2009
Busting the myths: what Graphic Design ISN’T
For a bit of fun I’ve put together a list of things that Graphic Design Isn’t, based on my own experiences and those of others. I hope this will be helpful for designers and clients alike.
Design isn’t free
Asking a designer for a few concepts before committing to hire them is like asking a clothing boutique if you can take a garment home and wear it for a while before deciding if you’ll pay for it. No store would agree to it, and with good reason: there’s no guarantee you’d ever return to pay for the goods. A designer who provides design concepts without a signed contract is at risk of losing their ideas: the prospective client could easily take those concepts elsewhere. Always get a signed contract first, and better still get a down payment too.
Design isn’t copying
It’s reasonable (and often very helpful) when a client gives examples of designs they like and which have a similar feel to what they’re seeking for their design brief. It’s not reasonable when a client provides a design and asks for a designer to create exactly the same thing for them. Don’t ever be tempted to lift another designer’s work, whether you’ve been asked to or not.
Design isn’t random
Every time a prospective client approaches a designer, it’s because they have a problem which needs a solution. This statement underpins all professional design work. Working out the right design isn’t a matter of going with your favourite colour, or some fashionable patterns you found last week. It takes research into the client’s field, their target market and how the design is to be viewed. The right design may not necessarily be beautiful, but it does have to be effective at getting the message across.
Design isn’t IT
This one may not surface very often, but it has for me. A few years ago I worked on a design brief for a group of people who referred to me as the “IT person” throughout. I found them great to work with: very communicative and cooperative, except that my explanations that I was a graphic designer (with no IT training) went unheard. I’ve also occasionally encountered a client who, in the course of a meeting, asks me to help sort out the problems with their email program or their internet connection. Usually these requests come from someone who, again, doesn’t understand where the designer’s role starts and ends, only that you’re a person who is “good with computers”. It’s best to politely decline, and explain that your role doesn’t extend to technical support for their software or hardware.
Design isn’t web hosting
For that matter, design also isn’t printing, marketing, internet security, SEO, or other services which naturally follow on from design. Some designers do offer one or more of these as a supplementary service. However, for the most part, these services will be referred to a third party (e.g. a printing house, web hosting company or SEO firm) and no responsibility for these falls on the designer.
Design isn’t copywriting
Designers rely on their clients to provide any text required for the design brief. The text may be drafted by the client themselves or by a professional copywriter. Unless otherwise negotiated, the designer doesn’t provide copywriting or proofreading services. It may be prudent to include this in the contract or Terms of Service signed at the beginning of the design job.
Design isn’t a hobby
This isn’t to say that aspects of design may not be a hobby for some people. My point is that graphic design is a profession, with a skill set that requires training, and a good understanding of established techniques and rules. It deserves respect and should be treated accordingly.
Design isn’t neat software
Photoshop is a very popular piece of software. It’s also easy to pick up the basics through night classes, books or tutorials online. Having a grasp on some powerful graphics software (I mention Photoshop simply as an example) isn’t enough to qualify someone as a fully fledged designer, though. Professional designers make use of a range of graphics programs, and know which is/are appropriate for a given design job; they understand how to take a design concept and prepare it for publication (print or screen); and very often the major conceptual work for a design is carried out well away from a computer, using a pencil and sketchbook. These days graphic designers are trained in the use of software programs, but these are just one component in the many tools of the profession.
Design isn’t clip art
If you’re skimming this article, I’ll cut to the chase: don’t ever use clip art in a professional design. If you’re a client, don’t accept the use of clip art in a design.
Design uses a whole range of different materials from varying sources. In some cases, photography or illustrations may be commissioned specially for a design brief. In other instances, stock images may be used (I will be talking more about this in an upcoming post). Stock images are photographs or illustrations obtained from a stock library. There are many stock libraries to be found online, offering a broad range of licensing arrangements for their images. Clip art images may come bundled with software you already own, but in design terms they represent the lowest common denominator of image use. There are so many sources of images which are far superior, even for a low budget, that there’s no reason to use clip art. In particular, the use of clip art to create a logo is fraudulent; it’s certainly not original design work.
