Frequently Asked Questions

  • I take all of my clients’ businesses (and budgets) very seriously because by becoming the marketing channel for your business, I get to know you and your dream. I am always taking on new clients, but prefer to work with personable clients who are looking for helpful suggestions.
  • I am in the office only a few days each week, generally Tues, Thurs and Fri from 8 to 5. However, times and days can vary- you can find out each week by calling my office and listening to the message or send me an email.
  • I schedule my clients usually one week in advance. If you have an emergency (need your project done ASAP and haven’t pre-scheduled your deadline with me), your project may be subject to an additional rush fee. Please respesct me and my other clients by providing me as much warning for your rushed deadlines as possible and I will do my best to get your project done on time.
  • For graphic design, I do all of my own designs and illustrations. For web design, I do the basic design and layout, html and javascript programming, web optimization suggestions, etc, and have a team for .php and advanced programming.
  • I specialize in creative illustration and design and generally look to take on those projects.
  • No question is silly or dumb- if you have any, please shoot me an email or give me a call. I am happy to give you ideas or see how we can work together to make your businesses grow.


Graphic Design and Marketing Questions:

1. Why should I choose you to create my design?

  • I am an artist first, designer second. I add creative flavor to projects that makes you stand out from your competitors.
  • I have started two of my own businesses and have played an integral role in several others. I empathize with business owners and genuinely want to help you market your business, your dream.
  • Your project is custom and will reflect you. I take the time to learn about your company, your background, your message and your vision. From that, I give artistic suggestions of how to visually make that statement to the world through design.
  • I have a background in marketing/sales and can integrate basic marketing strategies into your design.

2. How much will my design project cost and what do I need to get started?
Every project is different so every estimate varies. This is based on the information you provide me:

  • Scope of project (i.e. logo, brochure, illustration, etc)
  • What components you are supplying (i.e. brochure images and text versus needing me to do copy writing and finding/purchasing stock photography; do you have a clear idea of a design you like or not? Do you have an existing logo and/or identity?).
  • Look and feel (i.e. trendy graphics, photo realism, contemporary art)
  • Objective – A.KA. Target Market (i.e. wanting more clients who are women 50 years+, young adults applying to college)
  • Size of business (i.e. start-up versus corporation)
  • Marketing assistance (i.e. if you need me to help you figure out a marketing plan and overall strategy in addition to the design projects)
  • Number of revisions and how many people have a say in those revisions
  • Deadline

Contact me with the scope of your project and I will give you an estimated amount of time and fee for the first draft.

3. I am a start-up and have a tight budget. But I don’t know what I want. What can I do to save money on this project?
Do your homework:

  1. Figure out who your audience is.
  2. Decide what you need. For small businesses, I recommend investing in the basic package of a logo, stationery, business card design, and a brochure/rack card or a postcard/flyer.
  3. Surf the web and scan images from magazines. Find styles, looks, colors and fonts that you like and get those in an electronic file for me.
  4. Compile all of your text for every single line of your project, proofread, have your team approve it, and put it into either one Word document or txt file or into a folder.
  5. Gather all of your images. If your images need cropping or altering, and you have know-how, please alter them how you like. Clearly name each image accordingly and save them as a .jpg, .png, .psd , or .tif at 300 dpi.
  6. Combine the text, the images, ideas you like, and anything else your project requires and send it to me in 1 or 2 emails or via mail on a Mac formatted CD.
  7. If you do not know what you want after doing this research, call me and I can help give creative suggestions.

4. Why should I spend money on creative design when I can get someone to do it cheap?
Your branding (i.e. logo design and promotional material “look”) will be how your clients visually remember you. It is imperative to invest in branding that you really like and that really defines your company’s message.

I’ve worked with a client who bought a simple, discounted logo package from a design firm. My client never loved the logo because it was “blah” but used it because it was cheap. It didn’t “say” anything about their business. When they came to me, they had been using this logo for years so the logo was on everything: their business cards, rack cards, website, brochures, t-shirts, you name it. This client not only paid for the original design and all the promotional materials that had that design on it, but also paid for a second design and new promotional materials. Furthermore, they had to resubmit copyright paperwork and fees. If they had just spent a little more money hiring someone to create a look and logo they liked, they would have actually saved money in the end.

