Preserved Topic: Rough Designs...

One thing I was taught/told in school was (by the way, I am 27 and school was over in 94' for me) when you are designing something for a Client, first come up with a bunch of rough designs for them to choose from...

I was just was wondering, does anyone else do this??? And if so, how many times would you say out of 10, would they choose your very first design???

It always seems to happen to me, even if I like the design or not... Sometimes I struggle coming up with things after the first one, and sometimes I improve on them with the others, but it always seems they choose my first desgin...

well wouldnt that be becos the first design is usally the best?.. think virgin.. the rest is usaly just a rehash...

as a designer you tell the client what they need.. i.e. your the designer.. thats what your gettin paid for.. the client knows jack in most cases..

well thats my experience.. at least in my field.. designers do that.. design.. customers dont... go figure

While I don't design for customers, at least not yet, I agree with Vog. Your first design will usually be your best. The rest are simply ways to be different from your first design. You create your first design, the one you like, and then you create options.


.sig by Weadah.

Everyone should watch a movie call The Fountainhead. It's a Gary Cooper movie based on an Ann Ryn book of the same name. Cooper plays an architect who designs buildings HIS way, and demands that they be built HIS way. He doesn't allow anything to be changed. "Take it or leave it" type of attitude. It gets him osticized for a while in the 40's, but he gets his recognition near the end. A great movie that I've kind of adopted as my method.

Clients usually have a logo and some information. It's our job as designers to make it look cool.

"Clients usually have a logo and some information. It's our job as designers to make it look cool."

I love that quote, definitely a keeper.

BTW, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is one of my all time favorites, a must for anyone in the creative "biz". While I don't carry things quite as far as he did in the movie, I do stick to my guns when I know I'm right. The main message? Listen to your gut, and fight for what you know is right.



(That's my old copy of this very same book!)

<edit>Actually, on second glance that might be "Atlas Shrugged" by the same author.</edit>

Your pal, -doc-



[This message has been edited by DocOzone (edited 07-10-2001).]

Personally I think before you can get into the graphic design it's important to develop the information archetecture. When we design a page we always start with wire-frames of the pages and of the site/navigation in general. Once you have these decided it actually makes designing the site more of a "skinning" process and gives you a good rough sketch of where you are going.

I don't think 10 designs are necessary but 3 is a good idea. Again if you have the wire frames this may be as easy as changing a graphic elements and the color scheme. If you take a look at www.techtv.com, we got the IA first then we just messed around with some of the graphic treatments at the top and sides. (orignally the site was green but that was found too "radical" and my favorite was actually a black and orange treatment)

Remember most sites you will be designing won't be as cool as those you see around here. They will have cool elements but if they are for corporate customers than the form should be following function.

Also make sure when you initially contract to do a site that there are picky customers out there. Let the client know that if they are picky you are going to charge for the time. And always always always leave yourself an out clause (Never use it cuz you can't piss people off but make sure it's there)


$,02 for the offering


Walking the Earth like Kane

I have a 1st edition hard copy version of the book, along with a lithograph of the promo poster. My wife watched that tape so many times you can't even see it anymore. I wish it would come out on DVD.