Design isn’t filling up all of the space
One of the fundamentals of good design is balance, and a key aspect of balance in design is working with negative space. This means leaving an empty space or spaces in the design, in order to emphasise other details elsewhere. Negative space is also important for making a design easier to read and take in. It’s visually powerful and utilised in graphic design everywhere you look: from packaging to magazines, billboards and television advertising.
If a client asks for all of the space to be filled up, ask them why. Sometimes it’s unavoidable (this is usually when there is a lot of content to be placed in a small space, like on a toothpaste tube). Otherwise, if it can be avoided it should be.
Design isn’t an afterthought
The value of good design cannot be understated. It can get a company noticed, make them stand out from the competition, provide professional credibility, or it can be one of the foundations of their brand identity. Good design is a legitimate investment in a company’s future. The best clients are the ones who understand the value that a well-researched and well-executed design brings them.
What else would you add to the list of Design Isn’ts?
Other posts you may find interesting:
74 Welcome Comments for
Newer Comments →Busting the myths: what Graphic Design ISN’T
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Jo says:
May 27 at 8:10 am
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inspirationbit says:
May 27 at 8:47 am
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Jake Bartholomew says:
May 27 at 9:00 am
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David Airey says:
May 27 at 9:31 am
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Joann Sondy says:
May 27 at 9:41 am
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Daniel says:
May 27 at 9:44 am
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wink says:
May 27 at 9:46 am
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divinefusion says:
May 27 at 9:48 am
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Tamixes says:
May 27 at 9:51 am
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Brian Yerkes says:
May 27 at 9:52 am
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Steve says:
May 27 at 11:13 am
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Deirdre ní Dhubhghaill says:
May 27 at 11:31 am
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Kyle Gallant says:
May 27 at 12:15 pm
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Andrew Houle says:
May 27 at 3:00 pm
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Greg Wallace says:
May 27 at 4:10 pm
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Manda Szewczyk says:
May 27 at 5:13 pm
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Tracey Grady says:
May 27 at 6:03 pm
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Japh says:
May 27 at 6:28 pm
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Nick Pettit says:
May 27 at 6:59 pm
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Mokokoma Mokhonoana says:
May 28 at 3:17 am
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Aaron Russell says:
May 28 at 4:12 am
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Tracey Grady says:
May 28 at 5:02 am
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Harrison says:
May 28 at 11:09 am
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Ovi Dogar says:
May 29 at 4:41 am
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brian says:
May 29 at 12:32 pm
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Bonnie Adamson says:
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@mimojito (aka Efren) says:
May 30 at 11:20 am
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Tracey Grady says:
June 1 at 6:18 pm
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Luiz Pryzant says:
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Anthony Hortin says:
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Michael Lajlev says:
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Donald says:
June 2 at 3:41 am
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Respiro says:
June 2 at 4:41 am
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Tracey Grady says:
June 2 at 5:17 am
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Jo√£o R. says:
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Jonathan Stevens says:
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rbc303 says:
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Newer Comments →Design isn’t just making things pretty, it’s making things work too!
Design isn’t something that can be done in a matter of minutes or few hours only…
Design isn’t something that your neighbours friend can do for free…
Thanks for putting this list, Tracey. I’ll be referring my clients to it.
What a great article I can’t agree with you more on all your points. Another point to maybe add to your list would be “Turn around time”.
I know in my situation I not only do in-house design for the company I work for, but I also get to work with the clients doing design work for them. And it never seems to fail that someone has a deadline to meet and are running behind and come to you with a project with only a day or two to get it done. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to tell clients and coworkers alike that design is not done fast or slow, but at the right speed for the given project.
Thanks again Tracey for a great article.
Love it, Tracey. Great idea, and well written.
Thank you, Tracey; nice article. Think I’ll print and reference when frustration emerges.
Design isn’t cleaning up after someone who has already tried to do it in PowerPoint and then got themselves in such a pigging mess that the only solution they can come up with is to plonk it onto “that guy in the corner who has a Mac for some reason”.
