Comments on: What rates should a graphic designer charge? http://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/ Design, marketing, graphics, internet, print, London Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:14:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-260271 Rob Cubbon Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:20:12 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-260271 No problem. Thank you, Jennifer. No problem. Thank you, Jennifer.

]]> By: Jenniferhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-260108 Jennifer Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:20:22 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-260108 Yes this is great, thank you! Great site by the way! Yes this is great, thank you! Great site by the way!

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-259997 Rob Cubbon Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:22:43 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-259997 Hello Jennifer and welcome to the site. My experience with the online portfolio is to keep it short and sweet. Pick the items that are most visually appealing. Pick cutouts rather than square or rectangular items. Split them up into a few categories (3 or 4 – not too many). The thing is most people who visit your site will only spend a few seconds on it so quality is more important that quantity. And I wouldn't worry at all about presenting the same material at an interview. A designer's website is judged on a lot more than just on the portfolio, unfortunately. It needs to load quickly and should be easily navigable. Hope this helps. Hello Jennifer and welcome to the site. My experience with the online portfolio is to keep it short and sweet. Pick the items that are most visually appealing. Pick cutouts rather than square or rectangular items. Split them up into a few categories (3 or 4 – not too many). The thing is most people who visit your site will only spend a few seconds on it so quality is more important that quantity.

And I wouldn’t worry at all about presenting the same material at an interview. A designer’s website is judged on a lot more than just on the portfolio, unfortunately. It needs to load quickly and should be easily navigable.

Hope this helps.

]]> By: Jennifer Bartolihttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-259792 Jennifer Bartoli Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:21:17 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-259792 Hey Rob- My question is about promoting yourself . If I have an online URL to my portfolio or a web site, do the pieces I bring to an interview have to be totally different or can they overlap? I've been in the industry for 12 years but held 2 very long-term jobs and online portfolio's weren't as big at the time of my interviews so as I begin to redo all all of my branding I am struggling a bit with what to put online and which should be stronger, the online vs the in person material. Do you have any thoughts on this? Thanks! Hey Rob-
My question is about promoting yourself . If I have an online URL to my portfolio or a web site, do the pieces I bring to an interview have to be totally different or can they overlap? I’ve been in the industry for 12 years but held 2 very long-term jobs and online portfolio’s weren’t as big at the time of my interviews so as I begin to redo all all of my branding I am struggling a bit with what to put online and which should be stronger, the online vs the in person material. Do you have any thoughts on this? Thanks!

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-257206 Rob Cubbon Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:48:37 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-257206 My pleasure, MellaBella :) My pleasure, MellaBella :)

]]> By: MellaBellahttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-257205 MellaBella Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:44:17 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-257205 Lovely article. Thanks for posting. Very helpful. Lovely article. Thanks for posting. Very helpful.

]]> By: Jacobhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-166475 Jacob Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:52:27 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-166475 Ah, my bad - I didn't look at the date this was written! :) Ah, my bad – I didn’t look at the date this was written! :)

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-166434 Rob Cubbon Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:11:08 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-166434 These prices were correct at the time the article were published for freelancers being paid in London. Obviously agency charges are higher. These prices were correct at the time the article were published for freelancers being paid in London. Obviously agency charges are higher.

]]> By: Jacobhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-166325 Jacob Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:07:03 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-166325 Cheers for the article but I fear you're slightly undercutting our profession. I wouldn't recommend any budding designers to work for less than £15 per hour. What we do is a skill and by charging clients minimal fees you're doing yourself and your profession an injustice. Also you'll find it very hard to maintain your motivation on the 6th of 7th version of a logo design when you're being paid £9 per hour! To put it into perspective I work for a London digital agency and my flat rate they charge clients is £100 per hour for my time and when they hire contractual designers this can sometimes double. P.S Don't EVER EVER EVER use the live trace tool to replicate a clients logo on a professional job. It's just not.... professional! Cheers for the article but I fear you’re slightly undercutting our profession. I wouldn’t recommend any budding designers to work for less than £15 per hour. What we do is a skill and by charging clients minimal fees you’re doing yourself and your profession an injustice. Also you’ll find it very hard to maintain your motivation on the 6th of 7th version of a logo design when you’re being paid £9 per hour!

To put it into perspective I work for a London digital agency and my flat rate they charge clients is £100 per hour for my time and when they hire contractual designers this can sometimes double.

P.S Don’t EVER EVER EVER use the live trace tool to replicate a clients logo on a professional job. It’s just not…. professional!

