy cover! We can't do the cover and use your ideas if you can't tell us properly what you want. If you don't know how to describe what you want: use pictures, examples and such, but don't expect our work to look exactly the same. 

 If you're a designer. . .

1. Express yourself correctly. State clearly your rules and requirements. This will avoid confusion with clients and other designers even.

2. Focus. Focus on what you client wants. The graphic is not for you mainly, it's for the client. Keep a balance between your client's ideas and your own.

3. Be attentive. Your clients want to know you're available and nice, and that you won't bite their heads off. Being nice and asking whatever you're not sure of is completely okay.

4. You're not always the authority. You're the one who offers, but the client is the one who requests it. Without clients, you have nothing to offer, therefore always remember that the client also has an opinion and they have the right to complain or state something if they need to.

5. Do your best. Offering the best of you ends in the better results and better requests.