I Can Photoshop
- Design Services, Graphic Design
- 15th December 2020
The meme above popped up on my facebook memory timeline earlier and was something I shared quite a few years ago. At the time it summed up my frustrations with the graphics industry and still does to some degree today. Anyone with a PC and a downloaded copy of Adobe Photoshop can claim they are a ‘designer’ but are they really? Below I try and break down why it is best not to save a few pound and hire them but instead go for someone who has real tech knowledge in the field.
Image editing software is available everywhere. All you need to do is Google an image, drop it in and add some text and boom, you have a flyer or poster. But in the hands of an amateur, you can tell. This will cheapen the look of your business or make your event look cheap.
A good designer will take the time to research your brand and get to know your style. Make sure imagery and fonts match your existing materials and create something that will make you stand out from the crowd. There is no price for quality promotional materials.
But they are cheaper than you?
Yes they are. They can be. They have no tech knowledge that comes with years of earning your designer stripes.
Do they know about spot colours?
Pantone books?
Printing knowledge?
Print ready files?
In the past, I have been sent files from clients that have got a friend to ‘knock something up’ for them and I have binned the files and started from scratch. Mis-mash of fonts, rainbow of colours and images stolen from Google was just the start. The files were not to size, no bleed and not even print resolution.
The old saying ‘Buy cheap, buy twice’ springs to mind. You are better to invest in a good designer. A good designer will be able to create high quality artwork that will be of a high quality.
After all, it is your business you are promoting, so why settle for an inferior service?
But why use you?
Simple, do you want the public image of your business to be one that looks like you take no pride in it or one that really makes you stand out from a competitors?
It is worth investing in finding a designer that gets to know you and your brand. I have clients that come back every month and won’t use anyone else because ‘I get their ideas’ and ‘produces work that looks amazing and is them’.
If someone starts sending you PSD files for anything other than a tweaked photograph, run for the hills and get in touch with a designer that has a solid portfolio and years of experience. Research them on Linked In, Instagram and other social platforms. Most of us have a presence on one or more.
Remember, research is king! We do it and so should you when looking for a designer to work alongside you.
