The Importance of Finding the Right Designer for Your Business
I see you, brand owners; Looking for the perfect print for your next collection.
You’re in a pinterest hole with 20 tabs open, you’ve decided on the trend direction and have been gathering imagery and colour palettes. But what now?
You need a print designer.
There are thousands of amazingly talented print designers and illustrators out there. We all have our unique styles and approaches to our craft. So, how to choose the right one?
It might sound obvious, but understanding your brand's style is key. Things to consider might be: where you are positioned in the market, who your target customer is, and the overall image that your brand conveys. Is it timeless, feminine and floral, or fun, artistic and adventurous?
This will help you in your search for the right designer. Most of us know our market, and we’ve spent years refining our practice to reflect this - it’s usually the first thing you notice on our website and social media.
Trust me - finding the right designer is priceless. Okay, not priceless, we do need to charge you; It’s worth it though, I promise.
Here’s why..
An experienced designer who ticks all of your visual boxes will not only be able to provide you with beautiful artwork, but they will also save you time and money.
Firstly, by being able to analyse the brief, ask the right questions and decide on the best motifs, style and mediums to use, the designer will develop prints with unique details and personality that reflect your brand voice and speak to your audience. The result is fewer revisions and, at the very worst, not having to start from scratch and pay another designer to do it again.
Secondly, choosing a designer who is industry trained and can deliver high resolution, print-ready files will save you a ton of hassle down the line. Understanding various printing processes, creating well-balanced repeats and even how to create tidy, manageable files goes a long way.
It’s common as a print designer to be commissioned to re-work designs that were bought for cheap elsewhere and bring them up to a good standard. And guess what? It ends up costing the client more to re-work the print than the original cost of the design in the first place.
‘If you buy cheap, you buy twice’ comes to mind.
Here’s a list of things to consider when looking for the right designer for your next project:
Look at their portfolio and social media - does their design style feel aligned to your brand and target market?
Do you need your design in seamless repeat? Is it an engineered print? Will your design be screen-printed or digitally printed? Find out if the designer has experience in creating print-ready, easy-to-edit designs.
Do they communicate their process clearly and professionally through their portfolio and emails? A reliable designer will have a clear set of deliverables and a realistic timeline to ensure both parties meet expectations.
Do they provide examples of past work with other brands that shows their experience, or that aligns with your market?
I know it can be tempting to compromise on quality and go for the cheaper option (we’ve all been there), but remember - you and your business deserve the best!
If you’re ready to invest in authentic, high-quality designs that truly align with your brand, then get in touch at studio@karinaduncan.co.uk for my prices and custom process.
Better yet, schedule an online call to talk 1-1 with me about your next project and how we can create the next sell-out prints for your brand.
Let’s create designs your customers will love for seasons to come!
