VDIS10022 Advanced Graphics Studio - Lecture 2 - Studio Roles
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The document outlines various roles in graphic design studios, including positions such as creative director, art director, graphic designer, and multimedia developer, along with their responsibilities and skills. It also discusses the importance of diverse thinking styles in digital agencies and the differentiation between task and nurturing roles within teams. Additionally, the document emphasizes the significance of collaboration and effective communication for achieving team success in creative environments.
VDIS10022 Advanced Graphics Studio - Lecture 2 - Studio Roles
- 1. VDIS10022 ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO Lecturer: Rachel Hawkins LECTURE 2: STUDIO ROLES VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE
- 2. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 2 Design Studio Roles Wikipedia - Graphic design occupations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_design_occupations GRAPHIC ART MANAGERS The following are positions or responsibilities and usually titles, held by experienced graphic designers in Studio management roles: CREATIVE DIRECTOR A Creative Directors range of experience can be broad and encompass a number of disciplines; visual design; copy-writing, art direction, advertising account director, film/video director. A Creative Directors job is to initiate the creative concept of a project and drive the direction of the project. The role of a Creative Director is to formulate creative concepts, whether it is an advertising campaign, brand identity, TV commercial, marketing campaign. A Creative Director was often referred to the ‘Ideas Guy’ and works with a team of ‘creatives’ - art director, graphic designer, copywriter, film director to produce the concept and final production. ART DIRECTOR Art directors make sure that illustrators and production artists produce and complete their work on time and to the creative director or client’s satisfaction. Art directors also play a major role in the development of a project by making decisions on the visual elements of the project, and by giving the final say on the selection of models, art, props, colors, and other elements. Art directors need advanced training in graphic design as they often do artwork and designing themselves. However, an art director’s time may be consumed doing supervisory and administrative work. ART PRODUCTION MANAGER Art production managers or traffic managers oversee the production aspect of art to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness. Art production managers supervise artists or advise the supervisors of artists. Creative directors and art directors often assume the role of art production managers, especially when production cost is not a critical enough concern to designate a manager for the specific role. HANDS-ON GRAPHIC DESIGNERS The following are positions or responsibilities, held by graphic designers in the Studio. A graphic designer is often expected to be able to fulfill multiple of these responsibilities: BRAND IDENTITY DEVELOPER Brand identity design is concerned with the visual aspects of a company or organization’s brand or identity. A brand identity design is the visual element that represents how a company wants to be seen; it is the company’s visual identity, and is how a company illustrates its ‘image.’ A company’s brand identity can be represented in terms of design through a unique logo, or signage, and is then often integrated throughout all the elements of a company’s materials such as business cards, stationery, packaging, media advertising, promotions, and more. Brand identity may include logo design. Brand identity development is usually a collaborative effort between creative directors, art directors, copywriters, account managers and the client.
- 3. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 3 BROADCAST DESIGNERS A broadcast designer is a person involved with creating graphic designs and electronic media incorporated in television productions that are used by character generator (CG) operators. A broadcast designer may have a degree in digital media (or a similar degree), or is self-taught in the software needed to create such content. LOGO DESIGNER The job of a logo designer is to provide a new and innovative way to express the key points of a company through an image. Logo designers take the information given to them by the client and work, using their own creativity along with marketing strategy to find an appropriate image that their client can use to represent what they are trying to encourage, sell, or what they are. It is not likely that a company will specialize in logo design or have a position for a designated logo designer. Art directors and graphic designers usually perform logo designs. ILLUSTRATOR Illustrators conceptualize and create illustrations that represent an idea or a story through two-dimensional or three-dimensional images. Illustrators may do drawings for printed materials such as books, magazines, and other publications, or for commercial products such as textiles, packaging, wrapping paper, greeting cards, calendars, stationery, and more. Illustrators use many different media, from pencil and paint to digital formatting, to prepare and create their illustrations. An illustrator consults with clients in order to determine what illustrations will best meet the story they are trying to tell, or what message they are trying to communicate. Illustrating may be a secondary skill requirement of graphic design or a specialty skill of a freelance artist, usually known for a unique style of illustrating. Illustration may be published separately as in fine art. However, illustrations are usually inserted into page layouts for communication design in the context of graphic design professions. VISUAL IMAGE DEVELOPER Similar to illustration are other methods of developing images such as photography, 3D modeling, and image editing. Creative professionals in these positions are not usually called illustrators, but are utilized the same way. Photographers are likely to freelance. 3D modelers are likely to be employed for long-term projects. Image editing is usually a secondary skill to either of the above, but may also be a specialty to aid web development, software development, or multimedia development in a job title known as multimedia specialist. Although these skills may require technical knowledge, graphic design skills may be applied as well. MULTIMEDIA DEVELOPER Multimedia developers may come from a graphic design or illustration background and apply those talents to motion, sound, or interactivity. Motion designers are graphic designers for motion. Animators are illustrators for motion. Videographers are photographers for motion. Multimedia developers may also image edit, sound edit, program, or compose multimedia just as multimedia specialists. CONTENT DEVELOPER Content developer is a generic term used for describing illustrators, visual image developers, and multimedia developers in software and web development. The term has a broader scope that includes non-graphical content as well. A generic name for content that is used in a digital composition are digital assets. VISUAL JOURNALIST Visual Journalists, also known as Info-graphic Artists create information graphics or Info-graphics; visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics are used anywhere where information needs to be explained quickly or simply, such as in signs, maps, journalism, technical writing, and education. They are also used extensively as tools by computer scientists, mathematicians, and statisticians to ease the process of developing and communicating conceptual information. They are applied in all aspects of scientific visualization. LAYOUT ARTIST A layout artist deals with the structure and layout of images
- 4. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 4 and text in a pleasing format. This can include magazine work, brochures, flyers, books, CD booklets, posters, and similar formats. For magazines and similar productions, color, typeface, text formatting, graphic layout and more must be considered. Is the chosen typeface good for long term reading, or will the eyes get tired? Does that title typeface fit the feel of the rest of the article? Are the photos arranged in such a way that is pleasing to the eye, and directs the reader in the right flow or direction? These are just some of the questions that layout artists must ask themselves. Page layouts are usually done by art directors, graphic designers, production artists or a combination of those positions. Entry level layout work is often known as paste up art. Entry level layout graphic designers are often known as production artists. In an in-house art department, layout artists are sometimes known as DTP artists or DTP associates. INTERFACE DESIGNER Interface designers are graphical user interface (GUI) layout artists. They are employed by multimedia, software, and web development companies. Because graphical control elements are interactive, interface design often overlaps interaction design. Because interfaces are not usually composed as single computer files, interface design may require technical understanding, including graphical integration with code. Because interfaces may require hundreds of assets, knowledge of how to automate graphic production may be required. An interface designer may hold the job title of web designer in a web development company. WEB DESIGNER A web designer’s work could be viewed by thousands of people every day. Web designers create the pages, layout, and graphics for web pages, and play a key role in the development of a website. Web designers have the task of creating the look and feel of a website by choosing the style, and by designing attractive graphics, images, and other visual elements, and adapting them for the website’s pages. Web designers also design and develop the navigation tools of a site. Web designers may make decisions regarding what content is included on a web page, where things are placed, and how the aesthetic and continuity is maintained from one screen to the next. All of this involves skill and training in computer graphics, graphic design, and in the latest in computer and web technology. Depending on the scope of the project, web design may involve collaboration between software engineers and graphic designers. The graphic design of a website may be as simple as a page layout sketch or handling just the graphics in an HTML editor, while the advance coding is done separately by programmers. In other cases, graphic designers may be challenged to become both graphic designer and programmer in the process of web design in positions often known as web masters. PACKAGE DESIGNER A package designer or packaging technician may utilize technical skills aside from graphic design. Knowledge of cuts, crease, folding, nature and behavior of the packaging material such as paper, corrugated sheet, synthetic or other type of materials may also be required. A customer may see the top/outside of a package at first, but may also be drawn to other package design features. A packaging design may require 3D layout skills in addition to visual communication to consider how well a design works at multiple angles. CAD software applications specifically for packaging design may be utilized.
