Why Your Artwork Is Garbage!

"bottom-link">artwork.  Knowing that if they had a business card in
hand, someone would have to have the original
You’ve heard the phrase “garbage in,artwork on file somewhere within their means.  By
garbage out!”  It’s also true when theysuggesting to my customer to have their printer
say “What You See Is What You Get!”  Theforward me the design, it would usually eliminate us
acronym is WYSIWYG!having to “clean up” the image unnecessarily.
  
Having been in the digitizing logo business now forOf course there are the times when your customer
some twenty plus years, I’ve seen virtually allbrings in a paper sack or napkin, in which they have
kinds and types of artwork.scribbled an idea for you to emboss or engrave. 
You’ve heard the phrase “garbage in,These are the situations when it’s nice to
garbage out!”  It’s also true when theyhave an artist on call or someone available to
say “What You See Is What You Get!”  The“redraw” the logo for production purposes. 
acronym is WYSIWYG!Most small shops do not have the luxury of having
 such talent in house but once again, early on in my
Having been in the digitizing logo business now forventure I learned to tap into other sources.
some twenty plus years, I’ve seen virtually all 
kinds and types of artwork.  We all want and hopeWhen we first started out in the logo business, the
for the “camera ready” artwork to show up ononly “artist” was myself.  Telling it like it is …
our desk or computer files.  Fact is, we rarely see athe best drawing I ever did was in my first
“picture perfect” image and are usuallydot-to-dot coloring book!  When it comes to free
expected to perform miracles on the fuzzy orhand drawing, I look to others with the God given
pixilated design.  Even with the latest software,talent.  The solution?  I paid a visit to our local
some artwork can present a challenge to makecollege and also phoned the high schools in our area,
ready for certain applications.looking for artists.  There were several individuals I
 met through this process and I still use two of them
Most of our clients (and I suspect yours too)in my existing business today!  Talk about a gold
don’t realize that you may not be able tomine!!  These two individuals have spurred on
achieve the same “look”, as compared to whatnumerous projects and helped grow our company to
they see on a print out.  Depending upon themany different levels, developing thousands of clip
application an image may need to be altered to allowart images and logos for the trade.
for a better representation.  Of course we 
shouldn’t expect our customers to understandWhat I learned was, if I wanted to supply my
this matter, after all … that’s why theycustomer with a top quality logo.  I needed to start
come to us.with something of value.  Even if it meant having to
 hire an artist to recreate the drawing, it was worth
One of the most helpful tips I received early on inthe effort.  Having a quality image to work from
my career was to suggest my customer return tomade all the difference in the world when digitizing
their “printer” (person or company who createdthe design.
their business cards or letterhead) for crisp, sharp