Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
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Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
Re: Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ElevenOTwelve
ultimately it would be best to learn yourself. you'll save a lot of money and have 100% creative control.
Not necessarily. Do what your best at and delegate to others what you can't. I would suggest learning the basics to create some of your non art intensive graphic projects.
As for finding a good artist, I do two things.
1. Find the artists portfolio and look at there work, is it the same aesthetic as yours.
2. Google their name and see what you can find out.
3* Bonus, talk to them about their ideas, artists can not read minds.
Re: Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReThink Clothing
Not necessarily. Do what your best at and delegate to others what you can't. I would suggest learning the basics to create some of your non art intensive graphic projects.
As for finding a good artist, I do two things.
1. Find the artists portfolio and look at there work, is it the same aesthetic as yours.
2. Google their name and see what you can find out.
3* Bonus, talk to them about their ideas, artists can not read minds.
That sounds like great advice. It also helps if they're knowledgeable particularly about creating art to be printed on a t-shirt.
Re: Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
Quote:
Originally Posted by CloseToGhost
offer money or other disireable incentives.
LOL. What are some other desirable incentives? "Hey, I'll make you the 'Art Director' of my company, you get the business cards that say it right on there."
Re: Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
There are a lot of artist avilable, but not a lot of them have ever seperated a design and had it print. So be specific, you want someone that has skills in screen printing. Hopefully someone that can actually screen print if they had to get their hands dirty.
Any Joe Blow can come up with some radical design in PhotoShop or some other program. But can they actually make it printable and not waste a lot of your hard earned money.
The reason i got out of commercial art about 10 years ago was the market in my area was flooded in new, fresh out of art school artist. But not 1 in 10 could actually seperate job for any sort of printing. It drove down the saleries of people like me that has skills until i could not survive in the market any more.
Since then things have changed, somewhat. There are still a lot of can't seperate a 2 color job people in my area. But people that want artwork done right have a few good artist to choose from.
Ask to see printed sample of their work not just on paper or online. I have a closet full of stuff from back when i started to now to show people.
You'll find someone, just as a lot of questions and fine someone that has skills working in the program you want used in your shop.
Good luck
Fry
Re: Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
It really depends on the investment you're willing to commit to.
If you just need a small design job to be done, then outsourcing it through sites like freelancer.com is an affordable option with fairly quick turnaround time.
If you would like to commit a bit more to having a designer with you, I would suggest posting an ad in your local Craigslist. It will be a bit time consuming to find someone you'll work well with, but there are plenty of designers out there looking for work (even part-time on per project).
Lastly, you'll definitely need to learn the basics of design. Communication with designers is key to get a design you like. But communication is based on understanding design principles, design and designers.
I hope that what helpful. If you have any more questions, just ask :-)
Re: Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts
Design skills are important and prior experience with screen printing is a bonus, but I agree with JohnBee that a lot of experience will come on the job. Every shop is unique in their process so even a seasoned designer will have adjustments to make. In my opinion the most important quality in a designer is their willingness and ability to learn. Adapting to new programs, processes, customer requests, problem solving, etc. is crucial.
Apart from the above I'd consider dependability and speed more important than either design skills or experience. It doesn't matter how awesome a designer is if they don't show or can't keep up with the demands of production. Look for an individual you believe is motivated to invest in themselves and their work and their abilities will improve with experience.
This is a discussion about Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts that was posted in the Graphics and Design Help section of the forums.
Looking for tips on how to go about hiring a graphics artist for t-shirts 