- 5. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 5 10 Types of Thinking You’ll Find in a Digital Agency AUTHOR: Brian Chiger April 29th, 2010 http://anidea.com/etc/ten-types-of-thinking-youll- find-in-a-digital-agency/ What do your ideas look like? The next time you have an idea, grab a piece of paper and sketch it out. Now take a look. How did you translate it from your brain to the page? Did you write a paragraph? Draw a picture? Make a diagram? Now ask a coworker to sketch the same idea – chances are, their page will look very different from yours. There are many different kinds of thinkers. More often than not, we wind up working with people who understand the world in vastly different ways from ourselves. It’s what we mean when we say, “great ideas can come from anywhere.” Sometimes, what’s obvious in one mode of thinking is remarkably complex in another. By putting different kinds of thinkers on a problem, we can compose a greater range of creative solutions. I’ve compiled a list of the ten most prevalent types of thinking you’re likely to encounter in a digital agency. I don’t mean to say that every individual falls into one category or another. Most people can think across several modes, depending on the situation, but everyone tends to have a few styles they’re most comfortable in… no one is equally adept at them all. Great agencies build diverse teams that can approach a problem from several angles. It’s good to take note of the different kinds of thinkers around you. Pay attention to how your coworkers diagram their thoughts and keep it in mind when assigning tasks to teams of individuals. Instead of pushing like-minded individuals together (i.e. a brainstorm of programmers) try deliberately forming differently minded teams. Interesting things happen when you pair two or three very different types of minds together. Sometimes, all greatness needs is a little perspective. Without further ado, the ten types of thinking you’re likely to encounter at a digital agency. 1. Storytellers Storytellers like to think in narratives. Ideas are usually linear and have distinct beginnings, middles and ends. Most traditional creative copywriters tend to think this way, excellent for narrative media like TV but can be a bit of a struggle in less narrative-based digital media. 2. Visually Minded Visual thinkers are adept at conveying a larger idea through carefully chosen visuals. It’s no surprise they make great art directors and designers. 3. System Oriented System thinkers fuss over the relationships between things. Instead of developing a big narrative, they try to map out and understand how all the moving parts fit together. They love flowcharts and diagrams. This type of thinking is readily apparent in the platform strategies of digital brands like Apple, Adobe and Google. The true value of each company is predicated not just on their individual products, but how all their products work together seamlessly. Planning and understanding that connection is where system thinker’s shine.
- 6. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 6 10 Types of Thinking You’ll Find in a Digital Agency 4. Associative Associative thinkers look at the patterns between things. They have a tendency to express themselves through metaphor and proxy. They often lay out ideas in a chaotic fashion and are extremely prone to digressions. 5. Logical Logical thinkers break problems down into a series of choices. They focus heavily on the structure of decision-making, often establishing rubrics, filters and other tools that can not only institutionalize knowledge, but be used to teach computers how to automate tasks. Not only are they great programmers, but they also make some mean spreadsheets. 6. Organisers Have you ever met someone who had a knack for simplifying complex lists into simple categories? They probably fall here. Organizers are excellent and grouping and bucketing ideas, personnel, files… you name it. They have a habit of breaking things down by function, which makes them excellent programmers, but also excellent project and account managers as well. They tend to have the most amazing file cabinets and binders, which make me unspeakably jealous. 7. Architects This mode of thinking is very similar to that of the organizers, but instead of grouping by function, they arrange in terms of hierarchy. Traditionally, this is called Information Architecture and produces the kind of tree layout shown above. 8. Intuitives Like a sculptor, intuitives often start with a rough idea of what they’re trying to create. As they gradually mould their creation, it begins to take form, often in unexpected (and wonderful) ways. They know they’re done when it “feels right.” They are known to cause panic attacks in more structured thinkers who prefer to have a concrete sense of where they’re going. 9. Leaders Leaders are goal-oriented individuals. They lay out the objectives and the timeline and lead the troops into the breach. They may not have charted a course, but they have a clear-eyed understanding of where the team is now and where it needs to go. In films, montage-time helps bridge the gap between the inspirational speech and ultimate success. In the real world, they rely on the dedication of their team to get to the finish. 10. Visionaries Similar to leaders, but far less grounded, visionaries imagine how things could be without regard for feasibility. Often, their ideas inspire more grounded thinkers to take bold, innovative steps.
