N.C. Winters is always drawing. When he isn't making comics, doodling or working as a freelance graphic artist, he spends his time painting pretty pictures for galleries from his home studio in sunny southern California.
This is so true. I know a while ago I did a website for MTN South Africa, after meeting with the head of the department, he confirmed that he liked it a lot. With all that being said I thought I was done, just had to refine little things.
I ended up redesigning the entire site due to two people on the board not liking the navigation and structure.
once i have been asked to make a multimedia CD for some client .. i did it .. when he saw it .. he was so happy .. after two days he calls back and told me to change lots of things .. specially the colors .. and when i asked why? .. he said one of his friends don’t like “blue” !! .. i asked him “but you like blue .. right?” .. he said “yes .. but he is my best friend !”
i know exactly what you’re talking about. i’m not a freelancer and still i find myself designing websites 3 times for 3 different bosses (the art director, the CEO and the UI advisor). at the end we go with what the CEO wants but he always looks at the outcome after the other two has changed it.
Wow. I hate clients who do this kinda crap. I once had a client that no matter what questions I asked I could never get a straight answer. We had been through 2 months of refining work on a design and she was still beating around the bush trying to settle on a color. Worst. Client. Ever.
The point I guess here is if they want something else then let them go elsewhere.
They hired you for your design/coding ability, if they don’t like it let them find someone else to finish the project.
Think about it… would you want your name on a project that you are not happy with? portfolios and projects that you do reflect the work you do and the abilities you have.
If you have something that has a lighter red ‘pink’ and the site looks rubbish who would hire you? maybe just people who like pink!
/rant over
LOVE the strip though, hits the nail on the head about (some) clients who miss the point!
Good point. I find it’s sometimes helpful to remind clients why they hired you in the first place and if they still don’t realize that you have a choice:
1) suck it up and do the changes for more money
2) tell them they need to find another designer to do the work – sometimes difficult clients aren’t worth the hassle, even if you’re making more
Haha! This one is a little too familiar for my liking. Except my project was an executive speech, and the critic was his wife. I actually ended up in a hotel room with her on the day of the event, rewriting the speech. Aaah!
That was during my in-house days. Won’t ever let it get that bad as a freelancer – at least not the hotel-room part!
The worst is when you work in a company with both the boss and the boss’ wife.
1. He’ll look over your shoulder and tell you it looks good.
2. Then he leaves and she comes in and tells you to start over.
3. And once you’ve made her happy and she leaves, he comes back and asks what happened. You explain it to him and he looks at the new work and tells you he hates it and to start over.
Oh man. I have lost count of how often that’s happened. I met a smart designer once who said to bring their spouse in with them for a critique. Thought it was a brilliant move!
Also, maybe I just haven’t been around long enough, but I’ve never had it happen the other way around where a lady client asks her guy for design advice.
Also both the client and the wife loved the design! And put me in touch with other people looking for websites, so it was pretty much brilliant.
But it has gone the otherway completely in the past. I think the more you explain and pitch your idea (in writing and in person) the more you get them on side.
You do really have to justify everything that you have done in a way that is approachable for them, that way they are more likely to understand where you are coming from
Genius! Captured perfectly. My favorite was after everyone loved the business card design, the owner saw it and said…”it looks too unique, like a design firm designed it”
Been there before; and it’s a relatively simple solution.
Put the original design in your portfolio as a concept — create whatever it is they want for the second round. You end up with a piece you’re proud to put your name to, you get paid for both designs and the client is happy.
This has worked to my advantage in one situation. The client was basically telling me how to design his logo (against my advice) and it took his wife to step in and tell him he’s wrong for him to go with my design. As soon as she stepped in, discussion was over.
Yes, “My wife thinks…”
)
How many times have I heard the dreaded words… “my wife said…”.
Sends shivers down my spine each and every time.
This is so true. I know a while ago I did a website for MTN South Africa, after meeting with the head of the department, he confirmed that he liked it a lot. With all that being said I thought I was done, just had to refine little things.
I ended up redesigning the entire site due to two people on the board not liking the navigation and structure.
We gotta love our Clients though
haha
Laters
Jacques//An1ken
Yep, happened too common.
@Jacques
Of course, it’s nice haha. End of the day, we can sell the scrapped site they rejected on themeforest haha
true .. very true .. !
once i have been asked to make a multimedia CD for some client .. i did it .. when he saw it .. he was so happy .. after two days he calls back and told me to change lots of things .. specially the colors .. and when i asked why? .. he said one of his friends don’t like “blue” !! .. i asked him “but you like blue .. right?” .. he said “yes .. but he is my best friend !”
i know exactly what you’re talking about. i’m not a freelancer and still i find myself designing websites 3 times for 3 different bosses (the art director, the CEO and the UI advisor). at the end we go with what the CEO wants but he always looks at the outcome after the other two has changed it.
