Question 1 : Logo Design
How do you know if it is not too complicated for printing or cards?
Question 2 : Logo's why so expensive?
How long does it take to design a logo?
Question 3 : Colours and meanings
Question 4 : Advice on plugins and what are they?
Question 5 : Perils of updates
Question 6 : Graphic Designer limitations
Question 7 : Software to use?
Q1 Answer
Q2 Answer
- As a designer, I will ask you questions so that I can get a ‘feel’ of your values, your business, your target audience and perhaps examples of logo’s that appeal to you
- I will then have a good think about it, I may make several rough sketches, choose 3 that I consider you might like
- I will create the 3 ideas digitally
- Invite you to choose your preference, perhaps mix and match, use different colours or reject them all if you wish
- Refine the image/s to your suggestions
- Rejected, start again if applicable
- Keep refining and simplify where possible
- Once you are happy, and have paid, I will supply you with a logo to use on line, one to use for high quality print, one suitable for use on letterheads etc and one in black and white.
So you see, the process can take hours, and time is money. Did you know that the Nike logo, a simple tick, actually cost thousands of $$$$….
Q3 Answer
- Black and Gold together can give a feeling of quality, opulence or elegance, but don’t make it brassy
- Corporate colours are generally Red (action v danger) Grey (warm grey) Blue (dark blue, trust)
- Blue (invokes trust, calm, blue sky, water)
- Green (calming also symbol of life, ie plants)
- Yellow (fun, sunshine, warmth but can be overpowering, use wisely- great for kids)
- Purple (royalty, wealth)
- Pink (hot pink = pizzazz, pink can be feminine, romantic)
- White (clean, hygienic , clinical)
- Brown (earthy, quite often associated with the comfort of chocolate or coffee)
- Silver (like gold can denote wealth, often used on appliances also a good substitute for grey in corporate colours)
A comprehensive article on colour can be found here
Q4 Answer
- Make sure you have a recent back-up of your website
- If you encounter a problem updating a plugin, try deactivating the plugins that you just updated and then one by one activate them again. If you find a plugin that is the problem, leave it deactivated, then contact the author and let them know there is a bug, so they can locate and fix it.
- Sometimes, you might be updating and you get a message to say the update failed, don’t panic, stop and go and do something else and try again later
- You can also try and contact your host, the technical staff are usually pretty helpful
- You can always go to your back-up files and restore your site to a date when it was still working correctly
Q5 Answer
- When installing them, usually you can see how many times they have been downloaded
- There will be a notice that the plugin is compatible with your WordPress version
- If it is updated regularly, it is also a good sign
- They have a good 4.5 to 5 star rating
- Take the time to read the extra information provided
- There are no guarantees
A plugin is PHP code that has been written by someone (hopefully a WP expert) and it’s purpose is to extend the functionality of your WP site
Q6 Answer
It all comes down to experience and qualifications
I find as a Graphic and Website designer, I am always learning something new and I will always be up front if I don’t know how to do something, my business partner Julie brings other experience to the table and if we can’t find a solution together, we either ask GOOGLE a question, consult a technician or coder and rest assured we will do everything in our power to find a solution.