Ever wonder how to annoy a graphic designer? I don’t know why you would want to do such a thing, but if you feel so inclined, here is a list of ways to make a designer roll their eyes, ranked by the level of damage you will be doing.
When a client wants you to “make it pop!”:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 2/10
“Make it pop!” is a meaningless expression, and I think it’s safe to say most of us are numb to it by now. Learning how to interpret cliche phrases and make something succesfull when given very little direction is Designer 101. It’s annoying, but whatever. I’ve got this.
When a non-designer wants to talk about a major company rebrand:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 3/10
It used to be fun to sit around with other designers and thoughtfully critique big redesigns. Over the past couple years it’s become huge news any time a well-known company changes their logo, and now everyone gets in on the conversation. The angry mob reactions sort of ruined the fun here, and it’s usually best to avoid taking the bait.
When your parents remind you for the 3,194th time that their friend’s daughter is finishing up law school:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 3/10
Cool, parents. Thank you. Being reminded I have an art degree and a “fun job” is one of my favorite conversations. Hopefully we will also have time to discuss how hard people worked “back when I was your age.”
When a client tries using an image they found on Google:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 6/10
Sorry, but I’m having less and less sympathy for this one. We’ve all been on the Internet long enough at this point to know better than to think it’s OK to claim things on Google as our own. Designers get really tired of having to explain this, especially when clients respond angrily.
When a client insists on filling every inch of space with copy:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 7/10
Negative space is just as important as the space containing information, but rarely do clients believe this. Sometimes I can just see in a person’s eyes the level of discomfort even a tiny bit of “white space” gives them. They want to fill the design up to the point it becomes an incomprehensible mess, which makes me die a little inside.
When someone tries to trick you with an incorrect file extension:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 7/10
Yes, I would like to get an editable vector file from you. No, changing the file name to .EPS doesn’t magically transform your JPEG into a vector. Did you honestly think this trick would work?
When someone avoids you for weeks and then returns to demand work be done ASAP!:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 9/10
Some projects need a quick turn around, and there’s simply no getting around it. But it’s difficlt for me to care about your “****LEVEL TEN EMERGENCY!!!!****” when you’ve been dodging my calls and emails.
When someone asks you to work for free:
EYE ROLL LEVEL: 10/10
Similar to the previous eye roll, this shows a huge lack of respect. It’s pretty common for people to use phrases like “it will be good exposure for you!” or “I could do this myself” and to that I have to say, GO FOR IT! It doesn’t do me any good to work for people who don’t value design, and it certainly doesn’t help other designers get fairly compensated either.
Again, I’m not sure why you would want to do anything to jeopardize the relationship with your designer, but I’m not your mother, so attempt each of these at your own risk.