How to choose the right graphic designer for your project

Graphic designers are visual communicators; copywriters and content strategists use words to communicate a message, while graphic designers use colour, imagery, fonts and other design elements to attract, inform and convert. 

A great graphic designer takes your content to the next level, elevating it from an engaging read to a visually engaging read. This is no small difference because, no matter how well a story is told, 500 words on a Word Doc page in Times New Roman will only cause your readers’ eyes to glaze over.

Our network is packed full of top industry professionals, so we asked our trusted graphic design partner, Rachel Ott, owner of Varga Girl Design, for her advice on what to consider when hiring a graphic designer.

Different types of graphic designers

The first thing to know about choosing a graphic designer for your next project is that there are many different types of design, which means there are also many different types of designers. Knowing what your graphic designer will be working on is important. Are you creating packaging or advertising? Is this a print or digital project? Is it a basic website or UX design? Will you be working within brand guidelines or are you tearing everything apart and need a graphic designer to create new branding? Often, a graphic designer excels in more than one area of design, but few are experts in all so make sure you choose someone who showcases expertise in exactly what you are looking for.

Portfolio plays a big role

Next, review their portfolio to make sure you like their design style. Because while a great graphic designer will match your tone and vision, each still have their own unique style. 

“Tom Hanks, no matter what character he is playing always has a hint of Tom Hanks in it. That’s just the nature of being an actor and graphic designers are no different” says Rachel. “While we may design for your style or tone, we still have a hint of our own flavour and that will shine through in our work.”

Experience levels pros and cons

When reviewing a graphic designer’s portfolio, it is also important to get an understanding of their level of experience and costs. Junior designers typically charge less than senior designers but there are pros and cons to hiring one over the other. A junior designer may lack experience and need more guidance and hand-holding, but may also bring a fresh take or different worldview to your project. A more senior designer usually brings a higher level of expertise and industry knowledge in order to simply run with your vision, but that also comes at a higher cost. 

Personality matters

You will be working with the person you choose for weeks, even months, so take the time to interview them to make sure you have a good connection.  

“You want to choose a person with the right experience, the right knowledge, the right portfolio and the right personality for your company and your specific project,” says Rachel.

Think long-term

One final thought: if you think the current project may lead to future projects, you will want to choose someone you feel you can also build a relationship with. Just as working with a copywriter long-term leads to them developing a firm grasp of your business’s style and tone, as time goes on, your designer will understand your business and your aesthetic, making for seamless communication and outstanding results, every time. 

written by luminate and designed by varga girl design

Varga Girl Design has been creating pretty powerful designs since 2001 and has been nationally recognized as a 2021 Top Canada B2B Design Firm and a Leading 2022 Print Design Company by the influential and independent marketing rankings site Clutch.co.