Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you charge?
Prices vary according to the complexity of the design, how quickly you need the work, and how much image manipulation is involved. Every project is uniquely different and deserves to be treated as such. A free no-obligation quote can be given before any work is undertaken. Please send me an email (craftyjoe@gmail.com) detailing what you are after and we can work from there.
What files/information do I need to supply?
A good brief is essential to any design work. The better the brief, the more closely the end product will match what you want. A brief should usually include: the look you are aiming for, any photos you may have that you want included (must be large/good quality), the content you want included, your budget, any time constraints, your contact details and any other information you think may be important. Sometimes it is also helpful to include examples of other logos/leaflets/styles that you like.
Can you write the copy for me?
If writing copy is not your strong point, this can be done for you. This gets outsourced to a very experienced journalist, and is charged at the same hourly rate as the design work. Once again, a quote will be given for this before any work is done.
Can you take professional photos for me?
Photographs can make or break a design. A good photograph is one of the most powerful tools you can use in your marketing. A bad (poor quality) photograph can ruin even the best design. It is therefore important that you choose your photos carefully. If you're struggling to find a decent photograph, you have a couple of options: 1) hire a professional freelance photographer to take the photos for you, or 2) browse an image stock agency for an equivalent. Both of these can be arranged for you. The freelance photographer can only service the Adelaide and Fleurieu region of South Australia. A quote of the price involved will be provided before any work is done.
Can I print my leaflets on my home printer?
Usually leaflets/flyers are designed for use by professional printers. The document is set up to the exact size it needs to be cropped to. You can, of course, still print the professional printer's version on your home printer, but you won't be able to tile it so that it prints more than one leaflet per side. So, if you're wanting to print the flyer from your home printer, a separate version can be created for you. This way you can fit up to three flyers on one sheet of A4, and then trim them to size yourself.
Can you set up my letterhead with my logo in Word?
Yes. This is a relatively quick process.
I have pictures from the internet, can I use them?
Pictures from the internet tend to be quite low quality (ie: they are smaller so that they load faster on webpages). Usually it is inadvisable to use photos from the internet as they will be too grainy when printed. Also, it is worth noting that all images on the internet are copyrighted by the people who made the photo/image in the first place. This means that they can't be used for printing/commercial purposes, unless you buy they from a stock image agency (such as www.istockphoto.com) with their printing rights.
What if I have some changes to make?
You will be provided with a maximum of three free proofs. More can be bought if necessary. Any changes you want to make need to be done when you see the proofs. Ideally, the copy you submit should be as close to being final as possible. If you need help with the copy, we have a professional journalist who can help you out at the usual rate. See Can you write the copy for me? section on this page.
Do you print the artwork yourself?
No. All printing is outsourced to professional printers. We contact several different printers to make sure that we can get the best deal for the job.
Can I use my own printing contact?
Yes. If you have a preferred printer you like to use, we can supply you with the files the printer will need and you can contact the printer directly yourself.
What are digital design conversions from picture files? (Raster to Vector conversion)
If you have a drawing/illustration that you want converted from a picture to a scalable vector file (one which can be blown up to any size without picture deterioration), then Craftyjoe can do this for you. You may also want to use this service if you've only got a low res (low quality) version of your logo and want to make it large enough to fit on larger materials, or for embroidery on clothing.
NB: it is important for you to have the original artwork copyright for this. Any liability for copyright infringement is solely down to the supplier of the image.
What is the difference between CMYK and RGB?
Professional printers use a maximum of four colours when they print. These ink colours mix together to make any colour you can think of. Each colour has its own 'plate' - C = cyan (blue), M = magenta (pink), Y = yellow, K = black. All documents that get sent to printers need to be in CMYK. This includes artwork you supply to magazines, newspapers, etc.
Cameras, the internet, computers, TVs, and Microsoft Word all use RGB (you will notice these three colours on any TV projector). These three light colours mix together to make any colour you can think of too. R = red, G = green, B = blue. This means that if you take a photo on your camera, or take pictures from the internet their colours will be in RGB and need to be converted to CMYK in order for them to be printable in ink. This conversion is very easy and is done for you by a designer.
However, the important thing to note is that RGB colours and CMYK colours do NOT match exactly.
They usually appear slightly duller once they are converted to CMYK. For example, a bright green in RGB will convert to a slightly darker green in CMYK. This is important to note if you are wanting to colour match a printed document with one you have seen on the internet or made yourself in Word.
Your home printer also prints in CMYK. This is why when you print a photo on your home printer, the colours will sometimes not quite come out how they appear on screen.
