I’ve been looking at the graphic design business and I’ve seen almost all of the place from professional to amateur offer a ‘free quote’. Maybe I’m just projecting here, but this concept just seems a tad pretentious.
I mean making graphics on a digital program isn’t something you really need to quote, heck it isn’t even something one should charge for; it’s almost too easy to create an uninspired piece of vector art these days and most companies do. Another aspect of the quote I don’t get is the fact that there aren’t too many expenses that need to be taken into account. No room and board, no supplies, jobs don’t vary according to size of file. Everything that costs money to create your art is essentially part of your living expenses. Which is being paid for by the asking price of the job itself, unless that person has another source of income.
I’m not trying to insult the graphic design business, I’m trying to get some information here. A majority of the crowd seem to be grown children who’ve never developed a business sense while trying to do so while running a graphic design business.
So I ask any graphics designers. Do you just use the ‘free quote’ as your business’ dick extension or as a badge telling everyone you’re professional for reals? Excuse the crude language but I’m just calling it like I see it.
But how are any of those supplies the clients problem? Those are things one should have already accquired by their own devices in ordr to start their business.
Take some responsibilty designers.
The fonts I can see though. The rest are dog shit excuses.
Quotes are there because graphic design work varies by the complexity of design and what the client wants. Some projects will only take a few hours from start and finish while others take many days, such as designing an entire website. It wouldn’t be fair to the client or designer to simply charge a flat rate for, say, a logo, when they take different amounts of time. The quote is an estimation of how many hours the graphic designer will work on a project.
There are supplies: buying the art programs, which are very expensive, tablets, training and education, upgrades to programs, the latest computers and equipment, cameras and photography supplies if necessary, purchasing unique fonts, purchasing other resources, etc.
Yes, there are some graphic designers who produce poor work, but there are also many who have excellent, professional, high-quality work. Take a look at the interviews on psdtuts.com for examples.