| Non-designers often misunderstand the design | | | | process. If your finished piece will be printed |
| process. Good graphic design involves much more | | | | professionally, it pays to use fewer colors. Many |
| than playing with graphics. A good designer spends | | | | printers charge extra for additional colors. In this |
| time thoroughly planning his or her design before | | | | scenario, a one color document can cost hundreds |
| any designing actually occurs.Establish the | | | | of dollars less than one with multiple colors. A |
| missionThe first step is to determine what you | | | | good designer knows this, and doesn't go hog wild |
| want to achieve. Start by naming your target. | | | | when it comes to choosing colors.Thanks to some |
| Are you selling a service? Are you selling a | | | | online print businesses, it is possible to receive |
| product or cause? Your answer determines how | | | | multi-color printing at an affordable price. |
| your design progresses.Target the audienceIn | | | | However, as with anything, it's buyer beware. |
| order to reach someone, you must effectively | | | | Using an offsite printer means you can't check |
| communicate your message. Once you know the | | | | your print job before it's done. There's a chance |
| audience, your design efforts will be easier. You'll | | | | you'll receive a job that's been printed using |
| know if it should be tailored to a young hip | | | | incorrect colors, that has pages out of order, or |
| audience, or perhaps to an older more mature | | | | contains printers errors such as smudges.Another |
| crowd.Determine the mediumHow will you reach | | | | minus to using online an online print business is |
| your audience? Do you want a simple brochure? | | | | that you can't always specify print stock. For |
| Are you interested in designing a fancy ad to | | | | instance, you may find a nice stock of paper at |
| appear in a national glossy magazine? What about | | | | your local office supply store. You decide the |
| a nice website? Each has its own design | | | | paper would be great for your project. Unless you |
| requirements, and a good designer knows how to | | | | take the paper to a local printer, or print using |
| implement each one.A brochure designed for an | | | | your own computer, you won't be able to use the |
| upscale audience will be different than one | | | | paper.As you can see, there's more to good |
| designed for a middle-class audience. A website | | | | graphic design than just designing. A good graphic |
| geared towards young people will appear vastly | | | | designer takes many things into account before |
| different than one aimed at elderly adults. When it | | | | starting work. It is time consuming, but a little |
| comes to graphic design, one size does not fit | | | | time spent planning means less time spinning your |
| all.Establish a budgetA general budget will keep the | | | | wheels.Andy Eaton is by far the best graphic |
| design process on track. As you will see below, | | | | designer I have ever come across! Not only does |
| many different factors determine the final price | | | | he create quality graphics, which actually do |
| of a piece. If you set a budget, you can be sure | | | | increase your website sales he actually goes one |
| not to spend more money than you can | | | | step further and teaches you his exact methods |
| afford.Choose your colorsThis is an important | | | | to crank out profit pulling graphics. |
| step often not given enough thought in the design | | | | |