iindigo productions Mac-Based Graphics

[iindigo]

I hope I posted this on the right board.

Anyway, I'm just letting everone know I'm open for business.

At the moment, all that is available is the aquafying service, expect more to follow soon.

Link (http://iindigoproductions.netfirms.com/)

What do you think of the site? I'm open to suggestions.

Oh yeah, almost forgot - mention your MacRumors member name and get a free aquafied avatar with a minimum $10 purchase.

[Eniregnat]

Drop the unrelated advertising, even if they are providing hosting.
I like the pseudo aqua look.
You need to add client links to your portfolio.
It really needs fleshed out.
Your costs are not outrageous, but more than I would pay.
The services you offer are quite in line with the dot-com bubble, but with so many web designers and graphic artists out of work you will face stiff competition. This site doesn’t draw me in.
Often web page quotes deal with page depth, as well as starting cost.
Do you offer, Java, JavaScript integration, SQL or other db/web interfaces, Flash, etc...? Who do you sub-contract for this kind of work, if anybody. What is your guarantee? Do you script native or do you using another program to build your pages?

I don't know if it proper to post your link here, but I don't think most people are going to notice.

Do you offer a maintenance contract?
What does that provide the customer?
Do you register domain names for the customer, or at least do all of the leg work so that they don’t have to do much?

[Moxiemike]

*sigh*

another person who obviously doesn't have the design training posing as a designer and providing service on the internet.

I sometimes wondered why i paid money to go to school-- i could just schlub about online and do half rate work.

The thing that bothers me most? $150 for an ENTIRE website. ****. I may start using you to produce sites for me... sites I get to charge upwards of $5000 for. After you're $150... i'd be making 4850 to sit there and manage the project. Giggle.

Seriously... if you wanna get into the graphics business, go to borders, pick up the GAG Ethical Guidleines book, see how many ethical situations you've violated design wise and reconsider....

[ChoMomma]

Originally posted by Moxiemike
*sigh*

another person who obviously doesn't have the design training posing as a designer and providing service on the internet.
*snip* The thing that bothers me most? $150 for an ENTIRE website. ****. I may start using you to produce sites for me... sites I get to charge upwards of $5000 for. *snip*..

I second that pseudo-gripe!

The first and last time I built a "beta/mock-up" of a site for a client I quoted $6000 for the whole site.. and it was perfect down to the last pixel... well, they came back with "ah we really didn't want to spend over $1000." So I said I'd take payments :D haha.. still no deal so I took my work and walked. I checked with other similar businesses in the area and they had websites with comparable features and design elements and they all paid like $8000... needless to say I have estimates and agreements upfront now :D

as far as $150 for a site... ah I hope you are offering them something akin to Geocities crap for that little bit. Remember, if you are making a business out of graphic design/web design.. well you need to be able to pay for your net connection, computers, power, food???, office? home? car? You are being paid for a service that they (the customer) cannot do for themselves.

my .02 cents

[neut]

you had to say that didn't you. i fu**ing hate that phrase!

"hello, im a GraphicSSSSS Designer. I just learned photoshop. i don't know what the ***** im doing! im a friggin' idiot!!!!!!!"

sorry. this is why i dropped out of school. everyone thinks they're a "graphics designer". stop killing the bill paying jobs, start reading/looking at design mags (i hate zines!), and stop making desingners look like idiots!




btw- nice aquafication...no really, i like it. ;-) But you had better have more than just that carracho blob star. oh yeah, watch your edges.



peace.

[iindigo]

Originally posted by Eniregnat
Drop the unrelated advertising, even if they are providing hosting.
I like the pseudo aqua look.
You need to add client links to your portfolio.
It really needs fleshed out.
Your costs are not outrageous, but more than I would pay.
The services you offer are quite in line with the dot-com bubble, but with so many web designers and graphic artists out of work you will face stiff competition. This site doesn?t draw me in.
Often web page quotes deal with page depth, as well as starting cost.
Do you offer, Java, JavaScript integration, SQL or other db/web interfaces, Flash, etc...? Who do you sub-contract for this kind of work, if anybody. What is your guarantee? Do you script native or do you using another program to build your pages?

I don't know if it proper to post your link here, but I don't think most people are going to notice.

Do you offer a maintenance contract?
What does that provide the customer?
Do you register domain names for the customer, or at least do all of the leg work so that they don?t have to do much?

