At Graphique, we consider our process a collaboration. We are not just order-takers. We are partners. Partners comprised of creatives, analysts, scientists, psychologists, theorists, and marketers, figuratively speaking. More importantly, we are a second mind on the project — a different perspective.  As they say "sometimes, two heads are better than one." Of course, in the end, the final decision is always up to you, but we feel it is our obligation as experienced professionals to advise and provide you with the best creative solutions possible. With that, please understand, it is possible that through our process, you may find that what you initially envisioned may indeed not be the best option after all. What seemed like a good idea in your head, when put to application may not turn out as you had originally planned. So, have no fear, we offer options.

 

We take great care in the research and preparation of each project. Because every project is unique, we take from our experience, and couple with a comprehensive research strategy to explore every angle of a project. That may include conducting market research, running a competitive analysis, devising style boards for your consideration, discussing printing options, etc. Each step is employed to proactively head off any potential problems early on, so in the end you may walk away with the confidence in knowing that you have arrived at the best solution for your needs. It may seem tedious at times, but we assure you each step is entirely necessary. It is our way of insuring that all parties are always on the same page and the end result will be a success.  Let's get started.

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First things first. Before we begin designing, it is imperative that we have a consultation. Whether by phone or in-person,
we prefer to set up a time where we can actually take some time to discuss the project, answer questions, and get to know each
other a little better. To best prepare for this meeting, I ask potential clients to send me an e-mail designating specific times you can meet,
along with a brief description of your needs for the project. Then, we will follow up with a creative brief and questionnaire for you to fill
out so we can discuss the key points during our meeting. Immediately following our consultation, you will receive a contract and
fee schedule to review. Once approved, and your 50% deposit is received, the project will commence.

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Once we have gotten all of the bookkeeping out of the way, we will now begin our research. Depending on the project and the timeliness in providing feedback, times may vary. In this phase, we will provide a thorough research into your brand, product and/or service. This may involve a second phone call to discuss, or written description from you for accuracy purposes. In addition, we will run a complete analysis of your competition, research your target market, take a look at your key benefits, note any particular commonalities or styles forming, as well as ways that we see you can stand out, or what the market is in need of, then we will compile all of this research in a packet for you to review. From here, we can discuss our findings and have a visual reference in front of us to refer to, this time to get a better sense of what styles, colors, fonts, concepts, etc. you respond most to, which will in turn set a list of parameters for our creative exploration.

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The next step will be to take our parameters and brainstorm a few different directions to go. This time, you will be provided with several style boards consisting of a collage of visual references and sketches illustrating several rough concepts and styles for you to choose from.

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Now the hard part is over. Once we have narrowed down the concepts to 1-2 directions, we will work up full-color, digital comps (still fairly rough) so you can get a better idea of what the finished product will look like. During this phase we will do a full exploration of fonts, imagery, layouts, styles and color, until a complete layout or look is approved. Once approved, we will move to finish.

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At this time, we build all approved art to finish. Any necessary retouching or specialty printing (if applicable) is set up and layouts are completed. We ask that ALL COPY AND IMAGERY IS FINAL, PROOFED AND EDITED at this time to move forward. Any extensive changes beyond this point will result in extra fees.

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This is our last phase of the project. All final art is approved and prepped for finish. Upon completion, we ask that final payment be sent at this time. Meanwhile, we will package files and deliver to printer, publication, or upload to its final destination. In addition, we will send you a digital link to a fully packaged set of files for your archives.

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******* DISCLAIMER *******

The process is for reference only. As mentioned, each project is unique, so order and/or amount of steps is subject to change depending on the needs or budget for the project. Please refer to contract for a full description of inclusions and steps for that particular project.

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