Freelance Design Tips
When it comes to Freelance Design, we've been there, done that, now serving 290 tips in 16 categories ranging from Art & Creative Directors to Working with Freelancers.
Know Your Users
Artisan Talent Tip: When you work on Web design jobs, you are working to please not only your client, but the users of your client's site. It's helpful to know as much as you can about that audience as you begin designing a site for them. For example, who is the target market and what kind of demographic information is available about them? (For instance, a site appealing to men in their 50s will have a different look from one appealing to women in their 20s.)
Production Artists: Skills Needed
When you're looking for freelance artist jobs it can be difficult to know whether you should specialize in web or print. Production artists are needed in both venues, and the skills needed often overlap. Knowing how to operate certain programs can help you be more marketable, whether you choose to do freelance work or look for employment at a corporation. To be competitive with others in the field, it helps to have a working knowledge of the following:
- Computer programs. Examples of some of the programs that production artists should be able to use include: Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, HTML and Illustrator.
- Computer graphics and animation.
- Logo design.
- Branding.
- Color theories.
- Typography.
Finding Web Design Jobs
Artisan Talent Tip: If you're serious about a freelance Web design career, you want clients who are serious about their Web sites. Many of the prospective clients out there are people who want the cheapest possible product, and don't have a good understanding of how much a quality designer can help their sites.
Representing Yourself as a Freelancer
If you work for yourself, chances are you already know that freelance design jobs can be challenging to find. Having some tools to help raise your visibility can be very helpful. Business cards are an important thing to have, and if you're a designer, you'll want to make sure that they look sharp. People will be evaluating your skills as they look at the card, so take the time to make them shine.
The same thing applies to your web presence. Whether you have a full website or just a blog, make sure that it's visually pleasing and represents your style and abilities. If you opt for an online portfolio, display only your very best work.
One tool that designers often overlook is their biography. If you aren't a writer, you may want to hire one to make sure that it reads well. Be sure to include a bit about your design philosophy and background. Some people limit the biography to schooling and job history, but that doesn't tell a potential client much about who you are as a designer.
Mockups and Prototypes
Artisan Talent Tip: At the mockup stage, it's easy to add features, switch elements, and even redo the whole look of the product. These changes get a lot more difficult when you're working with the real product. A team of Chicago designers might use a standard contract that includes at least one round of alterations at the mockup stage, to emphasize to the client that now is the time to change one's mind.
Career Re-Entry
Going back to work after a break can be a difficult thing. If you have taken time off to do something like raise children or care for a parent, it can be hard to know how to get back into the workforce. This is especially true if it has been a while since you held a full-time job. If you are looking for freelance positions at a corporation, you may want to sign on with a talent agency.
Talent agencies can help match you with a job that you are qualified for, but that isn't all they are good for. If your resume needs a little help or you aren't quite sure what to say during an interview, the people who work at the agency can help you prepare for these things. Ultimately, a career agent can help you feel more ready to get back to work after some time off. It's nice to have someone who is invested in finding you a new job—besides yourself!
Getting Paid for Graphic Design Work
Artisan Talent Tip: To protect themselves and get proper compensation for their work and skills, many designers recommend a series of milestones and payments. For instance, a partnership of New York designers might bill 30% of the final fee on completion of the prototype, 30% on completion of the first draft, and 40% after two rounds of changes. Only after the invoices are paid are the final files provided to the client.
Copy Editing as a Freelancer
If you're thinking about becoming a freelance copy editor, be prepared for what clients will expect from you. Many corporate copy editor jobs have fairly clear roles, but as a freelancer, these lines tend to blur a bit. Copy editors can be called on to do a wide variety of things, and if you're working for yourself, it can be a bit challenging.
The typical duties of a copy editor involve things such as reviewing text for any errors in grammar, sentence structure, and tone. In some cases, the copy editor also serves as a "fact checker," verifying information or checking source material. As a freelancer, you may also be asked to format copy and do some layout work, which are responsibilities that you may not have had working at a corporation.
You can solve this dilemma in two ways. The first is to work with another person who has these skills. The other way is to take a class or find online training materials. That way, if you have a client with high expectations, you'll be able to take on the project with confidence.
Elements of a Freelance Design Contract
Artisan Talent Tip: A good contract protects the freelance graphic artist by setting out the work to be done, the schedule of work to be delivered, and the schedule of payments to be made. A graphic designer should have a standard contract available for clients to sign, and should not do any work without a signed contract. You should also include a clause reserving the right to display a copy of the completed work as part of your portfolio.
Corporate Identity
Artisan Talent Tip: Larger organizations seek graphic designers to develop visual styles that will permeate every aspect of the company's work. Freelance graphic designers seeking New York design jobs, or jobs in other sophisticated markets, may be asked to demonstrate proficiency with corporate identity work.
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