- 7. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 7 Differentiating Roles People Assume in Groups Groups are social systems that evolve informally through commonalities or formally through organizational goals. Groups may accomplish a number of different types of tasks. When the group’s performance is dependent on the sum of the individuals’ performance, the group can become a team. Successful teams exhibit open communication, clear mutual goals and member responsibilities, acceptance of diversity, ability to handle conflict constructively, trust, and commitment. To facilitate team development, its members assume a combination of task (functional) and/or nurturing (socio-emotional) roles. Task roles keep the group focused on the purpose of the group, while nurturing roles assist the growth and maintenance of the group. Note that all participants in a group or team meeting/activity have roles in its success; it is not the responsibility of the leader only. Task, nurturing, and dysfunctional roles as described by Bales (1958) are summarized below: TASK ROLES Initiator-contributor Redefines problems and offers solutions, clarifies objectives, suggests agenda items, and maintains time limits. Information seeker Pursues descriptive bases for the group’s work Information giver Expands information given by sharing experiences and making inferences Opinion seeker Explores viewpoints that clarify or reflect the values of other members’ suggestions Opinion giver Conveys to group what their pertinent values should be Elaborator Predicts outcomes, provides illustrations, or expands suggestions, clarifying how they could work Coordinator Links ideas or suggestions offered by others Orienter Summarizes the group’s discussions and actions Evaluator-critic Appraises the quality and quantity of the group’s accomplishments against set standards Energizer Motivates the group to qualitatively and quantitatively accomplish its goals Procedural technician Supports group activity by arranging the environment (e.g., scheduling meeting room) and providing necessary tools (e.g., ordering audiovisual equipment) Recorder Documents the group’s actions and achievements NURTURING ROLES Encourager Compliments members for their opinions and contributions to the group Harmonizer Relieves tension and conflict Compromiser Deemphasizes own position to maintain group harmony Gatekeeper Encourages all group members to communicate and participate Group observer Takes notes of group process and dynamics and informs group of them Follower Passively attends meetings, listens to discussion, and accepts group’s decisions DYSFUNCTIONAL ROLES Aggressor Attacks and criticizes others in an attempt to meet own needs Blocker Inhibits group progress by being resistant, negative, or disagreeable Dominator Attempts to usurp leadership of the group Help seeker Solicits sympathy from the group through expressions of insecurity, confusion, and ineptness Monopolizer Dominates the conversation, prohibiting others from speaking Playboy/ playgirl Belittles seriousness of group work and is nonchalant; plays around, jokes, makes irrelevant and silly comments Recognition seeker Draws attention to self through boasts and acting-out behaviors Self-confessor Uses group for expression of personal feeling Special-interest pleader Presents and supports issues relevant to a particular group Zipper-mouth Does not accept or participate in group process; may sulk http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_sullivan_effective_6/21/5491/1405868.cw/content/index.html
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- 9. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 9 The 6 Types of Thinkers to Seek for Your Team Katya Andresen | Oct 20 2013 CEO at Cricket Media/ePals https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ article/20131020181102-6200057-6-types-of-thinkers- to-seek-for-your-team For me, one of the worst feelings to have at the office is cerebral loneliness. I need the companionship of strong thinkers to spark my own mind. Brilliant ideas are rarely born in isolation, and successful projects stem from a strong, collective team. In other words, to do great work, you must surround yourself with great people. It’s an interesting exercise to define what this means for the type of thinkers you want on your team. I find that my best work comes from interaction with people who think differently than I do - and differently from each other. A diversity of mental profiles yields the richest results. Here are six types I always seek. (Sometimes one person can bridge several different modes of this thinking, so six types doesn’t always mean six people.) What would you add? 1. THE DREAMER: This person never ceases imagining what’s not, what’s next and what’s possible. They think big and hopefully, stretching the bounds of what is considered achievable. They never stop asking, “what if?’ and supply your team with an electric and optimistic creative energy. 2. THE DEBATER: Debaters question your assumptions, call out your leap of faith logic and point out the flaws in the plan. They see problems long before others, and they keep everyone grounded and prepared. Their questioning nature forces you to strengthen the rigor of your arguments. 3. THE DISRUPTOR: The disruptor challenges the status quo and breaks others out of their mental ruts and insular perspective by bringing fresh and far-ranging perspective. My favorite disruptors are intellectually curious, lateral thinkers who are first to spot latent competitors and untapped opportunities in the market. 4. THE DRIVER: Drivers are natural leaders, bringing a crusading, concentrated vision to all work and supplying forward momentum when everyone else is losing steam or motivation. They are positively relentless in pursuing an idea, galvanizing political support for it and keeping it on track. They can be fantastic advocates for the customer, keeping the team focused on the problem you’re here to solve. 5. THE DETAILER: This type digs into every facet of a project. Detailers focus on practicalities and save everyone else from silly mistakes and fatal design flaws because they think through all the angles and implications. They identify what’s missing in even the best-laid plans and can diagnose the precise point when something could break or be improved. 6. THE DOER: The doer is the wonderfully resourceful team member who gets stuff done, no matter what. Doers roll up their sleeves and find the solution. They are great colleagues to those who devise the grand strategy because they get it delivered on time, all the time.
