Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the regular and not-so-regular queries I get from clients and prospective clients. This is a good page to find out more about how aside works and how you can save time by getting answers to some of the obvious questions.

Range of design services offered?

The best place to actually see that would be the main aside website and / or the the aside PDF portfolio. Briefly, I enjoy designing logos and identities, print design, graphic and illustrations, photography and web design – in that order.

How many team members do you have?

There’s only me. All the projects that you see on this website have been executed and delivered by one freelancer only – and that’s me.

Where can I see your regular price list?

There is no standard price-list as each client’s requirement varies and so does the effort that goes into the project depending on that requirement. It helps to know what your budget is – it enables me to offer some options. There are minimum rates and I’ll be glad to share them with you via email.

How much time do you take to deliver?

That would depend on when you need it. Rush jobs cost more than those with regular time-lines and regular time-lines are decided depending on the scope of the project and the client-designer feedback cycle as well as prior experience.

That dirty sketch is not my logo!

Correct, it isn’t. The process of design needs to start at some stage and the best way to start it is to put pen / pencil on paper and sketch out the ideas and concepts / themes according to the creative brief filled-in by the client. The first set of drawings sent to you are black and white, rough sketches – the worst approach would be to design some options in Adobe Illustrator in the first phase and show those to the client – wastage of effort and that usually also takes the wrong creative direction. There will be iterations.

How many iterations will this take?

It doesn’t take forever and I don’t design in isolation. Design engagements are always a collaboration between the designer’s design vision and the client’s business vision. Finding a solution that appeals to both these sensibilities is what the iterations take care of. I never say ‘No’ to the client unless I know what they’re asking for will harm their own business vision in the long run. Then I spend time speaking with them and writing to them explaining other case studies and universal design-related business cases. Persuading my client to take the right direction is largely my responsibility – that’s what I am hired for – but I need collaboration there too! As an example, I’ve delivered logo projects in seven working days and then there was a project that took six months.

You’re in India, I’m in the US!

It’s all on email and if so required, telephone conversations. I prefer the email route though because on the phone it is easier to say things and not mean them. Email also creates a written record of what the client wants and what the designer actually understands and delivers. Files are delivered electronically – Vector formats for logos, InDesign / PDF formats for print work, Photoshop files for other artwork etc. – All via email and I also host passworded files on the aside server for the client to download. I have a comprehensive creative brief, which helps kick-start the engagement.

What’s the best way to pay you?

If you’re located outside India [ like 80% of my clients are ], then there are three options : www.remit2india.com ; www.westernunion.com and / or a direct bank transfer. I’m sorry I don’t use PayPal. If you are located within India, NetBanking allows immediate transfer of payments from one bank account to another – if that is not something you’re comfortable with, please add INR 100 to the total amount and send me a cheque.

Terms & conditions to keep in mind?

I need a 50% advance. You need to fill in the creative brief. Please give me a ‘client testimonial’ once the project is delivered. I need to be in direct contact with the person taking the final decisions on the design engagement. I love showing my work on my portfolio and if you categorically don’t want it to be displayed publicly forever, please add 50% of the total to the original quote.

Why haven’t you done any work for the beverages industry?

Because no one’s approached me so far. If you are in the beverages [ for example : juices, soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc. ] industry and would like to utilize my design skills, but do not see any design work for the same industry in my portfolio, that does not mean that I do not have the skills to fulfill your design requirements – apart from the fact that I will research and review the industry you’re in, as well as your company and target market – delivering design based on that research and the brief you give me is the approach I regularly use for all my design engagements – irrespective of the industry.

I want something like Client X’s logo.

Erm. Sure, but is your company the same as client X’s company? Is the target market the same? Do customers have the same profile? Do you sell the same products / services as Client X? Are you based in the same geographical region as Client X? If you answered ‘Yes.’ to all five questions, well, then you yourself are Client X! Yay!

I want some design work, meet me in my office.

Please send me an email with what your design requirements are – if there is a clear list of deliverables, please do share. If I need clarification about those requirements, I will reply to your email and ask. Once clarified, I will then send you a quote. If the quote is agreed upon, I will send you the creative brief document via email and once you send me the filled-up document, that is when I will take a call on whether a ‘meeting’ is required. I hate meetings. They accomplish nothing. Of course, if you want to invite me to a party to celebrate the completion of the design engagement to show off your company’s newly upgraded visual identity, I’ll be thrilled to drop in! [ A lot of prospective local clients hate writing emails - they usually compensate with phone calls that never end and meetings that go on for six hours if I'm lucky - AND by the end of the phone call / meeting it is decided that they want me to send a quote via email. ]

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