These are all true stories; names have been changed to protect the guilty.

<rant>

1. Don't create an 8-page brochure in PowerPoint

2. Don't create brochures totally in Photoshop (text and all)

3. Don't create black text in four colours instead of just black (or black and 1 other colour)

4. Don't use text below 5 or 6 point unless you want to piss off everyone over 30, especially reversed text (white on black)

5. Don't use spot colours on process jobs

6. Don't use process colours on spot colour jobs

7. Don't use Microsoft Publisher

9. Don't forget to check spelling and phone numbers - a minute now saves $3000 tomorrow

10. Don't leave "Welcome to Adobe Golive" as the title of your webpage

11. Don't use internet graphics in print publications

12. Don't take product photos using a blue tarp as backdrop or a bunch of dirty boxes or half of someone’s foot

13. Don't assume... just don't

14. Don't think the colour is right on your screen.. it's not, check a reference

15. Don't forget to make backups

16. Don't forget to get the specs double checked

17. Don't shoot the messenger.. it's not their fault

</rant>

Don't know? Then ask!
Don't ask.. if you aren't going to listen.


I get at least five of these things every week which usually end up costing either the designer time or their client money. A Good design is not enough by itself; you have to have a good technical knowledge of how to design correctly. If you don't, then it will end up costing someone money. Most people will answer questions for free because it saves on Advil later.


Ahh that feels better :)

freakyclean

Damn I love this post! Good show freaky!

*steel gives it five stars!*

its funny cuz i have no idea of what half of that stuff is, that you talked about :p

:D Great post!

Yeah, awesome post. Heap of good guidelines to live by.

Ashamedly i have done a couple of those.

Mainly 2, 7 and 11.
However, the brochure which i was doing, was a simple flyer which needed to be prepared in 5 minutes. Pagemaker was on cd, Photoshop was installed. It was printed on a laser, and wasnt that bad.

As for 7 and 11, i didnt have anything else to use, and again it was a small brochure, and printed on a home laser/inkjet

Great post! I know how ya feel. I had a rant the other day, didn't think it was approapriate for this forum though. Took a couple hours of constant typing in Word. I think I vented every thing I hate about the graphics community. I doubt I'll ever post it, atleast without a strong warning before reading. It'll upset a lot of people, even though it's the truth... :O

I have those days too dt. ;)

why not use net graphics on print pubs? lol saves time :D especially if you hae mutliple jobs crammed in say a few days :D

*Pulls Hair*

I ran into a forum a long time ago that had a string over 250 posts long all from designers with stories about clients. I'll give a couple of the best ones if I can remember how they go.

#1. Disk
Client: I have a long document for the content of the site. How do you want me to get it to you?
Designer: You can email me the word file or put it onto a floppy.
Client: That sounds easy.
Next day client brings in a floppy with the document written on label on the outside of the floppy!!!!

#2. Website Re-do
Sales Rep: The client doesn't like the colors of the website. Can we redo the who thing by tomorrow at 10.
Designer: Umm no!
Sales Rep: Why not, you just need to punch a few keys on the keyboard, its all you guys do all day long.
Designer: Actually it is possible!
Sales Rep: Great!
Designer: Ya I'll just pull my magical fairie out of my ass. You see when I am not able to meet a deadline I just call on this fairie and it sprinkles your a dumb ass dust onto my cpu and the project is done instantly.

Anyway in other words I know how you guys feel.

Cheers!

i wish you could find that site again, man that was some funny stuff.

I believe I have that website mentioned above bookmarked. Enjoy. http://www.tofslie.com/clientquotes.htm

Thanks for that link, this was so fun in reading.....and I have been in some of those positions before...............but some of them take the biscuit.....

I believe I have that website mentioned above bookmarked. Enjoy. http://www.tofslie.com/clientquotes.htm

You rock. :grinning:

just to check when you say dont use spot colours on a process job you mean dont try to make a spot colour out of cmyk, its still ok to run a spot colour as a spot colour on a cmyk job to enhance areas of a certain colour ( if that makes sense)

I shot the messenger once... I buried him in a ditch

just to check when you say dont use spot colours on a process job you mean dont try to make a spot colour out of cmyk, its still ok to run a spot colour as a spot colour on a cmyk job to enhance areas of a certain colour ( if that makes sense)

If it's a process job it should not have spot colours. If it is a process + spot colour job then it is fine to use spot colours (you are paying extra for each spot colour). If you use spot colours on a process only job they will end up converted to CMYK (unless something goes wrong and they just disappear), depending on the spot colour this could alter the colour in you file greatly.