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- 11. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 11 The Harvard Business Review published a really fascinating article by Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO on Design Thinking. Brown describes the personality of a Design Thinker, and it is a very coherent joining of creativity and emotional intelligence. Here are Brown’s characteristics to look for: A Design Thinkers Personality Profile. Empathy. They can imagine the world from multiple perspectives— those of colleagues, clients, end users, and customers (current and prospective). By taking a “people first” approach, design thinkers can imagine solutions that are inherently desirable and meet explicit or latent needs. Great design thinkers observe the world in minute detail. They notice things that others do not and use their insights to inspire innovation. Integrative thinking. They not only rely on analytical processes (those that produce either/or choices) but also exhibit the ability to see all of the salient—and sometimes contradictory— aspects of a confounding problem and create novel solutions that go beyond and dramatically improve on existing alternatives. Optimism. They assume that no matter how challenging the constraints of a given problem, at least one potential solution is better than the existing alternatives. Experimentalism. Significant innovations don’t come from incremental tweaks. Design thinkers pose questions and explore constraints in creative ways that proceed in entirely new directions. Collaboration. The increasing complexity of products, services, and experiences has replaced the myth of the lone creative genius with the reality of the enthusiastic interdisciplinary collaborator. The best design thinkers don’t simply work alongside other disciplines; many of them have significant experience in more than one. At IDEO we employ people who are engineers and marketers, anthropologists and industrial designers, architects and psychologists. Read the full article: PDF located in the Resources Tab.
- 12. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 12 When you can’t do it all! Commission a copywriter, proof reader photographer, illustrator, web developer etc. Many clients expect miracles from their Graphic Designers. They expect you to be able to give them the ‘world’. Often clients may expect you to also be a copywriter, proofreader, photographer, illustrator and/or web developer as well as performing all you other brilliant graphic design focused tasks. Well, if the scope of the job extends beyond the scope of your expertise, it’s OK to suggest the use of a specialist copywriter, proofreader, photographer, illustrator and/ or web developer. It is common for freelance graphic designers and design studios to outsource certain work to other industry specialists. The following pages outlines some of the related issues with commissioning work and the related Copyright rules and some tips to make the process and experience go smoothly. WHERE TO START? Are you looking for realistic figures or cartoons? Are you looking for children’s book illustrations. Maybe you need a product range photographed or a model draped in new fashion goods. Do you need a 50 page booklet proofread or the copy for a website written based on the 50 page booklet? Think about what your project requires specifically and the style you are after. DO YOU HAVE A BUDGET? Always set you project before sourcing quotes and be clear with your contractor what you are after. COPYRIGHT. Copyright always remains with the original creator of the work, as does ownership of the original finished artwork(s). If you or your client wish to own the copyright, make sure you tell the contractor before any work commences to best handle the negotiations. WHERE TO SOURCE YOUR CREATIVE SPECIALIST? Sourcing a copywriter, proofreader, photographer, illustrator and/or web developer can be daunting. How do you know you are going to get a finished product you are happy with in the time-frame you need it. There are several Illustrator and Creative agencies that facilitate the commissioning of artwork. There are also online agencies that host portfolios for the creative talent for you to choose from. Another less structured option is Crowd Sourcing. Crowd-sourcing creative work is an open call to the crowd for novel and useful solutions. Crowd-sourcing may be appropriate when experts are in scarce supply, multiple diverse ideas and/or contextual insights are needed or there is a tight budget. How crowd-sourcing works; 1.You post a brief describing your project, and translate your vision into a short guideline for designers. 2. Creatives around the world send you their design ideas. Enjoy browsing the many creative solutions sent right to your email inbox. 3. Select your favourite solutions and give feedback to revise the design. It is low risk, with lots of choice. 4. Choose the best outcome, pay and download the files.