I had to laugh at that cartoon. I once had a client that insisted I could not use the color blue. His wife had an aversion to blue.
Have you ever had to design anything with that kind of criteria? So much of design is subjective and not objective.
i heard it along…..
“actually design seems fine to me but ….”
and when you cross your finger the client says
“my gf thinks blue should be light and red should be more pink, blow blow blah blah”….
it’s kinda nightmare to all designers i guess..
Wow. I hate clients who do this kinda crap. I once had a client that no matter what questions I asked I could never get a straight answer. We had been through 2 months of refining work on a design and she was still beating around the bush trying to settle on a color. Worst. Client. Ever.
I hate it when that happens… almost reminds me of the graphic designer vs client video
Say “No”.
As simple as that.
I agree!
The point I guess here is if they want something else then let them go elsewhere.
They hired you for your design/coding ability, if they don’t like it let them find someone else to finish the project.
Think about it… would you want your name on a project that you are not happy with? portfolios and projects that you do reflect the work you do and the abilities you have.
If you have something that has a lighter red ‘pink’ and the site looks rubbish who would hire you? maybe just people who like pink!
/rant over
LOVE the strip though, hits the nail on the head about (some) clients who miss the point!
Good point. I find it’s sometimes helpful to remind clients why they hired you in the first place and if they still don’t realize that you have a choice:
1) suck it up and do the changes for more money
2) tell them they need to find another designer to do the work – sometimes difficult clients aren’t worth the hassle, even if you’re making more
So true… i am even working on a project with a client like that right now
Haha! This one is a little too familiar for my liking. Except my project was an executive speech, and the critic was his wife. I actually ended up in a hotel room with her on the day of the event, rewriting the speech. Aaah!
That was during my in-house days. Won’t ever let it get that bad as a freelancer – at least not the hotel-room part!
so true, so sad!!!
The worst is when you work in a company with both the boss and the boss’ wife.
1. He’ll look over your shoulder and tell you it looks good.
2. Then he leaves and she comes in and tells you to start over.
3. And once you’ve made her happy and she leaves, he comes back and asks what happened. You explain it to him and he looks at the new work and tells you he hates it and to start over.
Round and round you go.
I don’t really care because it IS their money
Oh man. I have lost count of how often that’s happened. I met a smart designer once who said to bring their spouse in with them for a critique. Thought it was a brilliant move!
Also, maybe I just haven’t been around long enough, but I’ve never had it happen the other way around where a lady client asks her guy for design advice.
Great if you get payed for both. Of course that you keep the first one and cn rework it easily to sell it again.
This is one of the reason why I have quit graphic design
what did you start doing?
Ah! I had this last night. Met a client at his house and sat through the changes his wife had in mind.
She was a lot more tuned in to the process though so it was a great meeting
I guess… I don’t know what point I’m trying to make
Also both the client and the wife loved the design! And put me in touch with other people looking for websites, so it was pretty much brilliant.
But it has gone the otherway completely in the past. I think the more you explain and pitch your idea (in writing and in person) the more you get them on side.
You do really have to justify everything that you have done in a way that is approachable for them, that way they are more likely to understand where you are coming from
So true.. so true..
funny. should have asked to communicate with the “decision” maker dude
Genius! Captured perfectly. My favorite was after everyone loved the business card design, the owner saw it and said…”it looks too unique, like a design firm designed it”
hhhmmmm……
Brilliant!
Been there before; and it’s a relatively simple solution.
Put the original design in your portfolio as a concept — create whatever it is they want for the second round. You end up with a piece you’re proud to put your name to, you get paid for both designs and the client is happy.
Everybody wins!
True
The client(’s girlfriend) is always right
haha thats a good one!
in such case, its hard to apply the rule “client is always right !!!”
This has worked to my advantage in one situation. The client was basically telling me how to design his logo (against my advice) and it took his wife to step in and tell him he’s wrong for him to go with my design. As soon as she stepped in, discussion was over.
Holy cow! Is this a comic strip or my biography in chapters?
Loved it
I think this happens with us – the designers – all the time.
I once had a client who loved the work but came back after a week to say “my daughter and son-law don’t like it, so kindly make a new concept.”
Cheers!
Lol. Wow. Thought that was just me that got those calls.