a conversation with bill

In order for you to understand my creative process, I've prepared the following "conversation." Here you'll find answers to the following questions:

• what value does a professional designer add to a project?
• what is my pricing structure for particular projects?
• what is my logo design process?
• why are seemingly simple design projects not so simple?

What is my pricing structure?

Because every project is different, it is difficult to give an estimate for a particular job without knowing what it is. Even a simple logo cannot be given a flat rate; for example, a national internet-company logo will require much more research than a local retail logo.

I charge by the hour, and give an accurate estimate prior to the start of work. I have different rates for art production, design and marketing consulting. I also have a non-profit rate.

What is your logo design process?

While a logo may look like a simple typesetting job, it is a complex, collaborative task. Depending on the client, it may involve extensive research of trademarks (to be sure that it doesn't look like someone else's logo) and the client's competition (to be doubly sure it doesn't look like someone else's logo). Much consultation and design work may be necessary in order to conjure up a logo with the proper sophistication and communicative properties that make a memorable, powerful logo.

Consultation. The job begins with a consultation and questions about the client's needs, likes, and goals. What is the client's history and where is the company heading? Is the company "wholesale" or "retail?" Who are the client's customers? Where will the logo be used?

Research. The research phase brings more questions, and I look in many places for the answers: internet, industry directories, trade magazines. What competitors are there in the clients' local, national, and international markets? Who is planning to compete in that market? What do their logos look like?

Design. In the design phase, I consider the following: Should the design be a wordmark, acronym, symbol, or a combination of the three? What will it take to make my client stand out from his competition? Should the logo take a literal or abstract take on the company name?

While considering these questions, I sketch and sketch and sketch, coming up with at least three distinct and different "directions" for the logo.

Consultation. Next is another client consultation where we look over the multiple designs and a) pick one, b) pick elements of one or more designs to combine and explore further, or c) learn what we don't like and go back to the drawing board to create a new design.

Design. Using what I've learned during the last consultation, I create one "final draft" logo.

Consultation. At this point, the client sees the final draft and gives his approval.

Final art preparation. I create final, perfect art in all required formats. This means that the design is saved as both vector art (in pdf form) and as a hi-resolution bitmap. You will be able to make t-shirts, websites, and stationery without any trouble.