- 13. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 13 Want to commission an Illustrator? From Illustrators Australia http://www.illustratorsaustralia.com/tips_for_commissioning_an_illustrator Illustrators Australia encourages clients and members alike to follow a broad set of guidelines when commencing a new project using illustration. These guidelines intend to produce a mutually beneficial outcome for both parties, and ensure that everyone has a basic understanding of Standard Industry Practice. For example, a lot of clients new to the industry do not realise that commissioning an illustration does not automatically mean they own the artwork, and that the illustration cannot be used for any other purpose other than what was agreed upon with the illustrator. Copyright / ownership always remains with the illustrator unless you have specific permission from the illustrator in writing (such as a contract) for buying the copyright in full and have provided agreed payment for such. Most illustrators would be reluctant to sign over their full copyright, but may offer licensing instead. For first time authors seeking to approach a publisher, please note that it is NOT a requirement for you to find an illustrator, or commission one, for your manuscript proposal – most publishers prefer to source the illustrator themselves and will enter into their own contractual agreements with them. For authors who wish to self publish, it would be wise to develop a budget and business plan before approaching an illustrator. Illustrators get many proposals for “no budget” spec work, and most will not be interested, or able, to work in lieu of future earnings unless you have credible credentials. There is also a tendency for many of the smaller publishers to expect illustrators to work for free with the promise of “exposure” for their work. Illustrators Australia does not endorse or encourage this practice. Illustrators’ work as individuals in most cases and they will set their own Pricing/Quotes and Contracts, you should discuss the topics below for your project and you should always use a contract wherever possible, illustrators will usually have one of their own or you may have one, and both parties must discuss and agree upon one. This should cover most of the topics mentioned here. SO WHERE DO YOU START? Look through the portfolios on the IA website for styles you require (you can contact the illustrator directly, though in some cases they may refer you to their agent). Things that should be discussed with the illustrator at the beginning of your project are: Timeline/Deadline - Are they available in this time-frame Style - It’s very important that you select the right illustrator for the right job. Before you pick up the phone take some time to look at few illustrators portfolios and take note of their style. Do they use realistic figures or cartoon-like figures? Do they incorporate painterly texture or flat digital images? Do they lean towards bright vibrant colours or do they only have subdued colours in their samples? Do they do come with conceptual ideas or does their area of expertise lie with rendering someone else’s idea. Have a think about what your brief requires in these terms and take them into consideration when you’re selecting your illustrator. Hiring an illustrator who has a particular style and trying to make them work in another form is a good way to get off to a bad start. Always point out particular samples in the illustrators portfolio that might be relevant to your job. This will be very helpful to your illustrator when the job begins. Specifications - print size, print run, color, etc Do you have a Budget? Always ask for a quote but if you have a budget set in concrete you may want to let the illustrator know this first. Usage - Is it for one use or multiple i.e. Where will the finished illustration/s end
- 14. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 14 up? On a website, a poster, brochure, greeting card, book cover or all of these? Illustrators may work out their fees per usage. Area of use - Australia only, globally, Europe etc Cancellation/Kill fees - If a client cancels a work in progress or rejects a finished artwork for reasons unrelated to the artist’s performance, the artist has a right to compensation. The amount is based on the stage at which the project is canceled. To be determined at contract stage. Period of Use - How long do you want to use the illustration? Illustrators can offer different licenses for use, e.g. 12 months, 2 years Licensing – the illustrator may license the work to you for a period of time and purpose for a fee (the ownership remains with the illustrator), it is a legally bound agreement, once expired the rights revert back to the illustrator and they may re-license for further use should they wish to. • Exclusive - Is exclusive to you (one party) to use the illustration for the ways set out in the original agreement (the copyright/ownership still remains with the illustrator • Non exclusive - The illustrator can license out to others as well as you plus use the image themselves (the copyright/ownership still remains with the illustrator) Reviewing sketches - Depending on how the artist works, it is usually best to ask for rough sketches to begin with, to ensure that the assignment progresses to your requirements. It is a good idea to discuss how many rounds of sketches are included in the quote before you begin – most illustrators are happy to provide one or two alterations, but it is reasonable that the illustrator will charge extra fees for changes (in some cases) if it is beyond the original brief. Make sure you have left enough time for the illustrator to make any changes well before your deadline. Try not to ask for an unrealistic deadline, you will not have sufficient time to review the progression of roughs before the finished work is begun The original finished artwork always belongs to the illustrator! A WORD ON COPYRIGHT Copyright and Moral rights lasts for 70 years after the death of the illustrator/ artist. Note: Moral rights are personal rights relating to the illustrators reputation, they cannot be sold, these rights include: • The right to be identified as the author (right of attribution) • The right not to have the work falsely identified as someone else’s (right against false attribution) • The right not to have the work used in a derogatory way that is detrimental the reputation of author (right of integrity) For more info on Copyright you can also check out the following links: www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Copyright www.copyright.org.au
