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What is the goal for this project?

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Who are your competitors? How are you different? What do you like or dislike about their content?
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Who is the target audience?
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Where and how will this material be used?
Color Codes
Printed materials are created using CMYK color codes as opposed to RGB color codes, which are utilized for web images. CMYK – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black) – is an additive color process that begins with white and adds hues via dots of color. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is a subtractive process that simulates the way light would behave in darkness. The individual colors are turned “on” to varying degrees and influence the final color output.Resolution
For a crisply printed piece, your image resolution or dots per inch should be set to 300 dpi. The resolution for web does not need to be nearly as high as printed materials. 72 pixels per inch or PPI will serve well. The key for web design is to preserve file space. A smaller PPI value means a smaller file size, which yields faster loading times for your website.File Formatting
Additionally, for web materials, it is important to consider which file format is appropriate. If there are any elements you would like to include with a transparency layer, you will want to use a PNG file format. PNG is a “lossless” file type. This means that no matter how many times it is edited and saved, the quality will not degrade. File types like JPG deteriorate over time because of their compression formulas, which causes “artifacts” like pixels or jagged edges to appear on an image. Certain PNG file formats also perform well for large, high-resolution imagery. For instance, PNG-32 files may save up to 32 bits of color information. However, these files can become large and cumbersome to load. If you wish to aim for fastest loading times, there are a multitude of other options that you can discuss with your designer. It is also important to understand that certain outlets, especially pertaining to social media, will restrict the file types and sizes that they allow.-
Do you have a style and brand guide?
In Summary
Graphic design is meant to stimulate communication. Therefore, it is important that the questions above are communicated clearly and in appropriate detail to the graphic designer. Understanding the basics and being prepared to answer the important questions will save time, money, and energy for all parties involved. Starting a new project will be less stressful if you identify and prepare answers to these questions before meeting with your graphic designer. What other tips do you have for working with graphic designers?ABOUT CATMEDIA:
CATMEDIA is an award-winning Inc. 500 company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in advertising, creative services, media production, program management, training, and human resource management. As a Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), CATMEDIA provides world-class customer service and innovative solutions to government and commercial clients. Current CATMEDIA clients include Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).Stay Connected with CATMEDIA: For more information, please visit CATMEDIA.com Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter