5 Graphic Design Red Flags

How to spot the bad
boys (and girls) of design

Now I’m not in the business of bashing others, but I do feel there are some things that need saying when it comes to sourcing a reputable designer.

Here are a few red flags to look out for to make sure you get someone who can produce great quality original work for your brand.

How to spot a cowboy
graphic designer – 5 red flags

Their work isn’t their own

Beware of those who use ‘licensed for many’ stock graphics and pass it off as original design. These could hinder your ability to register a trademark and also you might see the same design being used by multiple people. Original graphics should be completely unique and in line with your overall branding.

Once the process has started, It should be fairly easy to tell if your design is original because it should align with what you have spoken about in the discovery process (p.s. if you skipped this bit that’s a red flag itself!) If you are still unsure you could ask your designer to tweak some of the finer aspects of the design and they are unable to then I’d be a bit worried.

You can also just ask, “have you created this from scratch” or do a little detective work. If you are handed over a design and cant verify if it’s truly unique, a quick reverse image search on google might shed some light on things.

 Have you seen a portfolio?

Every designer should have some form of portfolio so you can see examples of previous work, whether it’s an online portfolio (on platforms such as Behance), a website or simply an online presence through social media.

The majority of designers will have some examples of work they’ve done, either for live clients or personal projects that show their style and skill. Graduates might showcase university projects. What you are looking for is proof that they can achieve the level and quality of work you are expecting.

Designers are notoriously bad for updating their portfolios (seriously there’s memes that can attest to this!) we focus on our clients so much that sometimes our personal work takes a back seat, so if you can’t see what your’e looking for rather than that being a deal breaker, simply ask for examples similar to what you are looking for. Chances are we have what you want to see in our gazillion files that clog our hard drives and rarely see the light of day!

click to see my portfolio here.

Can they provide the right files?

Where applicable make sure they can provide high quality files where applicable (logos/icons/graphics that need to be scaled up large) Vector files (svg/ai/eps/pdf) don’t lose quality as you size up, but raster files (png/jpeg/bitmap) do!

This doesn’t apply to image heavy artwork such as photographic work, but they will need to be able to provide high resolution files and be able to set up documents for print when required.

They should at the very least have an understanding of colour values – so expect to hear abbreviations like RGB and CMYK (Red, green, blue – screen colours and Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black – Digital print colours) or bleed and crops. Or simply just ask if your designer can provide your files print ready. Many can handle the full process as we have trusted contacts in the print industry that we have used before and can vouch for the quality of the finished product.

Do you get everything you need to use the design?

For example, brand guidelines. I probably bang on about these a lot but they are an essential add on to any branding or logo design project. These ensure you have a good understanding on how to use your assets to ensure you don’t damage the overall brand.

If a designer is offering design without the print, then ensure you are left with any instruction that a printer may need to know.

Is there a handover to explain files, What’s the sign-off process from the project. Is there further support offered if needed and can you get add on services if needed.

A good designer will leave you feeling fully in control of all deliverables and confident on how to use them.

What’s the cost?

Another red flag can often be cost.

If it seems too good to be true then it probably is.

A good designer is worth their weight in gold! They will always add value to your business by providing useful valuable assets that will work hard for you and your business. Remember perception is everything and visuals often leave a lasting one!

Personally I steer clear of gig sites such as fiver and upwork because theres far too much competition for a skilled creative, and they are forced to compete with lower priced, usually less experienced people. Thats not to say that you can’t find a reputable person on there, but it’s much harder than it should be.

Bad design will cost you a lot more than good in the long run, and good design will elevate your brand and is always worth the investment.

Your brand, and all associated assets, are important!

They are your first impression to potential clients and a symbol for the reputation you have built. Make sure to leave it in a safe pair of hands!