Prices vary according to the complexity of the design, how quickly you need the work, and how much image manipulation is involved. Every project is uniquely different and deserves to be treated as such. A free no-obligation quote can be given before any work is undertaken. Please send me an email (craftyjoe@gmail.com) detailing what you are after and we can work from there.
What files/information do I need to supply?
A good brief is essential to any design work. The better the brief, the more closely the end product will match what you want. A brief should usually include: the look you are aiming for, any photos you may have that you want included (must be large/good quality), the content you want included, your budget, any time constraints, your contact details and any other information you think may be important. Sometimes it is also helpful to include examples of other logos/leaflets/styles that you like.
Can you write the copy for me?
If writing copy is not your strong point, this can be done for you. This gets outsourced to a very experienced journalist, and is charged at the same hourly rate as the design work. Once again, a quote will be given for this before any work is done.
Can you take professional photos for me?
Photographs can make or break a design. A good photograph is one of the most powerful tools you can use in your marketing. A bad (poor quality) photograph can ruin even the best design. It is therefore important that you choose your photos carefully. If you're struggling to find a decent photograph, you have a couple of options: 1) hire a professional freelance photographer to take the photos for you, or 2) browse an image stock agency for an equivalent. Both of these can be arranged for you. The freelance photographer can only service the Adelaide and Fleurieu region of South Australia. A quote of the price involved will be provided before any work is done.
Can I print my leaflets on my home printer?
Usually leaflets/flyers are designed for use by professional printers. The document is set up to the exact size it needs to be cropped to. You can, of course, still print the professional printer's version on your home printer, but you won't be able to tile it so that it prints more than one leaflet per side. So, if you're wanting to print the flyer from your home printer, a separate version can be created for you. This way you can fit up to three flyers on one sheet of A4, and then trim them to size yourself.
Can you set up my letterhead with my logo in Word?
Yes. This is a relatively quick process.
I have pictures from the internet, can I use them?
Pictures from the internet tend to be quite low quality (ie: they are smaller so that they load faster on webpages). Usually it is inadvisable to use photos from the internet as they will be too grainy when printed. Also, it is worth noting that all images on the internet are copyrighted by the people who made the photo/image in the first place. This means that they can't be used for printing/commercial purposes, unless you buy they from a stock image agency (such as www.istockphoto.com) with their printing rights.
What if I have some changes to make?
You will be provided with a maximum of three free proofs. More can be bought if necessary. Any changes you want to make need to be done when you see the proofs. Ideally, the copy you submit should be as close to being final as possible. If you need help with the copy, we have a professional journalist who can help you out at the usual rate. See Can you write the copy for me? section on this page.
Do you print the artwork yourself?
No. All printing is outsourced to professional printers. We contact several different printers to make sure that we can get the best deal for the job.
Can I use my own printing contact?
Yes. If you have a preferred printer you like to use, we can supply you with the files the printer will need and you can contact the printer directly yourself.
What are digital design conversions from picture files? (Raster to Vector conversion)
If you have a drawing/illustration that you want converted from a picture to a scalable vector file (one which can be blown up to any size without picture deterioration), then Craftyjoe can do this for you. You may also want to use this service if you've only got a low res (low quality) version of your logo and want to make it large enough to fit on larger materials, or for embroidery on clothing.
NB: it is important for you to have the original artwork copyright for this. Any liability for copyright infringement is solely down to the supplier of the image.
What is the difference between CMYK and RGB?
Professional printers use a maximum of four colours when they print. These ink colours mix together to make any colour you can think of. Each colour has its own 'plate' - C = cyan (blue), M = magenta (pink), Y = yellow, K = black. All documents that get sent to printers need to be in CMYK. This includes artwork you supply to magazines, newspapers, etc.
Cameras, the internet, computers, TVs, and Microsoft Word all use RGB (you will notice these three colours on any TV projector). These three light colours mix together to make any colour you can think of too. R = red, G = green, B = blue. This means that if you take a photo on your camera, or take pictures from the internet their colours will be in RGB and need to be converted to CMYK in order for them to be printable in ink. This conversion is very easy and is done for you by a designer.
However, the important thing to note is that RGB colours and CMYK colours do NOT match exactly.
They usually appear slightly duller once they are converted to CMYK. For example, a bright green in RGB will convert to a slightly darker green in CMYK. This is important to note if you are wanting to colour match a printed document with one you have seen on the internet or made yourself in Word.
Your home printer also prints in CMYK. This is why when you print a photo on your home printer, the colours will sometimes not quite come out how they appear on screen.