- 15. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 15 Sourcing Photography for Graphic Design Nat Coalson - http://www.graphicdesign.com/ article/sourcing-photography-for-graphic-design/ Finding good photographic imagery to use in your designs for print, web and video projects is one of the most common and important tasks for graphic designers and art directors. It can also be challenging and sometimes frustrating. There are several things to consider when you’re sourcing photography, including where to get the photos, image file quality and specifications, licensing and usage terms, and cost. Starting out, you have two basic options: buy pre-existing images (referred to as “stock” photography) or hire a photographer to shoot custom work just for you. In this article we’ll look at both scenarios. ONLINE STOCK SOURCES Using the Web is by far the most common way to find and purchase photography. When you’re looking for the perfect image for your new design, start with the online stock agencies. Even if you later decide to contract a photographer to shoot assignment work (discussed below), reviewing a wide selection of images can really get your creative juices flowing. With this in mind, I recommend that you don’t skimp on the time you spend doing photo research for a project. Knowing all your options is key to channeling your creative energy in the right direction. When looking for photos online, you have a couple of choices. First are the stock agencies, who contract with photographers to market and license their images for a commission. Usually, photos you find with most agencies are exclusive, meaning they aren’t available from other sources. A Google search for the phrase “stock photography” yields over 312 million results. So where should you start? When looking for stock sites, start with the big ones. Getty Images and Corbis are two of the largest stock agencies offering high quality images you can license and download immediately, but they’re not the least expensive options. Smaller stock agencies like Trunk and Glasshouse can have very unique images and may offer higher quality than the larger agencies but also come with higher prices. On the other end of the spectrum, iStockphoto has one of the largest libraries of microstock (low cost) photography on the Web, and with its powerful search capabilities, finding lots of affordable images is very easy. Thinkstock aggregates content from multiple stock agencies including Getty, Jupiter Images and iStockphoto. TIP: Searching and Lightboxes – All good stock sites provide powerful search capabilities to help you find images quickly. Another very useful feature is that you can save images to a “lightbox” (a place to store your favorites). Make lightboxes for different clients, projects and subject matter. You can then purchase and download the final files directly from the lightboxes. PHOTO SHARING SITES Your next options for sourcing photos online are photo sharing/photo hosting sites like Flickr and Photobucket. These sites are user-driven — all the photos have been uploaded by members of the site. If you find an image you want to use on one of these sites, you need to contact the photographer and negotiate directly. This can often work to your advantage, as most photographers welcome the opportunity to be paid anything for the use of their images. Photoshelter offers a unique, hybrid model that offers both stock agency services and photo hosting for photographers. When you perform a search on Photoshelter, the results come from all the photographer’s galleries who have publicly searchable images. One of the best features of Photoshelter is the e-commerce pricing engine, based on the widely-used fotoQuote software. The galleries on my web site NatCoalson.com are powered by Photoshelter. TIP: Ask your colleagues for suggestions! Don’t try to re-invent the wheel: you can benefit from the collective knowledge of your peers. Actively participate in design forums and blogs, and when it’s time for you to find some new images, ask for suggestions. You’ll save loads of time by first checking out what other people have found to be successful. HIRING A PHOTOGRAPHER If you can’t find stock to meet your needs, you can hire a photographer to produce the images for you. Local search pages can be a good place to start, but again, your best bet is to ask for referrals and references from your friends and business associates. You shouldn’t do business with people you can’t trust, and that goes for photographers, too, especially since many “professional” photographers simply bought their first DSLR and hung out their shingle. For obvious reasons you should avoid working with a photographer who lacks experience and credentials. Negotiate with photographers using the same methods and ethics you follow for your contract design work. Always make sure the scope of work is clearly defined, the timetable and deadlines agreed upon and the costs and payment terms thoroughly understood. And make sure everything is in writing! Don’t take any shortcuts evaluating proposals and putting together an agreement with your photographer. TIP: Photography trade organizations
