Graphic designers are like genies– your wish turn out best when some forethought is given to the desired outcome.
If you come to me and wish for “a house,” I can certainly give you a house. Without more direction, however, I may build you a sprawling ranch house when you wanted a towering victorian mansion. I still granted your wish- the trick is asking correctly. That’s why it’s best to come into a project with a few things prepared.
Here are some things you can do ahead of time to make sure we end up with the design you’re dreaming of:
Jot down the dimensions you need, any information that needs to be included, and what the final design will be used for (T-shirts require a very different approach than posters!)
Already have a color palette and/or font? Note the hex codes (the # followed by 6 numbers or letters) and the name of the font, I’ll need those.
Give some thought to the style you’d prefer (illustrated vs pure text vs photo manipulation, etc.) and/or set aside a few examples of existing works whose style you like.
Do you already have a vague idea of what you want this to look like? Put it on paper, either in sketch or words- Any map is better than no map, and you’d be surprised what we can do with the barest of bones.
If the design is representing something narrative (book, game, podcast, etc), get together an excerpt or two that you feel does a good job representing the heart of the thing.
Do you like Pinterest? Make a mood board with vibes you want the design to convey, it’s one of the most helpful things you can do.
Are these required? No, but they’re certainly helpful and I’ll thank you for having them ready to go!
And remember, unlike genies, graphic designers want to make sure you’ve gotten what you desire when the process is all over. So help us help you, and happy hiring!