We’ve covered some of the most common questions that people often ask, but if you can’t find the answer that you are looking for then please Get In Touch, we’re ready to help.
In general terms, graphic design is the process and art of combining text and graphics and communicating an effective message in the design of logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communication.
Today’s graphic designers use desktop publishing software and techniques to achieve their goals.
With training or experience as a visual communicator and problem solver, a graphic designer will combine your content with elements, colour, typography, shape and balance to create a finished communications piece for your business or organisation. They will work with you to explore different options or design directions to solve your particular communications challenge.
A graphic designer will also prepare the ‘mechanical requirements’ of your finished piece and prepare it to the specifications of a printer, magazine, web host, television studio or any other output medium, to ensure trouble-free output of a final finished product (such as a printed flyer or a web site).
Yes, with the availability of easy-to-use, do-it-yourself graphics software and apps, it’s easier more than ever for anyone to create their own artwork to print from. We all know someone who has basic or professional skills so with this in mind we can work with most supplied files. However there are so many poorly designed graphics and supposed print ready files out there so we will check and warn you as best we can of any risks if any before proceeding.
Yes, we are happy to work with you on any project and work with your supplier or contact and provide you with the correct print ready files to complete your order upon approval.
We use industry-standard Adobe Creative Cloud which includes InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat Pro.
We don’t create artwork in software such as Word, Excel and Publisher, instead we just tolerate these file types and work with them as best we can 🙂
We have the following type of billing depending on your requirements:
a) Net Price – per-project price, predetermined at the start of the project or
b) Hourly rated – billed according to the time utilised (This suits most). Clients are updated regularly on their project by our time-logging.
c) Estimated – We often price jobs based on an estimated time and cost to completion and quote a maximum price and are kind enough to invoice less if it take less time to complete.
We offer a FREE, no-obligation quotation process and are very flexible and can work within any budget you may have available.
We do not believe in disappointing anybody with any form of hidden cost. It is our policy to be transparent at all times.
We do not believe in disappointing anybody with any form of hidden cost. It is our policy to be transparent with our clients with all costs itemised prior to the start of any project. You are notified of any changes and adjustments that may come to light along design process, or if the brief changes after work commences. Work only progresses once you have agreed to any changes and its clear to us that you wish to proceed.
Depending on the project type, some items that are typically quoted separately include:
- Purchase of stock photography or illustrations
- Web domain registration
- Web hosting fees
Many of our clients are small companies and individuals and we specialise in working to their budget and often offer more than the initial investment. All design work is kept in-house in our low running cost studio. All printing is off-site and undertaken with tried and tested reliable trade suppliers whom we have had a long established relationship with over many years. We have different suppliers for different products which allows us to be confident of the best prices that we can offer.
Yes! Most of our daily work is of this nature so we are happy to work on any size project, large or small. Please contact us to discuss any requirements.
It’s not just about the price, it’s also about originality in design and concept, variety of options, mastery of the software and successful and on time delivery to the correct specifications for the job. Many who opt for the lowest price often discover that they get what they pay for. So, hire a professional designer, be it Simon Roberts or somebody else; it will save you time and money in the long run. If we can’t be of service, we’d be glad to give advice on other quotations that you may have been given, to ensure you are getting the best value for your money. There is always someone cheaper but its free to contact us to see how we can help.
We always try our best to match or beat most like-for-like quotes but there are certain instances where we are unable to as some suppliers can be known to cut corners such as printing on substandard equipment, use cheaper materials and finishing which often results in reduced quality. If the job doesn’t go to plan or is required to a tight deadline this can be very problematic.
Great design work is often compromised by budget printing, if you have spent considerable time and money on designing stationery, brochures or catalogues, the designers work can be quickly undone by cutting corners when it goes into print. Under specified cheap or thin materials, lack of care on cutting and finishing are all typical ways a printer can reduce the costs on a job, in most cases you get what you pay for. If its too cheap there is always a chance that it could look cheap once its completed and too late, however there are a lot companies that are great value for money and provide quality print.
Batch printing is where many jobs of the same specification are planned on the same print sheet which allows for the print cost between all parties to be shared to allow for competitive pricing. This is suitable jobs such as business cards, flyers and leaflets but if a colour match is really important or you need spot colour printing then bespoke printing is the better option.
Litho printing is for long runs of identical material and digital printing is for shorter runs of identical material or multiple pages. On a small or short run litho job the plating and make readies required for a litho press can make it uneconomical to produce. There are many digital presses that are not as refined as traditional litho presses and as such the print quality can be judged to be inferior, however cost savings on small jobs can be substantial. The digital machines that we use are high end and will challenge your eye on seeing any difference in quality.
We typically don’t require any deposit from existing clients in advance although it is common for a deposit on websites or at key stages of a large design or print project of value. Other billing arrangements are available upon agreement by both parties. New clients are required to pay in full for their first job upon ordering.
If you are not happy, then we are not happy. We trust our work will speak for itself and your satisfaction will be assured.