Every business wants an application or website that stands out, does the job well and entices users. While many agencies and web developers or designers claim to be the best and get the job done, we’ll let you in on a little secret.
Our secret emerges from years of experience and a series of successful executions of websites and applications. The secret on who should work on your site and app is actually someone you wouldn’t have considered for the job – the print material designer.
This may come as a shock to most of you but the designer of your print material is actually the best person to work on your site and app not just in terms of design but also user experience and in some cases also the development aspect.
This article will highlight various aspects of why the designer of your print material may be the ideal person to work on your website and app.
The designer of your print material might be a good candidate to also work on your website or app for several reasons:
- Consistent Branding: A consistent visual identity is crucial for your brand. The designer who created your print materials already understands your brand’s aesthetics, color schemes, typography, and overall style. By having the same designer work on your website or app, you ensure a seamless transition of your brand’s identity across different platforms.
- Understanding the Audience: The designer who crafted your print materials likely has a good grasp of your target audience and the message you want to convey. This understanding can carry over to the digital space, where the same principles of effective communication and audience engagement apply.
- Design Cohesion: When the same designer handles both print and digital projects, you’re more likely to achieve a cohesive look and feel. This cohesion enhances the user experience by creating a unified visual language that’s easily recognizable to your audience.
- Efficient Communication: Since the designer is already familiar with your brand and its objectives, there’s less time wasted on explaining the brand’s essence and goals. This streamlines the communication process and allows the designer to get started on the digital project faster.
- Savings in Time and Resources: Training a new designer from scratch for the digital project can be time-consuming and might require additional resources. Using the same designer eliminates the need for this training, saving both time and money.
- Adaptation of Design Principles: Design principles, such as balance, contrast, and hierarchy, apply to both print and digital design. A designer experienced in print design is likely to have a solid foundation in these principles, which can be adapted and extended to the digital realm.
- Efficient Workflow: If the designer is already accustomed to working with your organization and understands its processes, this familiarity can lead to a smoother workflow when transitioning from print to digital projects.
- Cross-Platform Expertise: With the increasing need for brands to have a presence across multiple platforms, a designer who can seamlessly work on both print and digital projects can be a valuable asset. They can ensure that your brand maintains a strong and consistent presence across diverse channels.
- Holistic Design Approach: Designing for both print and digital allows the designer to approach projects from a holistic perspective. This can lead to innovative solutions and ideas that bridge the gap between different mediums.
- Feedback Incorporation: The designer will likely have received feedback on their print designs, and they can apply the lessons learned from that feedback to their digital designs. This iterative process can lead to continuous improvement in both domains.
The Verdict:
It’s important to note that while the designer’s familiarity with your brand and design principles is valuable, digital design does have its own set of unique considerations. These might include user interaction, responsive design, user experience (UX), and more. Therefore, it’s also beneficial for the designer to have an understanding of these digital-specific aspects or to collaborate closely with experts in those fields.
Moreover, it’s better to use printers who understand Pantone colors, process colors, color-matching typography, and other aspects of design is important for several reasons:
- Color Accuracy and Consistency: Pantone colors and color matching are crucial for maintaining consistent and accurate colors across different printing materials. Printers experienced in these concepts can ensure that the colors you choose in your design are reproduced as closely as possible in the final printed product.
- Branding and Identity: If you have specific brand colors that need to be reproduced accurately, experienced print designers can help ensure that your brand’s identity remains consistent across various printed materials, reinforcing brand recognition.
- Print Quality: Print designers who understand the intricacies of printing processes can guide you in selecting the appropriate paper stock, finish, and printing technique to achieve the best possible print quality for your project.
- Typography and Layout: Typography plays a significant role in design, and experienced print designers understand how to choose and arrange fonts to enhance readability and visual appeal. They can also advise on line spacing, kerning, and other typographic considerations.
- Design Expertise: Print designers often have a wealth of design experience, having worked with various clients and projects over time. Their insights can help refine your design and make it more visually appealing and effective.
- Print-Specific Considerations: Print design involves considerations such as bleeds, trim marks, safe zones, and folding lines that are not typically relevant in web design. Print designers are skilled at ensuring your design works well within the constraints of the physical medium.
- Attention to Detail: Print designers are often meticulous about details due to the nature of print production, which demands precision and accuracy. This attention to detail can lead to a polished final product.
- Collaboration: Collaborating with experienced print designers can lead to better communication between designers and printers, reducing the chances of errors and misunderstandings during the printing process.
- Traditional Design Background: Print designers often have a strong foundation in traditional design principles, which can be a valuable asset when creating designs that need to have a timeless and sophisticated visual appeal.
- Cross-Media Expertise: Some designers are proficient in both print and web design, allowing them to bridge the gap between different media and create designs that work seamlessly across various platforms.
Conclusion
It’s important to note that while experienced print designers bring a wealth of knowledge to the table, this doesn’t discount the skills and expertise of web designers. Web designers have their own set of skills, such as responsive design, interactivity, and user experience optimization, which are crucial for creating effective digital experiences. However, collaborating with specialists who have a deep understanding of print design can indeed lead to more successful print projects, especially if color accuracy and physical media considerations are critical to your project’s success. Therefore if you find yourself in need of a sound website design or the whole website package, you can reach out to us.