- 16. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO - VDIS10022 16 are great for finding reliable, professional photographers. Check the Web sites for the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) for directories of well-respected professional photographers. DIY? NOT Some graphic designers choose to shoot their own photography for their designs, but this is rarely an ideal solution unless you’re a skilled and experienced photographer. It’s like a typical business owner deciding they can build their own Web site, or design their own logo! Just as you want your customers to leave the professional graphic design to you, so should you leave the photography to a professional. FILE SPECIFICATIONS AND QUALITY All image files are not created equal. You’ll find a vast range of quality coming from stock agencies, photo hosting services and even working photographers. It’s outside the scope of this article — and I will cover it in a future post — but you really need to brush up on your technical knowledge of image file formats and quality considerations. Here are the main points when evaluating image files: File format: most often you’ll be dealing with TIFF and/or JPEG. In all cases, if you have the choice, get a TIFF file, which is either uncompressed or compressed with no loss of quality. If JPEG is your only option, try to ensure that the file was saved at the highest quality level. Resolution: one of the most misunderstood aspects of digital imaging, resolution quite simply refers to the number of pixels contained in the image. A high-resolution file has lots of detail; a low-res file has comparatively less detail. If you need to reproduce the image as large sizes or in very high quality, make sure to get the largest file available. You can always downsample (reduce resolution) if you need to, but there are significant limitations on how much you can enlarge a low-resolution file. Noise, blemishes and other artifacts: low quality imagery (especially cheap microstock) can be plagued with a host of technical defects. Digital noise manifests itself as grainy speckles or colored blobs in a photo. Lots of photos made with digital SLRs have dust spots. Cleaning up lousy photos can waste your time and eat into your profits. Try to purchase images that are clean, spot-free and processed to professional standards. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to image quality; stay tuned to this site for lots more information on digital imaging and file specifications. Also, there’s a great online resource for current best practices in digital photography/imaging and preparation of electronic files at DPbestflow. LICENSING OPTIONS When you’re ready to purchase stock images, or when establishing specifications for commissioned photography, you need to thoroughly understand and agree to the specifics of the licensing terms. When a photographer makes a photograph, under U.S. law they own the copyright to that photo automatically and immediately. A photo (or any other creative work) does not have to be registered with the copyright office to be under copyright! Some photographs and other visual media are in the Public Domain, which means that anyone can freely use them, but this is not the case with stock or assignment photography. You should always assume that the photographer retains all copyrights to the images, unless those rights have been specifically and legally transferred to another entity. In order for you to use someone else’s photo in your graphic designs, you must license the rights. Image licensing comes in many flavors, but for graphic designers using stock and commissioned photography, there are two main types of licenses: Rights-managed: this type of license authorizes the buyer to use the imagery at a specific size, for a specific purpose, in a specific market and for a specific period of time. It is the most expensive kind of licensing, but the highest quality photographs are almost always offered under a rights-managed license. Royalty-free: with this kind of license, once you’ve paid the fee you can use the photo however you like, as many times as you want. TIP: Be sure you know the type of license you have purchased and never go beyond that agreement — it’s a recipe for a lawsuit. And NEVER use someone else’s photograph or other artwork without explicit permission! COST The cost of licensing photography and fees for commissioned work can vary dramatically and is based on a wide range of variables. Microstock licensing can be $1 or less, while a rights-managed license for a high-visibility reproduction can run several thousand dollars. But on average, a range of $50 to several hundred dollars is probably reasonable for good quality imagery. Custom-commissioned work will be based on the photographer’s day rate, plus expenses, and applicable licensing fees for the final deliverables. Make sure to budget for licensing or photographer’s fees when preparing project proposals and client estimates! ONE PROJECT AT A TIME Finding and acquiring the rights to eye-catching, high-quality photography can be time consuming and challenging, especially for graphic designers doing work on projects with unique requirements. For each project that needs photography, spend some time researching the available options online, and if you don’t find the images you need, consider hiring a professional photographer. The care you take in sourcing photography for your designs will go a long way toward the success of the project. In future articles we’ll look in-depth at all aspects related to finding and using photography in your graphic design.