How long would it take you????

[SignManiac]

A recent post asked what the industry average was for design time on typical sign projects. While I don't think there is one, each of us will be faster or slower depending on many variables such as the software we work with and how long we've been designing with that particular software.

This is a recent 4'x10' banner I designed for a good customer I do a lot of work for. All he gave me was the copy and said do anything you like. I didn't start off with a pencil sketch on this one, I almost immediately saw this in my head so I threw down the components and then made a few minor tweaks to satisfy myself that it was good enough. Total time from design to sending it to print was about twenty minutes.

As a design challenge, see how close you can come to replicating this banner with the software of your choice and time yourself from start to finish. I don't expect everyone to match the exact fonts that I used, but find something fairly close and with the same feel. I know some of you can knock this out quick and other may require quite a bit more time, but it should give you a good indication as to how fast YOU are in comparison to others in our profession. Please post your results when you're done and have some fun.

 

[Marlene]

this is more of a how fast of a computer operator are you than how fast you can design. not sure I see the point of that.

I can see where some might want to know the average time people spend on designing as that would help in setting up a design fee. right now, I am doing an internal tracking of my time to verify that we are charging the correct amount for the service.

 

[omgsideburns]

what's that coming soon font.. i like it.

i could imitate in like two minutes btw.. has nothing to do with my 'creative' speed. im just proficient in the software.

 

[neato]

6 minutes to recreate.

Although to design from scratch should take longer.

 

[SignManiac]

Ok then, maybe it should be how fast of a computer operator are you then?

 

[SignManiac]

what's that coming soon font.. i like it.

i could imitate in like two minutes btw.. has nothing to do with my 'creative' speed. im just proficient in the software.

AS Jiggy Roman.

 

[Gino]

I don't know if this fits in with your question, but yesterday around lunchtime.... this guy stops in wanting a trade show banner. After discussing price, getting a deposit and his telling me he'll send me some logos and such..... he later sent me what he wanted. I made a few revisions for him and had these sent back in less then 15 minutes.

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[Billct2]

the problem I see with design time is it is partly based on the experience and the skill of the designer, when I started I would agonize for hours over a simple design that may take me 5 minutes now....but there are also times when a job that sells for $5000 will take 15 minutes to design and a job that sells for $500 will take an hour (or more).

 

[Custom Bob]

The only thing I question is the use of two different types of shadowing?

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Okay... I'm not a designer by trade, and I'm self taught in Illustrator, but here is my attempt. It's by no means perfect, but I was nervous!!! It took me 22 minutes to do. Tough part for me was figuring out how the heck you skewed that font....

 

[GB2]

Replicating your banner and re-designing your banner are apples and oranges. I think the task should be to re-design the banner using only your original criteria and compare that to your original design time.

 

[TheSellOut]

I would say around 15 minutes to recreate and 30min. to an hour, starting from scratch, to create the layout, make sure I have the correct colors, correct spelling, and to email a flattened proof for approval!

Let me ask this...if something only takes you 15minutes do you charge for 15min. of design or the full hour? I always charge the full hour.

 

[Pat Whatley]

It would take me about an hour because I don't have Jiggy Roman (yet) so I'd have to vectorize it.

It would take less than five minutes to recreate it if I did have it. Just drop the jpeg into Flexi, type in the copy and stretch to match.

 

[J Hill Designs]

full hour of course, heath...just cause your good, doesn't mean you should suffer...

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Knows I'm slow as heck does not know software or little even though I can make use of much of it, full color I'm not doing at present since I don't have a printer and still stuck in the enjoyment of working with my hands to create something

Design To layout on 4 x10 banner less then a hour
paint backgounds with fade 1 color early day 2 color late in day or 2 different days add a 1 hour plus
letter those fonts top one will be about 2 hours bottom about a 1 hour
outline and shade all copy 2 hours plus most likely 3 hours
so grand total 6 - 10 hours depending on what happens at time complete

But even though this has good contrast in areas just way to much color ... I'm finding that long time businesses are going back to more simpler advertising because it works better then full color

 

[Rick]

I recreated it in 8 minutes...

--Designing it really depends. It would take 15-30 minutes to go through the sign code and sign program restrictions/requirements (if I don't have to chase around for it)

--Then, if they have a logo and a marketing look already. 15-30 minutes.

--Ricky sign grunt working at production vinyl/print shop, 15-30 minutes no matter what.

--Snotty designer Rick in fast mode, 45-60 minutes.

--Snotty Designer Rick who thinks some marketing/presentation effort should be made Minimum 2 hours.

 

[jiarby]

25 minutes for me... hunting for fonts & putzing with the gradient in the left elipse took the longest. I didn't have these fonts so I had to substitute similar ones.

looking now online for Jiggy Roman!

 

[SignManiac]

So would we better off doing one of our "design challenges" that we sometimes do here, with basic criteria and then time the design from concept to finish and time ourselves that way? I'd be up for it anyone else is. The designs would be all over the place with complete artistic freedom but there would be a nice variety of designs?

 

[Flame]

Most of my designs are 10-15 minutes, no counting identity work of course... just regular sign designs.

 

[Service Sign Co]

9 minutes, but I just copied yours . I would guess 35 to 45 minutes to make one from scratch. Also depends what mood one is in