THE FREELANCE LIFE | Things I’ve Learned So Far. Part Five. Working Tips!

These are a few random tips about designing + dealing with clients + working in general that I’ve picked up. I wish I knew these things when I was first starting, so hopefully they’ll help some of you out!

- Always get at least a 50% deposit. No matter how big/small the project is. Cover yourself from the get go.
Once you get to work with clients you’ll know if you can trust them or not, and you might be able to become a bit more relaxed on this.

- Ask questions. Ask as many questions as possible about what the client has in mind for the design style, then put your design mind to use, and create an inspiration board. This is super easy to do + it helps both of you get a good idea of where to take the project. I have a bit of a mini questionnaire that I give to my clients to get a better idea of where they want to go with the design. Just things like what type style they prefer, colour preferences, anything to stay away from, etc.

- Use templates when sending the artwork.
Don’t just send basic JPGS/PDF’s. I like to use a pretty basic template, with very minimal info/text, to keep the focus purely on the artwork. Just my logo and basic info on the cover page. Then on each proceeding page a tiny bit of info about each option. Just basic info like ‘About Eve Logo Design. v03. March 2012.’ So you & the client can easily see where you’re at. See the example below…

- Start using an invoicing app.
I started off using Invoice Machine. I’ve migrated to Freshbooks now, but I highly recommend Invoice Machine if you’re just starting out. It’s easy to use + you can send invoices & estimates straight from the website.

- Give yourself time! Don’t rush things. Design something, then sit on it for a day or two, then go back to it.
You might have a completely new idea that you never thought of before. Fresh eyes can make all the difference.

- Cover yourself every which way possible in your quotes.
This includes things like including how many revisions are in the price, how much you’ll charge if the client goes over that, and any other terms you want to include. The last thing you want is for the client to come back and say ‘oh but this was/wasn’t included in the quote?’. I’m still in the process of nailing my quotes/invoices etc, so I’ll share more on this when I’ve got it a bit more sorted.

THE FREELANCE LIFE | Things I’ve Learned So Far. Part Four. Do your thing! + Freebies!

I think I may have mentioned this in one or two other posts, but one of the things I’ve picked up lately is that you have to stop asking for permission & advice, and just do it. Whatever you want to do, just freakin do it. Stop asking for permission. If you’re onto something good, then it will work out, and if it’s a dud, they hey, you learnt something.

Lately I’ve found the less I ask for people’s opinions, and the more I just start doing, the better it is. Whatever your thing is, just start doing more of it! Doing more of what you love leads to amazing things.

I’ve also made the above image as freebie wallpapers for your computer/iPhone/iPad! I find that having these kind of quotes in your face all the time really helps. A constant reminder to keep at it.

Click here to download!

*I might start going for a record of the longest blog post title ever with this series. I’d be in with a chance.

*Graphics were created especially for twelvebyone.wordpress.com, please do not re-distribute, all links must be placed back to this original blog post.

Freebie Friday!

Free wallpaper for you…

Inspiration from this song by Art vs Science, With thoughts. Love these guys.

We realise
And light the fire
Stare into the world
Behind your eyes

Keep on thinking beautiful
With thoughts
We create the world

Click on the image or click here to download!

12 Things: Creative Resources

There are goodies on here that non-creatives can use too! I’ve been wanting to write a post like this for a while, as sometimes I find there is a lack of helpful posts for designers & creatives alike, with resources and sites to help you out and inspire you. If you guys dig it, I’ll be sure to post some more! But I’ve been compiling this list over a couple of weeks, to make it chocca with goodies to get you sorted.

The cost to start something today is zero. There is nothing stopping you from creating a magazine, a book, a blog, a how-to guide, the list goes on. All you have to do is have a gem of an idea, and you’re away. Wether you’re a designer, a blogger, a photographer, a writer, anything… Hopefully there’s at least one thing on this list that appeals to you & gets you inspired to create something, or maybe it’s just a tool to help you out. You may have heard of some of the links before, as there are a few big companies in there, but it never fails to surprise me how many people have never heard of a couple of these dudes!

There are a couple of sites with resources that you do pay for, but the quality of what they offer is second to none. If you don’t feel like busting out the credit card, just enter ‘free’ into the search and go for your life! You’d be surprised how many free fonts/photos etc some of them have…

1 // LOST TYPE CO-OP – A font resource, they have a pretty sweet range, and they are all on a pay-what-you-want basis, so it’s up to you how much you pay them! You can even put in $0 if you want them for free…

2 // NANAMEE – Stock photography/vector website. Their range is a bit cooler/more contemporary than some of the stuff you might find on iStock etc. (pic below)

3 // YOU WORK FOR THEM – Font goodness! The sister to Nanamee. This is my new go-to site for buying fonts.

4 // BLURB – Blurb is an online self publishing tool, they’re probably one of the best out there. The possibilities are endless with what you could do, they have HEAPS of sizes/options. Photo books, portfolios, you name it. I go crazy just thinking of the possibilities.

5 // MAGCLOUD - We use MagCloud to print 16HOURS, it’s very similar to Blurb, but the stock & size options are more magazine based, as opposed to the heavier stock & hardcover options that Blurb offer. They’re prices are pretty good, and they’ve just introduced a smaller digest size!

6 // DINPATTERN – Totally free patterns, to use personally or commercially, for the web or screen! (There is a fee for using them in print, but hey, go for your life on your blog/website!)

7 // MOO – These guys are pretty massive, so if you’re a designer chances are you would have heard of them, but for those that haven’t, check em! They print business cards, postcards & stickers. Their prices are pretty good too, the only thing that kills it for non US peeps is the shipping. My business cards are from Moo & the quality of their work is top notch!

8 // THE NOUN PROJECT- I’ve only recently found this beauty, it’s a resource for free public icons, some have copyright restrictions on them, but the majority are available for use wherever/however you want! Awesome! (pic below)

9 // ZAZZLE – I haven’t brought anything from these guys before, but they do have a massive range of things you can customsie, from t-shirts to stickers to folders… and more.

10 // BITTBOXX – One of the better resources for high res images + design goodies.

11 // THE INVOICE MACHINE – An awesome online invoicing tool, I swear by it! Super easy to use, customisable templates, & heaps more. The thing I love about it is that with it being a website you can access it anywhere, so you’re not restricted to access just on your own computer. (pic below)

12 // CARGO - It still surprises me how many creatives have never heard of Cargo… It’s a creative publishing platform, I use it for my portfolio website, and it’s awesome! Super easy to use, lots of templates, customisable CSS + heaps more. Check it.

And that’s the 12! Enjoy. Get inspired + make things.

*The header image was used with a photo/illustration that I got of Nanamee for free! So yep, they’re free digs are rad too! Of course these free photos etc have copyright restrictions, so PLEASE read them & respect them.