My Design Process

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Hello friends!
2020 has been a hectic year. I lost my job in the spring, and despite applying to hundreds of jobs, it's been hard to find a new one. 
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   The jobs I've been applying to are ones that are full-time, are local or remote, and are preferably design jobs that pay me enough to live comfortably. I won't have a roommate forever, and I won't live in the same apartment forever, so I want a more livable wage. Especially since my car has separate problems that I'll need to fund eventually.

​   I've been wanting something that is in my career field, since I've had my visual communications degree for over a year. And despite plenty and plenty of job rejections, my mind still feels secure in my career path. I feel more confident in my work than ever before.

   Before I talk about my creative process, I want to thank the people who have hired me to take on tasks for them while I've been unemployed. It's kept that creative fire in me burning and it's allowed me to keep my chin up through all the rejection emails (and even the fake job offers).
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   The reasons I wanted to talk in-depth about my design process are:

​- I've been getting a little more business lately than I have in the past
- A lot of businesses are daring to start up (congrats!) during this pandemic
- I haven't really posted pricing or anything on my portfolio site (yet)
​- I reached out to businesses in my community and a couple of them inquired about my process
- Simply because I want to talk about it! I feel a huge bundle of adrenaline from it!

   So after writing emails and even filling out a fake survey for a fake job offer (yep, that happened), I'm here to elaborate more on what I do! I'll be making the pricing more easily available on my portfolio website soon, but for now, enjoy a neat little blog post.
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   I want to start off by saying: I'm a huge fan of anything that can help to build up a brand. Whether that be a branding manual, a logo, or an advertisement, I'm always excited to help. I love watching people's passions and dreams come alive. It's one of the things that fuels me as a designer and lets me know I'm in the right career path for myself. I've done a few pro-bono projects with a local non-profit, Gem City Kitties, simply because I love watching my community thrive! I also do miscellaneous freelance works like digital portraits, prints, and photo sessions. Whatever the task, I'm always feeling really motivated and excited to do it.

​   My creative process has a few major steps. The first is communicating with the client and their needs. I'll even research or ask more about their business (i.e. the demographic, what their goals are, what the brand represents). If a client is unsure about what direction they want their branding to go, it's my job to help pave that path for them. I'll sometimes create moodboards to help myself and the client visualize the branding, then create mockups of logos, emblems, or ads as needed for the particular project I'm being hired to complete.
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   I then narrow down design options that the client and I agree fits what they're looking for best. In this step, feedback is key. My process is very collaborative in that sense. I incorporate feedback into my designs by maintaining very open communication with the client the entire time. I give them options of design styles that I recommend, and build off their taste and my knowledge as a professional designer. Maintaining that communication can even help the client feel more proud of the outcome, knowing their ideas were heavily incorporated through the entire process. It's also reassuring to them to see the process every step of the way.

​   I feel like the best works are made when you understand the branding goals that the client has, and you can really bring those ideas to life in a tasteful and effective way.

   I will say, some projects have a quicker time schedule than others. I've never worked in a design firm, and I'm sure the communication with clients varies per firm. So for this post, I'm only referring to my freelance and pro-bono work. I just like to establish that trust and that openness to allow for the design experience to be interactive and easy to digest.
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    And lastly in my design process, the client and I decide the best route for the digital and print work to be finalized. If it's print, I can arrange for it to be packaged and mailed accordingly.

With that said, let's talk about pricing

**These are starting prices. The price may rise if the client changes content mid-way through (i.e. if I'm working on a advertisement and they change their minds on prices for their business), if the client wants it in print vs. digital, if the client wants an item shipped, etc.**
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- Logo development starts at $50 for freelancers and new startups
- Logo development starts at $80 for businesses
- For mini-branding manuals (complete with color palettes, mood boards, logos, and typography), I charge $75 for freelancers/new startups and $100 for businesses.
- If a client wants something from me like a full-blown standards manual (which includes everything from standard color palettes and logos to merchandise design and wayfinding system designs), I'd start around $150 for a new startup/freelancer and $200 for a larger business.

- As for miscellaneous works like prints and portraits, I start my labor at $25, then add the decided printing options and shipping costs at the end. For photo sessions, I start at $150 for couples' portraits and $100 for single portraits, like for seniors or boudoir.

   If you have any questions, feel free to comment down below or fill out a contact form here. 

Thank you for reading, and don't forget to keep on grinning!

Lydia