6 People Every Graphic Designer Should Know
Written by Gino on 11-20-2008 - 24 Responses
Networking is one of the most important things you can do in any industry and the graphic design industry is no exception. Below is a list of 6 types of people every graphic designer should know. So start networking with the right people now and you might be able to dodge some bullets and have a more successful career in design!
1. Accountant
Unless you are an expert at something as important as your finances, I would recommend finding an expert. The graphic design career is not always the most financially stable one, especially if you are working freelance or running your own studio. Like most businesses their is often a constant battle to find new clients and actually get your clients to pay up. Having a professional accountant can help you make the most of the money you do have, help you save money and keep things organized you; saving you lots of time and money.
2. Lawyer
No one wants to have to hire a lawyer ( because that often means there’s a problem ), but having a lawyer on hand can is very important. Whether its about negotiating a contract or settling a dispute with clients, having a lawyer ready to go that you trust is very valuable. Start off by asking family and friends if they know anyone and make sure you know what the lawyer specializes in because most lawyers will only accept certain types of cases, so you may need to make contact with several different types of lawyers or a firm that can handle multiple types of issues.
3. Web Designer
Having both graphic and web design skills is great and something to work towards, but many graphic designer prefer to specialize in graphic design, don’t have the time to code websites or just dislike coding sites! If that’s the case then you should have at least two web designer contacts that you can outsource work to when needed. They can help you set up your portfolio site, code websites for clients and help ensure your website is optimized for search engine traffic, meaning more projects for you!
4. A Better Designer
Its always good to have a mentor or at least some one you consider a more experienced designer. Getting honest critiques by some one with a fresh eye is very important. Designers often miss errors and other details after looking at the same design for 10 hours so being able to show other designers your work and get some good feedback is priceless.
5. Another Person in the Industry
Actually, you should have as many contacts in the industry as humanly possible! Knowing people in the industry will help you stay up to date with the latest industry news, jobs openings and much more. be sure to make actual friends and stay in contact though because its rude to talk to some one once and then 3 years later ask for a huge favor! So be professional, respectful and helpful to all your contacts.
6. Photographer
Photography is another valuable skill set not all designers have time to pick up. A great photographer can help you create custom stock photos, textures and even shoot your own work. Showcasing your design projects in real life situations or even just printed and photographed with a nice background is a proven method of getting more clients. It makes viewers of your personal portfolio or studio website more comfortable knowing your work has actually been printed and displayed in public!
Who else should designers know? Let us know in the comments!
Biju Subhash
Logo Designer | November 20th, 2008
I think it is certainly a good idea to have other designers around you or at least share your work on other blogs and get some feedback on your work to see how you might improve. If you only look at your own work all the time from your own point of view it can be very limiting on how you could potentially evolve as a better designer. Even better if you can find a designer with a few more years experience to offer their evaluation of your design process.
Leslie | November 20th, 2008
I’d also add 1) a writer and 2) a printing rep. I’ve gotten countless referrals from the writers I know — our work is symbiotic. Most of the writers I know are always looking for a good designer to make their words visually sing.
A good printing rep is invaluable, too. There’s a lot of give and take at the beginning of a project, and running your idea past the printer to make sure it will work *before* you design it is always a good use of your time. A really good printer will usually have ideas for you, too, either to cut costs, or to try a new technique, paper or ink.
Jacob Cass | November 20th, 2008
Copywriter?
David Airey | November 21st, 2008
Who else should designers know? A journalist. Preferably more than one. Nothing like good media contacts to help with promotion.
jamir | November 21st, 2008
Great article Gino!
Thanks for this! I think I only need a few but need some to multiply my profits. LOL!
http://www.jamirdesign.com/blog
Neil | November 21st, 2008
The lawyer is a given; I managed to get some T&Cs and privacy docs for a recent project through connections to a top law firm. I imagine there’s a few routes for creating your own, but if you’re handling customer/client data, it feels much better to have the help of a professional.
Perhaps you could add an ‘IT Systems/Backups/Administrator’ type contact to the list - the people who’ll made you feel bad for not having incremental backups of all your work. And a recruiter is always good to know.
Germán | November 21st, 2008
Maybe a good copywriter..
Gary holmes | November 21st, 2008
Good article and list. I would definitely add printer to the list (Kind Item #5). Printers not only save you money on jobs, but are good at sharing knowledge and making suggestions. They also can bring you new clients and business.
Matt Tuley, Laptop for Hire | November 21st, 2008
It pays to know a good copywriter. This allows the designer and the copywriter both to deliver complete projects, not just work their individual specialties.
George - LogoDesign.org | November 21st, 2008
You know, I think I’ve got everyone on that list accounted for, I’m feeling pretty good about myself right now, LOL. Depending on the whether the designer freelances or runs a design firm you could add having a good PR person to that list, that’s something I don’t have but should probably do something about.
Thanks for the tips!
Gino | November 21st, 2008
Great suggestions everyone I think a copywriter and printer especially are good ideas!
Preston Lee | November 22nd, 2008
Thanks for the post. I agree with David and Jacob: Journalists (or PR people) and a copywriter. You could probably even have one person that does both for you. Most lovers of PR are excellent writers.
Tim Smith | November 23rd, 2008
Great article! I’m new to the industry so this is definitely valuable stuff!
Zack M | November 24th, 2008
I especially agree with #5. That’s been so helpful for me.
It’s nice to have someone you can trade knowledge with.
Julie | November 24th, 2008
Like Leslie, I was going to suggest a printer rep.
Josh | November 24th, 2008
I mean no offense to any PR folks here, but I would go with either a journalist or freelance writer first if you want something written. A copy editor/proofer is another good person to know.
Alex H | November 27th, 2008
I think I might be needing a lawyer soon because I have not received money for a work a did recently. I wonder what is considered too late in order to start calling a lawyer?
denote | December 1st, 2008
Maybe it’s not really necessary, but sometimes we need Illustrator also..
CN | December 2nd, 2008
A good copy writer is always a plus.
daniel [dekowboy] | December 3rd, 2008
I’m on the same page wit everyone, but i love Denote’s contribution because illustrators are great assets to the graphic designer. i under estimated my illustration skill until i joined an advertising firm, there i realized the value of this unique skill. i also believe animators a of great assets.
logo design blog | December 9th, 2008
I think having a few printing contacts is a really good idea. Need to know printers that can provide digital, lithographic full colour and pantome colour plus print on a variety of stock including recycled and of you will need printers that offer a good trade discount so that you can make a little money on the printing while still providing your clients with a good price on the printing service.
Nikki | December 9th, 2008
This is some great advice and very true. Thanks for pointing it out. Contacts are so important. It’s much more likely to get a job or start a career through someone you know rather than a stranger. Friends and contacts can help you out so much when searching for openings but sometimes the hard part is trying to find good ones. You can make a lot of contacts but a lot of quality contacts are better than just knowing people in the industry. It’s a very cut throat world and not everyone will take the opportunity to help you out. Hopefully every stuggling artist finds those who will.
Metropolis | December 15th, 2008
[...] 5 Ways To Break Your Design Habits - Just for Fun - What to Include in Your Web Design Portfolio - How To Get and Use Customer Feedback - 6 People Every Graphic Designer Should Know - 11 Useful Sources To Learn and Improve HTML Skills [...]
25 fantastic design articles from 2008 | David Airey » graphic designer, logo designer | December 26th, 2008
[...] 6 people every designer should know I picked this post because I always try to stress the importance of networking. Its much easier to accomplish goals and better yourself as a person and designer with a good network of people supporting you. If you surround yourself with quality, ambitious and like-minded people you will go much farther in life, much faster! [...]