Ok, what do I need to do to "draw" people in?

Also, I offer light JavaScript and Flash. I don't offer web design yet because I don't know enough. However, I can aquafy an existing site's graphics.

As fo Photoshop, I've been in it for a couple years now - I'm addicted to it :p . The aquafying is hand-done and I don't simply run an action.

$6000 dollars for a web site :eek: ! I had no idea!

What should I do to get people's business?

All help is apprieciated - I'm trying to get something a bit more capable than this little indigo iMac.

[eyelikeart]

I'm going to criticize here as well...

First off, your site is barely even 50% complete. There's nothing there that would make anyone want to use you for serious design work. You also have the web advertisements up, and it looks like it came from a template.

Second, as moxie mentioned, it's stuff like this that makes us who are trained seem to be a dime a dozen. I literally spend half of my day, on average, fixing other people's "design." Too many people with access to the tools, and they think they can do anything. It really drives our value as professionals down considerably.

I do admire your intentions though, and your willingness to put yourself out there to get some work. However, I would strongly suggest doing some serious homework before making the attempt to make a business out of this. Design is a hell of a lot more than knowing how to operate a computer.

[Moxiemike]

perectly said :)

[eyelikeart]

Originally posted by Moxiemike
perectly said :)

thanker ;)

*steps down from his soapbox*

[Eniregnat]

I’m not a designer, but some of my friends are. I do bill myself out as a "trouble shooter".- It's ok side money. Here is my take:

Ok, what do I need to do to "draw" people in?

Take a look at your favorite websites. What do their interfaces look like. What grabs you when you look at advertising? Your selling you self. Does this site sell you? I would also listen to the pros here. It isn’t just their degrees, but their ethics and skills as designers.

Also, I offer light JavaScript and Flash. I don't offer web design yet because I don't know enough. However, I can aquafy an existing site's graphics.
I don’t know what light JavaScript means. Do you use other peoples code, or can only do simple JS. What about Java? Do you, can you script Flash, or do you use templates?

As fo[r] Photoshop, I've been in it for a couple years now - I'm addicted to it . The aquafying is hand-done and I don't simply run an action.
Actions are powerful tools. They are something that designers use because it saves time.

$6000 dollars for a web site ! I had no idea!
Perhaps its worth some serious studying now? I wouldn’t go off and decide to up you price scheme. I find it completely wrong to offer services at an inflated price, espcialy when the work is substandar.

What should I do to get people's business?
Good work will sell its self, but you also have to work at it- just like any business. You are filling a small niche or lowband width and low skilled work websites.

All help is appreciated - I'm trying to get something a bit more capable than this little indigo iMac.
Your little Mac should be just fine for 90% of what people need. It should run Macro Media and Adobe software, which is what you need. How does it go, A bad carpenter blames his tools.

Two stories.
Story #1-Unethical
A company that I work for from time to time just bid out their website to builders 3 states away. Cost $15,000. 3 pages deep, 15 total pages, Flash and HTML, 3 videos, 5 sound clips, 1 order interface, 3 contact spawns. $15,000 is way to much, but they sold themselves. 3 weeks into the project (already late) they demanded $5,000 more. As a trouble shooter, I was called in. I found comparable bids for the project, had a friend analyze the script, and looked at what their problems were. Here is what I learned. Guy #1 is a talker and got 10% for making a deal, end of story. Guy #2 is just a photographer, and his portfolio contained his best work. He didn’t know what he was doing. Guy#3 was somebody that they sub-contracted for the work, and under paid.
The fix: Lawyers and time. I fixed the audio, and told them what they needed to do to get the video inline.- That’s the limit of my skills.
The problem: They offered services that they couldn’t provide. It was the third time the company had been taken. Anybody that works with them in the future is going to be working against a stgima

Story #2- Ethical
I was called by a friend to help her on a project. I charged $20 an hour to fix photos in PhotoShop. Why ? My parents owned a photo lab and I had the skills, but wasn’t a professional. I told them up front, and we were both well compensated for the work. They knew they could not find anybody cheaper, and they knew of my limited skills.

Listen to the designers above. If you want the skills work at them. You don’t need the degree, but it shows that you did the work.

End of my rant. You asked and I responded. That's what these bords are for.