I think I've reached my limit.

[shirbit]

awhile back I posted a comment about a brochure layout I was working on, and that the client wanted to be able to update it himself...the only thing I could think of was to lay it out in a tool he had, so he can edit it...but now I'm learning he thinks the layout in Word is what you would share with people. No no no. That's so wrong. Anyway, I tried to explain how crappy and unprofessional that will look. And the primary way of sharinng this will be pdf's and they want all these photos int he bkgd..which in my opinion look like crap when you view a pdf, and it will be low res to keep the file small to email etc, so I'm trying to tell the guy all this, and NOW he asks me if I can GIVE him my copy of Illustrator...

I just don't quite know how to communicate that you hire people to do this type of work, because that is what they do...dunno...just bugs me.

had to vent.

sb

[uncle carbunkle]

i hear ya. i was on a contract for a major canadian retail/automotive outlet as a multimedia/graphics consultant (ah, yes...beware the multi-titled position...) who wanted me to layout their departmental manual....using a program that the informational designers could update later, (i was only making an editable 'template', or so i was told). well, i'm glad that this was at the end of my contract, because the program that was readily available to the entire corporation was, *tada!*: word. so bad. so, so bad.

i explained until i was blue in the face that once they made any changes, it'd look like i piece of junk that was made in word... didn't make a difference. so, MY end product looked low-budget, but decent. the latest edition....well..... not so much, or so i've heard.

i suspect that if the client wants to update it later himself, it's because he doesn't want to pay you again. so, because we aren't going to advocate software piracy to clients, i would make it perfectly clear that doing it in word is wrong, but if he wants to eat tuna at the price of salmon - that's his decision. then don't work for him again. or tell anyone that you did his brochure.

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In
practice, there is.

[shirbit]

I don't understand why those of us in a creative field are so undervalued...I get so frustrated by the opinion that 'it's easy to do'...it'll only take you a few seconds...looks easy so it must be easy...everyone seems to want stuff for free. I even have friends pushing for work or free software and it puts me in an uncomfortable position. This was a good learning experience but left me feeling a little bitter. I try to equate my 'work' with anyone else's work...you wouldn't go asking your doctor for free advice or hey, loan me your manuals and I can treat myself?

Just sucks.

sb

[shirbit]

I came across these links. New to the contract world...these are great starting points to customize.


http://www.pepfx.com/design/logodesign_conditions.php
http://www.thelogofactory.com/terms.html
http://www.templatecentral.com/products/logos/logostermsandcondcust.asp
http://designforum.aiga.org/resources/file/1/9/8/ch5_cohen.pdf

sb

[defjoe]

With people like this... I let them hang themselves. Sit him down in front of Illustrator and tell him this is a free trial. See what you can do.

1 minute later I GUARANTEE he will be saying 'uhmm.. no thanks'.

Tools!

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'

[D-Zine]

haha yeah that is a great idea actually!

http://coastalcarousel.com/GDF/metatag3.jpg

Who says doodling isn't constructive?!

[LTG]

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?product=27&platform=Windows

Here's the address for the tryout version of illustrator cs - I think I'd tell him that he can try it himself and then buy it himself if he thinks he can actually produce something with it and then I'd say goodbye.

If it wasn't for the last minute nothing would ever get done.
(When I grow up I want to be just like Keyare! He does excellent work - even when he's trying to not to.)