If you are on a budget, figure out what your budget is. Branding, marketing and advertising can all be part of your marketing budget, which you can write off. If you need help determining a practical marketing budget, visit the Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/sbdc/index.html or SCORE http://www.score.org/index.html.

I believe that adding some creativity to your branding will help you stand out from your competitors. I am interested in making something completely suitable for you, that defines your product/business and that will promote your product/business to your target market. If you need help deciding who your target market is and figuring out your, marketing plan, I have years of marketing experience and can help you there too.

5. Can I hire you as a marketing or PR consultant?
Yes. I have volunteered on a Board of Directors for an art council and on a city’s art steering committee. I have years of art experience, design experience and marketing/PR experience that I bring to each project. I have helped a handful of start-up businesses with their marketing plans (and portions of their business plans) and can help guide you along. Furthermore, I can help write copy for your marketing materials and do public relations for you if you find yourself stumbling. I charge an hourly fee for these services.

6. Will you design my website?
Yes, I currently take select web design projects. To make things smoother, please contact me with the following information:

1.) Surf the internet and see what “style” of websites you like. Copy those url’s and place them into one document or email (word doc, rtf, txt, or Google doc file/or one email). Often, clients save time/money if they just want the look of a site mimicked. If you don’t find a site that you exactly want to mimic, record the details of what you like of the site.
2.) Figure out how many pages you want and your navigation bar buttons, (i.e. HOME, ABOUT, etc) and if there are any subpages that you want (such as ABOUT> AUTHOR BIO> COMPANY BIO, etc).
3.) Compile all the text for every single page. Make sure it answers all the questions of who, what, when, why, where, and how (so many sites do not), as well as explaining how this site/company provides a service that is unique in some way and why they should work with you. Please both proofread and edit. It is faster to use text that is final then making a lot of changes afterwards.
4.) Compile photos that you want and clearly label each one according to which page it is for, (i.e. photo_home1.jpg). Since it is the web, dpi doesn’t matter as much. But if you later want to make a brochure with this same look, etc, then provide me with images that are at least 300 dpi.
5.) If you have not legally purchased photos and need some ideas, talk to me and we can discuss illustrations, clip art, or stock photo options.
6.) Please provide the logo and all company identity info. If you need that, I can help you there too. Often once a client agrees on color choices, fonts, etc, it becomes so easy to just pull that through the entire website, brochures, flyers, mailers, business cards, etc. If you are not planning on doing that and just want some ideas for this site, I am happy to give some creative suggestions.
7). I can also help you with hosting and domain name suggestions.
8.) If this is all overwhelming, one of my strong points is providing creative direction. I will need to learn more about your site and your target audience and overall purpose. But from there, I can provide some ideas on color, content, etc.

Illustration Questions:

1. What type of illustration will you do?
I enjoy creating illustrations for:

* Books, magazine, newspapers, online venues and any other publication
* T-shirts and other fiber wear
* Vector art for use in design works
* Floral science illustrations
* Logos and identity design
* Call me for other projects

2. Can I hire you to illustrate a publication for me?
Yes. Please call or email me with the scope of your project and any ideas you may have and we will discuss the details further.

3. Can I use an existing illustration for a project of mine?
Each of my works are copyrighted. Please contact me for permission if you want to use any of my works.

4. How much will is cost?
It depends on where and how the design is going to be used, the level of detail, how many revisions are included in the pricing, timelines, etc. Please call with your project details and I can give you a better estimate.

Fine Art and Commissioned Works Questions:

1. Someone purchased the painting I love. Can I buy a reproduction?
There is a list of reproductions available through my store. Please review it to see if the artwork you wanted is listed. Contact me for additional purchase information.

2. How much does a commissioned fine art work cost?
It depends on the amount of detail involved, but it generally ranges from $1.25/sq inch to $2/sq inch on stretched canvas or paper. The minimum charge is $100 for commissioned works. Mural pricing is different, ranging from $10/sq foot to $30/sq foot.