good post for me to go by, since im a student in graphic design...
thanks again :grin2:

Oh. My. God!
I've just spent the last hour or so reading these and laughing my ass off!
Sadly, I've also heard a lot of these things firsthand. My sides are aching from laughing so much.
On a related note, the list of do's and dont's that got this thread kicked into gear is something that every designer (print OR web) should have printed and posted visibly-- kind of like an OSHA thing.

great "dont's" tips. any "do's"? :cool:

I cannot tell you enough how much it would please your printers for these guidelines to be followed. :grin2: Great post. Please redirect/link EVERY designer to this thread...

I should know I am a Prep_God after all. :bowdown:


please feel free to stop into our actual worldwide Prepress forum at www.prepressforums.com and visit the forums area, you will find a new freelance/graphic design section, as well as assistance from the best in print and prepress. Quick responses, lots of daily site activity, and highly skilled "big name" professionals from companies such as Agfa, Adobe, Heidelberg and more... Stop on in and see us. :alc:

Prep God........are you spamming our wee forum ?
My banning finger is sooooooooooooooooo Icthy !!!!

Spamming? no. I REALLY like this post and thought it was helpful and thought the other site would be helpful to designers alike. Sorry, if I did anything wrong. Its just a link.

Hey Prep, our mods can be a bit protective at times - it comes from having to deal with alot of spammers. ;)

believe me I understand..., we do the same over at PPF. We all really care about the "face" of the community. So yea. Sorry again, if I stepped on toes.. only trying to be helpful. But REALLY come check us out. ALOT of highly trained professionals offering free help and advice for the print sector of the market. btw.. im posting a link to here over there as well so that those folks will know about your forum. :grin2:

Hey Prep, our mods can be a bit protective at times - it comes from having to deal with alot of spammers. ;)
Yeah!.......but glad to see that you were for real, my Icthy banning finger feels better- welcome to the forum Prep !

thanx scotty. I appreciate it. I am here to help and be helped... never to sell. and never to smell... :p

Got it all jotted down in my notebook, and will remember!!! Thanks.

Classic list.... I've done 2,11, and 14 at some point in time. I still see some sites that leave the Adobe GoLive in the title too.

Hey, who's gonna do the "do's"??? I know a lot of it would be opinionated, but I would *love* to see someone do an exact negative paralell of this thread post. Maybe even combine the both with a comparative chart.

Very good point, focusyou.
I can start with one.

Do:
1. Do ensure that you fully understand all aspects of the assingment before beginning the actual work.

2. Do take the time to read through everything twice and then get a mate to do the same.

3. Do make backups of your work.

Do:
1. give a f*** about the ideas of the wannabe art directors (often they didnt know how to open a file in ps)

2. only do what you want and the ideas you have in your head.

3. as haumovie said, but place the backups at a save place. (on top on the microwave its a bad place)

4. buy a big calendar and make a big X at the day the deadline is.

5. know what your partner do (if you work in a group)

6. make sure that you have enough coffee at work (and for the smokers, enough cigaretts)

these points i do at every job i do.

the important of all do´s is: say what you think.
but it brings a problem, often you became trouble, but mostly they respect you after you say what you think. because not everyone say what he thinks.

Do's
1. Get an understanding and idea of the job task ahead of time. Client's don't understand or like.. "I need more time."

2. Make 2 backups. One on disk one on HD of all work being done. That way if you lose one you have the other. But if you lose one.. make sure to back it up again so you always have 2 backups.

3. Be innovative..think outside of the box. Even if it gets shot down by A.D. or Client you can throw it in the trick bag for later use.

4. Keep a healthy supply of inspiration and references within hands reach.

5. When in doubt look it up. The few minutes to find the problem now can save millions of dollars later.

6. Always communicate with your team members about projects. Even if you make a minor change to something let everyone know.

7. Always communicate with your printer. Nuff' Said.

8. Keep a snack in or at your desk. It helps during the afternoon to get your sugars going again.

9. Stay positive.. it helps you, your co-workers, your work, and your environment.

and a don't
1. Don't insult clients in any fashion.

Calling a project a name outside the original
Complaining about the project in any fashion - it can and just might get back to the client
Naming files or folders on your computer anything negative - such as "The Stupid Project Images"

3. Naming files or folders on your computer anything negative - such as "The Stupid Project Images"

:rofl: