1970s inspired flyer

[@GCarlD]

Completely disagree with you there.

What do you gain from removing it? Absolutely nothing.

Providing your credit actually fits with the design, you're shooting yourself in the foot by removing it. These days, flyers are used for digital distribution, not just physical - you're increasing your potential audience by leaving it on. Heck, people may see it and check you out - but those people might not go to the event and ask (or remember for that matter) to pick up a business card.

Leave your credit on there, just make sure it works in the design.

Leaving it on there makes it look tacky, desperate and unprofessional.

If it was for digital distribution where people could purchase the flyer for example, then it could be on there for the preview but removed once purchased. If it was just standard digital distribution then designer details would all be in the credits.

Business cards are far more beneficial, people are more likely to carry them in their wallets or even hand them out to friends if they take a few. Also, business cards are more noticeable and effective as a single ID entity rather than a tiny credit added on the bottom of a flyer, some people may not even notice it enough to pay attention to it. A good business card will force a person to pick it up.

 

[Tim Timbo Bullock]

Leaving it on there makes it look tacky, desperate and unprofessional.

If it was for digital distribution where people could purchase the flyer for example, then it could be on there for the preview but removed once purchased. If it was just standard digital distribution then designer details would all be in the credits.

It only makes it look tacky if it doesn't enhance the design. Do you believe that an artist signing his work is unprofessional? What's wrong with having a credit on artwork?

 

[@GCarlD]

It only makes it look tacky if it doesn't enhance the design.

I can't think of anything I have seen where having your credits somewhere tiny on a design 'enhances' it.

Do you believe that an artist signing his work is unprofessional? What's wrong with having a credit on artwork?

That's a difference between an artist and a designer.

 

[@GCarlD]

The only time I really notice someones credit on a design is with social media artwork. For example, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook etc, banners/backgrounds. But 9 times out of 10, those 'designers' aren't really designers, as professionals don't tend to do work like that. They are more for amateur 'Photoshoppers' for lack of a better term.

 

[wavyglanbles]

Hey guys

I just wanted to say that I showed my client a final flyer today and she's really happy with it, and it's ready for printing.

I also wanted to thank all of you for your help, I really appreciate constructive criticism as it helps improve my all round work. So glad I discovered this forum.

By the way, I decided to keep the artist details on the flyer in the end, as the client herself insisted on it.

 

[wavyglanbles]

Oh CLHB, I know what you mean by the background. I did go back to the original grass texture rather than changing the colour as the client liked it when I showed her.

 

[Tim Timbo Bullock]

I can't think of anything I have seen where having your credits somewhere tiny on a design 'enhances' it. {/QUOTE]



That's a difference between an artist and a designer.

Yeesh. You don't consider what you do art? You don't consider design art?

The only time I really notice someones credit on a design is with social media artwork. For example, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook etc, banners/backgrounds. But 9 times out of 10, those 'designers' aren't really designers, as professionals don't tend to do work like that. They are more for amateur 'Photoshoppers' for lack of a better term.

Well, I guess that makes me, and countless others, amateur 'Photoshoppers'.

Lets not get confused here. Most of us aren't working at a huge design agency - so having the opportunity to credit work is always welcomed (it increases our potential audience) - there is nothing wrong with crediting work.

 

[@GCarlD]

Yeesh. You don't consider what you do art? You don't consider design art?



Well, I guess that makes me, and countless others, amateur 'Photoshoppers'.

Lets not get confused here. Most of us aren't working at a huge design agency - so having the opportunity to credit work is always welcomed (it increases our potential audience) - there is nothing wrong with crediting work.

Art is subjective; every one interprets a piece of art differently, it is to each owns taste and point of view which determines what they understand from the art in question. That's what makes art great and art, well art..

Design is very deliberate; Good design says "this is me and this is what I do and why." Everyones should understand a piece of design in the same way or at least very similar ways. If they don't, then the designer has failed with the design in question. Design is clear, precise and to the point.

I consider what I do as design. Graphic design to be precise. I am not an artist, I am a graphic designer. While I may sometimes use 'arty' / illustrative elements in my work, I use them carefully for the purpose of design, not for the purpose of art.

Have you heard the famous quote "Design is the order given to the chaos that is Art."?

 

[@GCarlD]

And just to make clear, there is nothing wrong with creating banners/ backgrounds for social media sites and profiles. I was just pointing out that it is not something professional graphic designers tend to do for work/jobs for several numerous reasons.

Crediting yourself is very important, when done in the right way. Whether you work for a huge design agency or not.

 

[Tim Timbo Bullock]

And just to make clear, there is nothing wrong with creating banners/ backgrounds for social media sites and profiles. I was just pointing out that it is not something professional graphic designers tend to do for work/jobs for several numerous reasons.

Crediting yourself is very important, when done in the right way. Whether you work for a huge design agency or not.

So there's nothing wrong with crediting at the bottom of a flyer - it's not desperate, it's a signature. Surely if anything can be described as desperate, it would be using social media to ask for work?

As for "I was just pointing out that it is not something professional graphic designers tend to do for work/jobs for several numerous reasons." - I create numerous flyers, posters etc and always credit - a lot of the work I do is for events, mainly for gigs, but I always credit - the reach of the artwork will always be beneficial - heck, I've received countless commissions; I hear "I loved your *INSERT BAND NAME* poster, we'd love you to design for us" on a weekly basis.

I would be almost inclined to agree with you that you don't need to credit, had this flyer been a generic, non-event advert. But it's one event, with a deadline on reach. You might as well make the most of that opportunity.

 

[@GCarlD]

So there's nothing wrong with crediting at the bottom of a flyer - it's not desperate, it's a signature. Surely if anything can be described as desperate, it would be using social media to ask for work?

As for "I was just pointing out that it is not something professional graphic designers tend to do for work/jobs for several numerous reasons." - I create numerous flyers, posters etc and always credit - a lot of the work I do is for events, mainly for gigs, but I always credit - the reach of the artwork will always be beneficial - heck, I've received countless commissions; I hear "I loved your *INSERT BAND NAME* poster, we'd love you to design for us" on a weekly basis.

I would be almost inclined to agree with you that you don't need to credit, had this flyer been a generic, non-event advert. But it's one event, with a deadline on reach. You might as well make the most of that opportunity.

You have seemed to focus on the word 'desperation.' It is about your professionalism at the end of the day. You are free to do what ever you wish, and if it works for you then great. We are just giving advice, based on our own experience, training and expertise and maybe above all, opinion. Not telling you how to live your life.

I would also have to disagree with your social media comment to help gain work. Social media is the number one and most popular platform is get yourself out there, make yourself known and show your availability to millions of people worldwide. You gotta use and explore all avenues and social media should be near the top of the list. It's all about being pro-active.

I feel you may be a bit confused with the difference between a graphic artist and a graphic designer.

 

[Tim Timbo Bullock]

You have seemed to focus on the word 'desperation.' It is about your professionalism at the end of the day. You are free to do what ever you wish, and if it works for you then great. We are just giving advice, based on our own experience, training and expertise and maybe above all, opinion. Not telling you how to live your life.

I would also have to disagree with your social media comment to help gain work. Social media is the number one and most popular platform is get yourself out there, make yourself known and show your availability to millions of people worldwide. You gotta use and explore all avenues and social media should be near the top of the list. It's all about being pro-active.

I feel you may be a bit confused with the difference between a graphic artist and a graphic designer.

You used the word desperation don't forget.

I'm glad you said "You gotta use and explore all avenues", but you don't think he should credit a flyer. Bit of a clash of view there.

And I would have to disagree with you. I personally find using social media to ask for work i.e. "Does anyone know anyone looking for graphic design" or any variation to be extremely unprofessional and desperate. There's a difference between tweeting users/networking and (what is in effect) begging for new clients.

Then again, I run my business one way, and you run yours another.

 

[zaksingle]

You have seemed to focus on the word 'desperation.' It is about your professionalism at the end of the day. You are free to do what ever you wish, and if it works for you then great. We are just giving advice, based on our own experience, training and expertise and maybe above all, opinion. Not telling you how to live your life.

I would also have to disagree with your social media comment to help gain work. Social media is the number one and most popular platform is get yourself out there, make yourself known and show your availability to millions of people worldwide. You gotta use and explore all avenues and social media should be near the top of the list. It's all about being pro-active.

I feel you may be a bit confused with the difference between a graphic artist and a graphic designer.

You used the word desperation don't forget.

I'm glad you said "You gotta use and explore all avenues", but you don't think he should credit a flyer. Bit of a clash of view there.

And I would have to disagree with you. I personally find using social media to ask for work i.e. "Does anyone know anyone looking for graphic design" or any variation to be extremely unprofessional and desperate. There's a difference between tweeting users/networking and (what is in effect) begging for new clients.

Then again, I run my business one way, and you run yours another.

Thought I'd throw in my two cents... Tim I think you've misinterpreted CLHB identifying social media as a great avenue for gaining work, he didn't say anything specifically about asking for work, and the way you've put it of course would look unprofessional and desperate. But used correctly I'd say social media is the biggest asset to help a freelancer gain work and momentum, and actually network with people.

Secondly if I credited myself at the bottom of a piece of work for a client (or even hidden away in the contact details of their website I'd designed) I'd imagine they'd politely ask if they could slap me silly! As has been mentioned the professional thing to do would be to ask if you could leave some business cards. Obviously it would be great if you could credit yourself every time, but why would the client want anything on there that would draw away from the design (POS poster, flyer, whatever...)? Yes design is a form of art but personally I'd only think about putting a credit down if it was free work for a friend and it was appropriate/didn't intrude on the design.

Saying that everyone has different ways of doing things, if it brings the cash monies in - great!

 

[hankscorpio]

I used to add my details to all flyers but then I decided to take that info off it, and not for any particular reason, I just felt the flyers looked better if it just had the clients info on it and that's all. I started adding a bunch of business cards to the flyers being delivered and that drummed up more business than ever before.

What you could try for yourself is to add in a bunch of business cards this once, and when people ring up ask them how did you hear about them, business card, flyer, word of mouth.

I think your top two answers will be B/C and Word of Mouth.

Each to their own - I just feel a bit icky putting my details on another persons flyer/poster. The only time I tend to do it is if it's a charity and if the person lets me. As the work is usually done free/next to free...


Other than that - can we get :focus:

Start a new thread if you feel it needs to be discussed more.