Everything you always wanted to know...

Over the years I've found that many of the people who have to work with designers don't understand some of the processes, terminology, or reasoning that we use! I've tried to compile some information here that may be useful to you.

If you have a question that you don't see answered here, please email me at deb@communiquegraphics.com & I'll be happy to help.

A quick explanation of resolution, digital cameras, and print vs. web graphics
Images and photos are reproduced electronically using a resolution scale of dpi (dots per inch). This measures how many pixels there are per inch in the image. The trick is, we use different resolutions for different applications. Printing uses 300 dpi. Web sites use 72 dpi. Your screen also shows images at 72-96 dpi. This is why anything you print off the Internet is jagged or fuzzy around the edges, and also why it may look just fine on your computer screen, but not when you print it out.

Digital cameras take pictures at 72 dpi.
Photos taken with a digital camera will be very useful for web site work, but most likely NOT for any print work. There are digital cameras out there that can take a large enough, high quality image to be used for printing; but they cost around $40,000. Did your camera cost $40,000? If not, you shouldn’t plan to use it for any of your printed projects.

One exception: A designer can take an image and increase the resolution by making the image smaller. (the pixels get compressed into a smaller space, increasing the number of dots per inch). From the average digital camera, we can produce a high-resolution image that’s about one inch square. From a very high end camera, we can usually get an image that is 4" x 6". There may be occasions when you only need small photos, in which case this may work out all right.

Digital cameras are getting better, and they continue to improve in file size and quality. If you're considering buying a digital camera, buy the absolute best one with the highest mega-pixel count you can afford. Also remember that the quality of color and lighting management is usually substandard to a film camera. If you wouldn't attempt your own product photography with a regular 35mm camera, you can't expect magic results with a digital camera.

For more thorough information on digital cameras and their capabilities, visit this web site: http://www.shortcourses.com/

Web Site Design Tips

Some sites show bad judgment calls, such as burying really important information on the 4th layer in, making it hard to find what you're looking for. ANOTHER MISTAKE IS TO PUT INFORMATION IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS! NOT ONLY IS IT MORE DIFFICULT TO READ, IT MAKES IT SEEM AS IF YOU'RE SHOUTING!

Other common mistakes:

1. Extensive use of flashing or moving graphics--disturbing to the viewer, and takes longer to download.

2. Including sound. Unless you are a music or video vendor, sound files take too long to download and can be very annoying. 99% of the web sites out there simply don't need music playing while you're looking through them.

Are you getting all you bargained for?

When you have a design project quoted, are you seeing the true cost? You need to be sure that both you and your agency are working within the same parameters. A lengthy discussion of the project is always the first priority. The more information you can provide, the more accurate the quote will be. Will you provide the text, or will the agency? Who will do the photography? Who will art direct the photo shoot? Do you need someone to take care of the press check? How many pages will your catalog be?

You don't have to know the answers to all of these questions before you meet with your designers; they should be able to help you figure out the best way to develop your work, whether it's a huge catalog or a single page ad.

Once you get the quote, make sure all the details are spelled out. Does it include photography, copy writing or printing? How many sets of revisions are you allowed before extra charges are incurred? Will you pay extra for photo scans, printed proofs, or meeting time? Answering as many of these questions as you can up front will avoid unpleasant surprises when the final invoice arrives.