]]> By: How to Blog for Business | Blog | Freelance Graphic and Web Designer | Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-117976 How to Blog for Business | Blog | Freelance Graphic and Web Designer | Rob Cubbon Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:44:10 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-117976 [...] searched for “rates that graphic designers charge” and found my blog post about freelance design prices. I couldn’t believe it! I’d written that article as a response to the many questions [...] [...] searched for “rates that graphic designers charge” and found my blog post about freelance design prices. I couldn’t believe it! I’d written that article as a response to the many questions [...]

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-101893 Rob Cubbon Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:36:20 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-101893 Hello <strong>Gainor</strong>, this is a very tricky question. I have seen many, many ongoing discussions about this area as some people charge extra than just the hourly rate as you are giving up the chance of further work. Personally I would just charge the hourly rate plus expenses. However, it's usually best to get an understanding of this in writing before the job starts. Hello Gainor, this is a very tricky question. I have seen many, many ongoing discussions about this area as some people charge extra than just the hourly rate as you are giving up the chance of further work. Personally I would just charge the hourly rate plus expenses. However, it’s usually best to get an understanding of this in writing before the job starts.

]]> By: Gainorhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-101689 Gainor Thu, 14 Oct 2010 04:16:12 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-101689 Thanks Rob. How much should be charged to supply a client with vector graphics? I charge clients at the end of a design job for an archive CD containing raster images of say 4 hi res logos x 3 (formats:jpg,tif,eps) x 4 (colour-ways:BW, RGB, CMYK, PMS) x my hourly rate to process all 48 items. I'f I was to hand over the vectors how would I charge for them? Thanks Rob. How much should be charged to supply a client with vector graphics? I charge clients at the end of a design job for an archive CD containing raster images of say 4 hi res logos x 3 (formats:jpg,tif,eps) x 4 (colour-ways:BW, RGB, CMYK, PMS) x my hourly rate to process all 48 items. I’f I was to hand over the vectors how would I charge for them?

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-87650 Rob Cubbon Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:16:58 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-87650 Good question, Christine, I have emailed you and will return to this subject again Good question, Christine, I have emailed you and will return to this subject again

]]> By: Christinehttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-87510 Christine Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:24:03 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-87510 I am not sure how to charge for working files. Any ideas. I am not sure how to charge for working files. Any ideas.

]]> By: Colichttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-81891 Colic Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:57:14 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-81891 rate for a graphic designer $30-$40 per hour??it is right?? wow, that will be high payment...i really love it..aim to be a good GD in one day =) rate for a graphic designer $30-$40 per hour??it is right?? wow, that will be high payment…i really love it..aim to be a good GD in one day =)

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-79498 Rob Cubbon Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:07:43 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-79498 Hello <strong>Douglas</strong>, I agree being able to use bézier paths well is an absolute mainstay of graphic designer's arsenal. I use both, live trace and the pen tool and a cool way to learn the pen tool is to try to edit the result of a live trace once it's expanded. Took me ages! I would say hardly a day goes by without using paths in some way! Hello Douglas, I agree being able to use bézier paths well is an absolute mainstay of graphic designer’s arsenal. I use both, live trace and the pen tool and a cool way to learn the pen tool is to try to edit the result of a live trace once it’s expanded. Took me ages! I would say hardly a day goes by without using paths in some way!

]]> By: Freelance Graphic Design Rates | Online Freelance Workhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-79404 Freelance Graphic Design Rates | Online Freelance Work Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:54:21 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-79404 [...] What rates should a graphic designer charge? [...] [...] What rates should a graphic designer charge? [...]

]]> By: Douglas Bonnevillehttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-79291 Douglas Bonneville Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:59:39 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-79291 Live trace is cool, but nothing replaces being able to handle the pen tool and bezier paths correctly. I have found over and over that bezier paths, in Illustrator, Photoshop or even InDesign, and of course Fireworks, has been key in my ability to do high quality work. It's absolutely fundamental. Artists need pencils and graphic designers need the "pen tool"... Live trace is cool, but nothing replaces being able to handle the pen tool and bezier paths correctly. I have found over and over that bezier paths, in Illustrator, Photoshop or even InDesign, and of course Fireworks, has been key in my ability to do high quality work. It’s absolutely fundamental. Artists need pencils and graphic designers need the “pen tool”…

