If a client asks me how much it will cost to artwork a brochure I have already styled, it’s not a problem. I know how quick I am at layout and artwork, and can take a pretty good guess at timing, and therefore cost, the only variable is the amends which I will usually cost out as an addition. So, what about when you are asked to design for example, an advert from scratch, coming up with both concepts and styles for the visuals? This is when I usually come up with a figure, then half it, because the client will think it is too much, then double it again as I am not sure how long it will take me.How long should it take to come up with a few good concepts?
On a good day and dependent on subject matter the first idea could pop into my head in ten minutes, but then there may be other days when the ideas are just not flowing. Sometimes I can brainstorm, cut up magazines, google words, search photolibraries but nothing clicks, and the best thing (deadline allowing) is to abandon the job, move on to another one and come back to it another day. You just can’t always be creative to order, making quoting a creative job extremely difficult.
I think sometimes clients don’t realise that creativity is not just a switch that you turn on whenever you want it to. I wish you could!
What do you think?
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17 Comments
i think creativity is a problem which everyone has to deal with – not just designers. Programmers, writers – im sure they all hit a mental block.
Which is why i think its important to get away from the computer – some of my best ideas come to me when im at the gym or out with my friends. The brain is like any other muscle in the body – you need to rest it sometimes.
ive paid for a lot of designers over the years. I understand that designers may hit a block but ive had designers in the past guarantee deadlines and then not adhered to them. This kind of thing can hold up a whole project.
I guess this is a problem for most designers across all disciplines. I’d like to share a method I’ve been using lately, that you maybe could pick up some tips from.
Before even starting any sketching or creative work, we all hopefully try to understand what the client is after. When you’ve got all the information you need, determine which factors is the restricted ones.
I usually use a table, where I’ve got vertically:
- Time
- Price
- Quality/size
and horizontally
- High
- Medium
- Low
Then I’ll have a discussion with the client, deciding which of these factors are the most important, and check in the corresponding boxes.
The fact that the product is priced as outlined is the most important? So be it. The suffering factors will be time and/or quality.
Is quality the most important? Well, up goes the price.
You -NEED- to have it by tomorrow? Price up, quality down.
This gives me something to check up on throughout the process.
Hope this makes sense. I’ve got some posts on creativity techniques and design that you maybe would find interesting. Check it out.
(Open for blogroll exchange, as well, if you’re interested.)
Kevin, I agree its not just designers that have a mental block, and like you I get some of my best ideas when I am not on the computer. While driving I always seem to get my best ideas (I am concentrating on the road honest) and in bed (ideas about design!).
I can honestly say I don’t think I have ever missed a deadline and I am sure a lot of other designers haven’t either
. As with any job there are always professional people and then ones that let you down.
Hi Asgeir,
Thanks for your comments. The table idea is an interesting one. I would always try and explain to my clients that the lower their budget the less time I can spend on their project, but that really puts it all in black and white.
The only problem is knowing how long your ideas will take, sometimes they flow sometimes they don’t but I guess this is something you just have to try and average out??
(Have just taken a look at your site and will be back later – you are added to my blogroll)
Yeah, I guess you’re right about the way my method makes it a bit rigid.
It’s hard to control how ideas flow, but there are lots of ways to improve this. I hope to cover as many as I possibly can, and hopefully discussions and contributions will help cover the topic. The blog is fairly fresh; it was set up Sunday.
Added you, as well. Hope you’ll find some of my stuff interesting!
As told you in my previous comment in an other post.. People think designing should be as fast as printing. Loads of people come to me in the morning and as an ad within afternoon, and says he needs to get them printed by evening.
I generally quote prices depending on the client company’s history. and also by my intutions wether he is willing to pay a high cost. Most of time I get stuff bundled like websites, logos, brochures, and take good amount of time to deliver the product.
Most of my initial designs are done on paper, and starting off a littke bit as soon the deal is fixed helps me to gather more ideas and design a little here are there every now and then. Generally designers think first then start designing. better is to design something while you are talking to him, and then keep it on queue.
Yes, riding on bike when my ideas are peaking. I make sure I get a pencil and book on my bed to scratch middle of night. Oh yeh, Loo is the best for me to get ideas.
I see this from the other side of the fence. I buy quite a lot of design and sometimes the difference in cost estimates from the same designer on seemingly similar jobs can be mind blowing. Im sure sometimes prices are pulled out of a hat!
That said, I’ve done a tiny amount of freelancing myself so fully appreciate that estimating time on creativity can be a bit of a guessing game at times.
Hi Santosh
You make a good point here, who the client is definately influences budget and knowing how much time you can spend on their job.
Hi Aaron,
Like you say it is really difficult to judge cost. I think sometimes a designer can do a job realise they have underquoted it, so the next time they do a similar job make sure they allow more time. Like you say though, the problem is, to the client this does look like the prices are simply pulled out of a hat.
Thanks for the comments, and thanks for the tip regarding morgueFile. Great resource. You should add it to your collection
No problem. Good idea, I will add as soon as I get a minute
You should work out an hourly rate relevant to your experience and qualifications and stick to it. If you are experienced enough, you can work out the approximately how long it will take you with revisions. If you do not have the correct design (and life) experience you will always underqoute…
Hi, personally I don’t think you can put a price on creativity. It’s why graphic designers usually charge what they think they’re worth. It’s difficult freelancing or bidding for new projects but thats where ‘research’ comes in. I feel as a freelancer myself you tailor every pitch according to the client. It takes a bit longer to do but atleast who ever you pitch at you know the effort your making is reletive to the price you’ve put pitched at. There will always be exceptions. People always want a lot for their money as well.
I couldn’t agree more with this article. We all suffer from “graphics block” much like writers have to deal with writers block. What I do when I cannot figure out how to be creative with the project that I’m working with is I’ll immerse myself into a television show or browse the web to search for something on that topic. For example, if I were doing a space theme for a website and I’m having inspiration issues. I might just sit down and watch a episode of Star Trek.
I have to agree with WD’s comments. You have to set an hourly rate and work creatively within that timeframe. Your previous experience will determine whether or not you get it right. Some clients can be very challenging and we have had many of those, but you just brainstorm ideas back and forth until the right ones stick.
It’s certainly not easy putting a price on creativity. As David said above, drawing on past experience is the most accurate estimation you’re going to get. I find that for something creative it helps if you have a rough idea of how long it is going to take, and then add in extra time (even up to double) to account for unexpected ideas (or lack of!). What makes it even more difficult is that different clients have different levels of interaction, and may want a design tweaking a dozen times, whereas another client may be perfectly happy with the first design.
Hi Chris Thanks for your comment – its always a bit of guess work – as you suggested experience is the best way to judge a job but even then I still get it wrong.
I never suggest a fixed price just a range.I think most important is how to market your work to gain the most.Ofcourse i am a small buiseness.
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[...] How do you Put a Price on Creativity? You can’t. Creativity is a very relative substance. As a designer it is up to you to present yourself as a credible professional whose creativity is a very precious commodity. As a client it is up to you to decide whether or not that designer’s creativity works for your project, fits your expectations – that’s where the designer’s portfolio comes handy. [...]