OceanWild Design frequently asked questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL

  • What platform do you run (and applications)?
  • What is the average turnaround time?
  • Do you offer rush jobs on design?
  • What deposit is required to start?
  • How far in advance should I contact you?
  • I'm outside the U.S., can we still work together?
  • Do you offer internships or work experience?
 – Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, QuarkXpress, Clip Studio, HTML editors
Every design project is different and it always depends upon complexity and the research required to produce a quality product for the client. Turnaround time also heavily depends upon current client workload. Typically, it takes approximately 3 to 5 business days to complete a custom job such as a rackcard or brochure. Of course your project may be completed sooner or take longer depending on complexity and the number of revisions made. Additionally, how quickly proofs and requests are responded to, when and how content is supplied and how long it takes to approve steps or milestones in the process all factor into the amount of time it will take to complete your design project.
Yes. Pending upon client work load, design services may be rushed for an additional fee. A surcharge of 50% hourly rate is charged for all rush jobs and/or work that is required outside of normal business days and/or hours.
Varies depending on the project. Some design projects (including logo design, sign design and billboard design) require payment in full before work is scheduled. For other design projects, a 50% deposit may be required to start work and the remaining balance is invoiced upon completion of the work. High resolution, press-ready PDF files will be emailed when the balance is paid in full.
As a solo design operation, Tracy's schedule fills up pretty quickly. With this in mind, she usually can not accept last-minute projects except for current or past clients who she has worked with before. Preferably, contact her as soon as possible even if the start of your project is a month or so away. It is best to get on her calendar as soon as you can. But if you need to begin right away, please feel free to contact her to discuss the details. She tries to leave a little room in her schedule for last minute requests. And if she can't help you, she may know of someone who can.
Having worked on branding projects with clients internationally, geographic proximity is definitely not mandatory. The process can work well over the internet through emails, by phone and even through the mail when necessary. Outside of the U.S., Tracy currently accepts overseas orders (paid by credit card) from Canada, United Kingdom and Australia.
At the moment, OceanWild Design is not offering internships or work experience.


LOGO DESIGN

  • What program do you use to design logos?
  • What file formats will I receive of my logo?
  • Can I purchase more than one of the logo design concepts?
  • What is the average turnaround time?
  • What deposit is required to start?
  • I'm outside the US, can we still work together?
  • Do you offer internships or work experience?
After sketching out concepts on paper, logos are created in Adobe Illustrator and built as 100% VECTOR files so the logo can be enlarged or reduced without any loss of sharpness. Certain specialty logos that may require photographic elements (i.e. real estate agent logos) are built in Photoshop at a very high resolution.
Your final logo design files will be supplied in all file formats needed for optimized print and web publishing, including vector EPS, vector PDF, TIFF, PNG, JPG.
Yes. This situation comes up quite often. If you would like more than one of the logo designs that have been presented to you during the logo design process, additional logo designs can be purchased at $300 per design and includes all of the print and web file formats.
Depending upon current workload, turnaround is typically 7 business days (excludes weekends and U.S. holidays) for initial logo concepts. The logo design process averages 2 to 6 weeks from beginning to end. The complexity, the number of revisions required and how quickly each step is approved will factor into the amount of time it will take to complete. Illustrative and character or mascot logos are more time-consuming and will take longer. As the most important asset to your branding and something that should last for years to come, it is a process that most clients prefer not to rush.
Payment for logo design is due upfront to schedule work.


BOOK DESIGN

  • Can you design both my book's interior and cover?
  • What is the average turnaround time?
  • What deposit is required to start?
Yes.
It is usually dependent upon the author's timeline, the complexity of the manuscript and if it includes any photos, text decorations, etc., the number of pages, when and how content is supplied, the number of revisions and the response time to requests.
50% is due with submission of manuscript. Project will be scheduled once deposit is received. Balance due before final book files are delivered.


WEBSITE DESIGN

  • What web languages / programs do you use to build sites?
  • Is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) necessary?
  • Do websites built by OceanWild Design-built have good SEO?
  • What is the average turnaround time?
  • What deposit is required to start?
  • Can you update and maintain my current site?
Websites are built using custom HTML / CSS / JS using an HTML text editor. Certain sites, including online stores, can be designed on a Content Management System (CMS) such as Shopify, Squarespace or a website builder with drag-and-drop functionality that allows site owners the possibilty to update and manage their own content.
Yes. It is the difference between having a website vs. having a website that brings you results. It is important for your website to be seen by your target audience when they use search engines. If you have a website that is not properly SEO-ed, chances are your site will not appear within the first few pages of search results. And most people do not go past the third page of search results before moving on. Your website's content is ranked based on what a search engine's algorithm considers to be the most relevant to users according to their input.
Yes. Sites built by OceanWild Design are search engine-friendly. Websites designed or maintained by OceanWild Design are always built with SEO techniques to improve and increase your site's search rankings.
Turnaround time is usually 4 to 6 weeks. Be aware that there are a lot of variables in website design as turnaround depends on several different factors, including the complexity of the site, numbers of pages, when and how content is supplied, the number of revisions needed and the response time to requests. During the website design process, the client is asked to approve certain milestones before more work can continue.
50% deposit is due to schedule work. Balance is due when final design is approved.
Yes. OceanWild Design can service your existing or new website for site updates or maintenance, making revisions to the text, images or code. Plus site overhauls and updates.