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-74382 Rob Cubbon Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:20:36 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-74382 Hi <strong>Abdul</strong>, I write extensively about <a href="http://robcubbon.com/contact-rob-cubbon/" rel="nofollow">Illustrator's Live Trace feature</a> in this website however I would caution against using this tool for a logo. Logo's need to be spot on so if you are re-creating a logo in vector you should go back to the font that was used in the logo or re-trace it manually. Live Trace, although brilliant in recreating images, will not be exact enough for a small logo from the web. It may be OK for a huge bitmap logo 5000px wide at 300ppi but then what would the point of re-tracing that be? Thank you for the comment. Hi Abdul, I write extensively about Illustrator’s Live Trace feature in this website however I would caution against using this tool for a logo. Logo’s need to be spot on so if you are re-creating a logo in vector you should go back to the font that was used in the logo or re-trace it manually. Live Trace, although brilliant in recreating images, will not be exact enough for a small logo from the web. It may be OK for a huge bitmap logo 5000px wide at 300ppi but then what would the point of re-tracing that be? Thank you for the comment.

]]> By: Abdul Eliashttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-74208 Abdul Elias Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:39:24 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-74208 In response to the comment about vectorized logos it is very simple to take almost any size image and vectorize it in illustrator simply by using the live trace tool. sometimes the design is slightly altered by for the most part it doesn't take much more then a couple minutes and isn't such a headache if you some patients. In response to the comment about vectorized logos it is very simple to take almost any size image and vectorize it in illustrator simply by using the live trace tool. sometimes the design is slightly altered by for the most part it doesn’t take much more then a couple minutes and isn’t such a headache if you some patients.

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-73783 Rob Cubbon Sun, 07 Jun 2009 10:44:21 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-73783 Hi, <strong>Andrew</strong>, me too. I roughly estimate a design job by the time I think it's going to take. Sometimes I get it wrong! Thanks for the tweet. You really have taken to Twitter better than I have. I just can't seem to get into a tweeting habit! Mange tak, <strong>Paw</strong>. I hope you enjoy the articles you pick up through the feedreader. Hi, Andrew, me too. I roughly estimate a design job by the time I think it’s going to take. Sometimes I get it wrong! Thanks for the tweet. You really have taken to Twitter better than I have. I just can’t seem to get into a tweeting habit!

Mange tak, Paw. I hope you enjoy the articles you pick up through the feedreader.

]]> By: Paw Hellegaardhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-73755 Paw Hellegaard Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:55:51 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-73755 Thats what i call a great post or in danish: God artikler ven!. So now i have addet your blog to my feed reader, rob - thanks your great! Thats what i call a great post or in danish: God artikler ven!.

So now i have addet your blog to my feed reader, rob – thanks your great!

]]> By: Andrew Kelsallhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-73752 Andrew Kelsall Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:04:00 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-73752 My charging policy is this: I work out how many hours the project will take, and times-it by my hourly rate for most projects. If I do work for charities, organisations and small business, I just reduce my hourly rate, but let these clients know that I am offering a discount. I also offer a 5% discount to projects paid for in full before the project starts. Just had a client who took me up on this policy, and it's good to get paid in full before a job, however, it does add to the stress of it a little! Great post Rob, just Tweeted it out there for you :) My charging policy is this: I work out how many hours the project will take, and times-it by my hourly rate for most projects. If I do work for charities, organisations and small business, I just reduce my hourly rate, but let these clients know that I am offering a discount.

I also offer a 5% discount to projects paid for in full before the project starts. Just had a client who took me up on this policy, and it’s good to get paid in full before a job, however, it does add to the stress of it a little!

Great post Rob, just Tweeted it out there for you :)

]]> By: Rob Cubbonhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-73699 Rob Cubbon Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:51:14 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-73699 Hi <strong>Tracey</strong>, yes, how many times does it happen that the client thinks they've had a logo designed and it turns out to be raster only? It's happened to me many times. Hi Tracey, yes, how many times does it happen that the client thinks they’ve had a logo designed and it turns out to be raster only? It’s happened to me many times.

]]> By: Tracey Gradyhttp://robcubbon.com/what-rates-should-a-graphic-designer-charge/#comment-73682 Tracey Grady Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:38:39 +0000 http://robcubbon.com/?p=568#comment-73682 Getting a quality logo file (i.e. vector not raster) from the client is ideal but can potentially be very tricky. It's good that you've included this in your list, especially the need to factor in re-drawing the logo if EPS or AI format isn't available. Getting a quality logo file (i.e. vector not raster) from the client is ideal but can potentially be very tricky. It’s good that you’ve included this in your list, especially the need to factor in re-drawing the logo if EPS or AI format isn’t available.

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