This is the third in a series of posts on what to expect when working with an artist. To see them all, check out this category.
The Design Proof
What is this proof thing? What are we proving here? Proof of… what? That the artist you hired actually worked on something this week – versus drinking coffee, smoking brown cigarettes, and planning revolutions?
A proof is simply a trial. It’s a test of the final art so it can be checked for errors. You may have seen one of these before if you’ve ever ordered business cards. It’s your chance to correct stuff like misspellings or grammar (“Hey. ‘Firepants’ is one word.”). You can also let the designer know that the background color isn’t right or your phone number is not 1-800-SPANK ME.
What you should do when you get a design proof
Take your time reviewing
There’s a tendency to open an email and look at the attachment before you even read the text. I know, you’re excited. That’s awesome.
After you do that (I’m not even gonna try and pretend you won’t), go back and take a few minutes to read the email. I almost always put notes in the email when I send a proof. It saves a lot of time and headaches for both me and my client. For example, I might make some bulleted notes like this:
- The hair is green instead of brown. I think this sets off the tentacles nicely but doesn’t clash with the razor claw.
- The background is white here, but I’ll send you a transparent version when we’re done.
- The wheels are slightly different from the sketch, I included spokes to add some flair.
See? Not earth-shattering stuff, but things a client might freak out wonder about if they didn’t know beforehand. This way when we talk about the proof, we’ve already got some direction.
Now that you’ve read the email, go back and look at the proof. Unless you’re under a really tight deadline, take a day with your design. You don’t have to buy it ice cream and pretend to like Lady Gaga, just give yourself at least 12 hours before you respond. Even if you love it.
Look for stuff that needs fixing
At this stage, you should have already seen a rough layout or sketch of the artwork. So if the rough sketch was a cowboy boot and the design proof is a baby bottle, this is your chance to speak up. It’s possible the artist just sent the wrong file. It happens.
Um… Reminder Pants here. Did you check the email first? Maybe there’s a reason it’s a baby bottle.
Most people have no problem speaking up about obvious things like “wrong graphic.” However, one thing I encounter quite often with clients is a hesitancy to point out stuff they just don’t like.
In a way, this is great. It means that I’m working with a human being who has some sensitivity and appreciates the work that went into their design.
On the other hand, it’s not helpful at all.
You may be worried about hurting your designer’s feelings. If you’re worried at all, then you are definitely not anywhere near the top of the “never-work-with-this-client-again list.” We’ve heard worse. Personally, I was in the military, so there really isn’t anything you could say that I haven’t heard before (you could try, but you would fall short. Trust me).
That said, while you’re asserting yourself there’s still room for being polite. “I hate the way you formatted that text” may not go over as well as “The formatting of the text isn’t working for me. Can we adjust it?” It’s just common sense and common courtesy. Remember that you wanted to work with a nice human, so being a nice human goes a long way toward getting what you want.
Also keep in mind that although you may not understand why something looks the way it does, there could be a good explanation. A pro designer should be able to explain the “why” to any aspect of their design anyway. While it’s a good idea to point out the errors, remember that it’s an opportunity for a conversation. Think “discussion points” rather than “head ripping.”
Stuff that won’t help your budget (or win you karma points)
“Oops, I forgot to tell you.”
“Now that I see the final art, it gave me an idea for something completely different.”
“My boss says he doesn’t like that green. And he hates dogs.”
I’ve heard all of these (uhhh, you have a boss? And he has to approve this stuff?). Hey, I wouldn’t be in this business if I wasn’t prepared to deal with real, live people. But lucky you, you’re getting the inside scoop. I’m not going to pretend those things don’t create stress. Designers hate this kind of stuff. And we talk about it to each other all the time over alcoholic beverages and starchy foods.
Sure, we can charge you extra because you forgot. But it’s not always about the money.
A professional artist will research subjects, look at reference photos, and even dream about just the right configuration of zebra stripes for your thing. After all that time, if your boss’s 2-year old daughter wants leopard spots, it means all that creative energy was wasted.
That sounds kinda complainey, right? Maybe so. We’ll suck it up. But you’ll likely pay more than you budgeted for.
Moral of the story: If you’re going to change direction, do it in the conceptual phase.
I’ll have another round
Even if you only have a few reasonable changes (and we could kiss you for that), you should get another set of proofs. Review, rinse, repeat. If things are going well, it shouldn’t be long before…
I approve! Now what?
Well, that’s it. You’ll give a verbal or written sign-off (depends on the designer) and your final artwork will be prepared. If you’re getting a web site designed, hopefully you’ll soon type in your URL and see magic. If you’re getting a piece of artwork, you might expect some digital files in the mail or in an online folder (I prefer delivering files online. Save a… uhhh… what do we save when we don’t burn a DVD?).
If you had a great experience and you love the work, paying the invoice is awesome (not to mention expected). Also consider spreading the word about this fantastic person you just worked with. People love to get referred to someone you trust. It sure beats trolling the interwebs for an anonymous designer.
It works both ways. If the designer feels good about the results and loved working with you, they’ll probably shout about your thing so they can show it off. Think about that. A free, built-in promotion machine. Nice.
Before You Hire a Designer
I hope you enjoyed this series and learned what to expect when you work with a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, or Web Designer. I also created a resource for you to help you prepare for this whole design journey. It’s a short PDF that you can reference over and over again, and it’s totally free.
If it helps you or you think it will help a friend, please share it. You can get it right here.
