graphic design, freelancing, illustration, advertising, web design

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

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.

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,

sometimes the difference in cost estimates from the same designer on seemingly similar jobs can be mind blowing

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

[…] 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. […]