Spleen: vented.
Very cool article! We should hang this on the front door of our office… so every client that enters the building is on the same page ;)
Tracey, thank you for this post. I want to attach it to my contract, please?! lol And I will include @inspirationbit’s remarks too. : )
Great article! Another myth I’ve come across is the client who just wants a ‘simple’ design. There’s a big misconception that a clean and minimal design style is just ‘simple’ and therefore qualifies as a quick, easy and cheap project. They have no understanding that white space is actually designed (as per your 2nd last point).
Really enjoyed this post Tracey, unique topic and well written as David said…this was a fun post to see in my feedreader this morning, thanks Tracey
Yeah, I second that… I guarantee a few of my clients are going to be forced to read this.
Great job.
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Even when the Graphic Design is preceded by Typo (typographic design) it doesn’t mean the Graphic designer is a typist who’ll type up your CV or Thesis.
I think you captured the rest rather nicely. Thank You
I work in-house for a group of funeral homes, I’m printing this out and putting it up in our office.
This was very well written, and exactly what I needed to see this afternoon… and for that I thank you.
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Wow, fantastic perspective Tracey! I’ve definitely faced most, if not all of these issues. I always feel guilty adding so many disclaimers in my contracts, but if you don’t then before you know it you’ll be asked if you can network the client’s laptop and pc!
Tracey, great points made here. Thanks for posting.
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I absolutely love this article, and agree wholeheartedly with every point. I have experienced all of these myths at one time or another in my design career, and it felt really good to read through your points and know that I am not alone in my experiences. Thank you!
Jo:
That’s true not only for graphic design but all areas of design.
inspirationbit:
Both excellent points. I’m glad to hear you want to refer your clients to this post, it’s a great compliment.
Jake:
I really like your explanation to clients that design is not fast or slow but the right speed for a given project. Thanks for sharing it here.
David:
Thanks, and I really appreciate your tweeting about this too – it’s put this post in front of a much wider audience.
Joann:
It’s nice to think this can be of help for you during those most frustrating times :)
Daniel:
Hope you’re feeling much better after venting your spleen! ;)
You’ve made a very good point, and you sound like you’re writing from an in-house perspective. A freelancer would (and should) charge a fee that’s appropriate to the clean-up job or else advise that the work will have to start again from scratch. But an in-house designer probably has too much work on their plate already and no net benefit for taking on jobs like this too (correct me if I’m wrong).
wink:
I would love it if you did hang the article on the front door of your office!
divinefusion:
I’m glad you’re finding the post so useful!
Tamixes:
White space=cheap design: yes this is a big misconception. Well put. It’s an example of a prospective client seeing something they like personally (in this case because it looks like a quick turnaround) and thinking it will work for them too, when there are so many other considerations.
Love it! Right on the money!
I’m feeling a little inspired to write a companion post on my blog titled “what Web Development ISN’T”… would you mind? (The main thing being… Graphic Design!! ;))
EXCELLENT post. I especially like that you pointed out how designers are sometimes thrown into the IT category. This happens more than most would like to believe. :D
Design isn‚Äôt random: “Every time a prospective client approaches a designer, it‚Äôs because they have a problem which needs a solution”
Amen!
Great read Tracey. Love every word of it, and so true! Stumbled :)
Brian:
Thanks, your feedback and the tweet you sent promoting this post are much appreciated.
Steve:
Be gentle with your clients! ;)
Deirdre:
Ah, I missed out the all-important role that designers play as typists (ha!). How could I have overlooked that one?
Kyle:
I’m glad to have written a post which made your afternoon. It’s nice to get such positive feedback.
Andrew:
I know exactly what you mean about disclaimers in contracts; I find myself scanning mine from time to time, asking myself “does that really need to be there?”. The answer, of course, is yes.
Greg:
Glad you’ve enjoyed reading this!
Manda:
In many instances the misunderstanding is genuine, but disheartening when it happens time and time again. I hope you have a good bunch of clients who respect your work these days.
