While working as a Graphic Designer for the last 15 years, I have been lucky to talk with prospective, new and existing clients everyday about their design needs and projects they would like me to work on for their businesses. The one thing that they all have in common, is that no one has the same definition of what a graphic designer is.
And the truth is: they are all correct (well, mostly).
Dictionary.com defines a Graphic Designer as being:
“the art or profession of visual communication that combines images, words, and ideas to convey information to an audience, especially to produce a specific effect.”
However, how you define a Graphic Designer will depend on the specialty area of the individual Graphic Designer. Some specialise in print design, brand design, signage design, animation or website design (and the list goes on!).
From product packaging to email campaigns, businesses of all sizes engage Graphic Designers for logo design, brand design, websites or advertisements to convey their key messages to their target audience and promote their product or service.
Graphic Designers, also known as communication designers in some circles, often work closely with people in advertising and promotions, public relations, and marketing to create visually compelling graphics and artwork to communicate ideas that inspire, inform and captivate consumers. We are visual story tellers that bring ideas and messages to life through graphics that support the brand story of each and every business we work with.
What design work can I give to a Graphic Designer?
Essentially, if you need an idea or message communicated in a visual format – a Graphic Designer will be able to help.
When businesses start out, Martlette Graphic Design often designs visual brand and logo design services. These help the client communicate who they are, what they do and who they want to work with.
After a business brand and logo design is completed, a new business will often then work with me on the design of their business card, stationery, signage, social media artwork and their website.
Once a new business has been operating for a while, they will often become very aware of the best ways they can communicate with their target audience and begin the process of designing on-brand marketing materials such as email newsletter templates, brochures, flyers, social media tiles, online advertisements and print advertisements and a range of other promotional materials.
Martlette Graphic Design offer the following design services…
At Martlette Graphic Design, we are proud to offer a full range of design services for print and web, that cater to a wide range of businesses (small and large), not for profits, government agencies and associations. We not only work with clients here in Geelong. We enjoy working with our clients in regional and metro Victoria, as well as others interstate and overseas. In particular, our services include:
- Illustration and artwork development
- Website design
- Annual Report and other Corporate Report design
- Logo and brand design
- Brochure and corporate profile design
- Business card design
- Stationery design
- Email newsletter design
- Packaging design
- Signage and display design
- Social media design
More than just creative
Graphic Designers are qualified as a result of studying over a number of years and refining their skills in communicating effectively through visual story telling and creating artwork the builds connection between a business and its potential customers.
Areas of specialty for Graphic Designers usually reflect an inner passion for a particular style of publication, artwork, illustration or typography and this will be evident in the designs they create for their clients.
Graphic designers continually update their skills with the use of new and updated computer graphics and design software, as well as continually refining and practicing artistic skills in areas such as illustration, concept sketching, paper craft and many more! This ensures that they are able to produce illustrations of design ideas, either by hand sketching or by using a computer program for clients in the development stages of any project.
A large and very important part of being a Graphic Designer is being intuitive and attentive to the needs of each and every client. I am regularly translating what a client is saying and what they may mean when it comes to a visual representation. It most definitely takes more than artistic ability to be a great Graphic Designer. It requires an attentive approach to your client and all conversations that take place about the design project and considering feedback received, in a positive and constructive way.
An experienced Graphic Designer will be deadline driven and will be coordinating the completion of numerous design projects at the same time, in order to complete tasks on time. For example, Martlette Graphic Design schedules each project into the studio calendar so that they maintain momentum towards a timely completion. This provides me with the time needed to be truly creative and also gives clients enough time to provide feedback to inform design updates and revisions.
If you are fortunate to engage a Graphic Designer with a marketing background, you are on to a winner! Thanks to a university major in marketing as part of my first degree, I am able to apply marketing principles and strategies to projects and discuss the marketing goals of designs with clients in more detail. This has been a valuable addition to the skills I am able to offer clients who work with Martlette.
Why does my business need a Graphic Designer?
Engaging a Graphic Designer usually comes either at the launch of a new business or when an established business needs to refresh or create promotional collateral that communicates to its audience (eg. logo, brochures, website, signage, etc).
A Graphic Designer will work with you to get to know your brand (and not just your visual brand) and really understand what it is you want your audience to know about your business. Your business personality, tone of voice, values and your ‘why’ are all important pieces of information that your Graphic Designer will want to know about your business. This way, your designs will be consistent and unique to your particular business and stand out among your competitors.