Have you ever felt like your graphic designer is speaking Greek? If you aren’t using the same terminology, it can lead to confusion, or worse, a final product that is not what you expected.
Below are five simple tips for communicating with your designer in a language you both understand.
1. Clarify the paper size.
Page size can be one of the most confusing discussions to have with a graphic designer, so it’s important to communicate whether you’re referring to the paper size or the final folded size.
Paper size: If you want a booklet with four pages that’s 5.5 x 8.5 inches when folded complete, your designer will fold a one letter-size (8.5 x 11 inches) page.
Final folded size: If you want a booklet with four pages that’s 8.5 x 11 inches when folded and complete, your designer will fold a one tabloid-size (11 x 17 inches) page.
A good designer will always clarify the size of your document, but if you’re as specific as possible from the beginning, it will help avoid confusion on both sides.
2. Specify the orientation.
When giving dimensions to a designer, the width should always come first. A 4 x 6 inch document is four inches wide and six inches tall. You also can use the terms “portrait” and “landscape” to indicate orientation. In a portrait document, the width is the smaller dimension; in a landscape document, the width is the longer dimension.
3. Provide a native file.
A designer will often request native files, which are simply the original document or image file formats. For example, if your designer asks for a native Word or PowerPoint document, they are requesting a .doc(x) or .ppt(x) file respectively, not an Excel file or PDF. Or if they request a native file of a photo or illustration, supply your designer with the original jpg, png or eps file format. Never embed the image in an email, Word document or PowerPoint presentation. By supplying native files, you are saving your designer time by giving them a format they can work with. And if they save time, you save money!
4. Gather the specs.
If a designer asks you for specs, you most likely hired them to design an advertisement or some other graphic for publication. The publisher will provide you with a spec sheet (either as a PDF or an online link) that outlines the dimensions, color space, output of the final product, and any other important details. Always share that information with the designer to ensure your completed piece will be published accurately.
5. Know what output is needed.
When your designer asks if your piece is for print, digital or both, it’s so the final file can be prepared in a way that works best in terms of resolution, color space and number of pages.
A printed piece is a high-quality document output in CMYK color. Think of the four inks used in your home printer. If the printed piece is to be folded, the final page count must be divisible by four.
A digital piece is viewed on your computer monitor either as an image (like a jpg), a PDF file, a slide presentation or a webpage. Digital images are lower quality, are a smaller file size and are viewed in RGB color space. Since they are viewed online, they can be any number of pages.
These tips serve as a starting point for communicating with your designer, but if you are ever confused or uncertain about a term or process, speak up! A good graphic designer will be happy to take the time to make sure you are on the same page and speaking the same language.
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