Japh:
Go right ahead! If you do write a companion post, let me know and I’ll link to it from here.
Nick:
One thing I’ve learned is that design talk can be just as baffling to non-designers as programming talk can be to non-programmers, so in that sense perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised when someone confuses a designer for an IT specialist. I still find it very amusing though.
Mokokoma:
So simple and so true.
Aaron:
Thanks for the Stumble (and the tweet too)!
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Design isn’t styling.
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Hey Tracey ,
Really nice article…
Keep up the great work!
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I enjoyed reading this post. I wish I could get some clients to read this as well.
It seems that even after explaining some of the things you are talking about here, that they still don’t get it.
I’ll be sure to pass this one on.
Design is not pushing buttons and expecting great things to happen.
Great post! Having started my career in the dark ages before computers, I’m particularly sensitive to “designers’ who know only how to plug in a template.
Amplifying your well-articulated point about clip art (thank you!): design isn’t illustration–many designers (myself included) are also illustrators, but design and illustration require two different skill sets. Original art for editorial layouts, for instance, should always be priced separately. And designers who do not illustrate should keep a list of freelance artists to whom they can subcontract.
Great article! One more thing of note: Design follows function. Always. Clients tend to forget that and try to jam as much info and graphics into as small a space as possible. It’s up to us to guide them and guide the design. Also we need to be impartial to criticism especially when it is an emotional response. Clients have a hard time distinguishing between how the page is laid out versus elements on the page. Images can be changed and colors swapped but guiding them through that path can be treacherous.
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Brian:
Design is definitely not easy, and neither is the on-going job of educating clients about what we do. If you do show this post to some of your clients I hope you get a good response.
Bonnie:
As a designer who also illustrates, I couldn’t agree more. I usually break down my design work into various “tasks” when quoting and invoicing, so it’s easy to charge separately for illustration. Do you find there’s confusion from clients between the two services? (design and illustration).
Efren:
Great points. Explaining the function to the client from the outset, and coming back to that explanation when necessary, is a good rule of thumb.
Design isn’t branding.
Even though an designer could understand branding like no other professional, branding need diferent approaches and tools, as well as a different service quotation.
You’re spot on with all that. What a great post Tracey. Good stuff!!
Looking forward to the post telling us, what design really is. Basic coaching learned me, that its too easy to spot mistakes. Try spot the positiv trends instead.
Although it may be transparent, design isn’t silent. The harmony of the shapes, spaces and colors must communicate with a given audience.
Design isn’t alone.
Definitely needed this post. Good show!
This article had to be written. Let the TRUTH make us free, in this case, too!
Luiz:
Designing for a brand identity is just one aspect of the broad work involved in creating a brand. Many designers specialise in brand identity; it would be interesting to see whether they experience confusion from clients as to how far the designer’s role goes.
Anthony, Respiro:
Great to hear how much you like the post!
Michael:
It might be easy to spot mistakes, but it’s also crucial that you do spot them and then address them, as I’m sure basic coaching has also taught you. This article aims to be helpful to designers and clients alike.
Donald:
Design isn’t silent: that’s a very elegant way of stating the importance of design as a communication tool. I’m really glad you shared it here.
Great article. Really great article.
Congratulations.
Design isn’t a detail. It works with details too, to create something really big.
You mentioned a few jobs that design gets mistaken for – but there are a lot more.
Design isn’t illustration, web design, flash design, flash animation, flash programming, animation of any sort actually, video post production, 3D realisation, photography, branding, copywriting, printing, hosting, IT support or voluntary slavery.
These skills are also cool to have, but clients should know this and graphic design graduates should also figure out what they want to be as soon as they can before they become a kind of jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none as i learned when I finished my course.
I love the “Design isn‚Äôt IT”!!
An analogy I use is Doctors. Would you ask a podiatrist to do brain surgery? They are both doctors with different specialties! Don’t ask me how to fix your email!!!
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Great post!
graphic design isn’t ad booking, and i don’t know how much an ad in the phone book costs!
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What a great post, one I’ll be referring too often! Thank you.