Design
Creative Design is one of the foundations of what we do at Zinc. We began life building websites, and even though we’ve grown to add new services and skills, great design is still at the heart of everything we do. A job as a Creative Designer is one of the most diverse jobs we have at Zinc. Between web design, print work, client workshops and more, an average week is full of variety.
We sat down with one of our Creative Designers to talk about what an average day looks like at Zinc Digital.
9:00
The workday starts at 9. I’ll get in and have a catchup with the creative team over a coffee to work out what we’re all working on. We work to a booked schedule, so there’s usually a good idea about what everybody is doing each day, but in an agency there’s always something unexpected that might mean I have to pick up something from somebody else’s list or shuffle things around. Once I know what I’ll be working on, I make a to-do list in my diary so that I can stay on track.
9:20
Top of my list is a client who is starting a brand new venture. Her site designs are almost complete, but we want to make sure the colours we use reflect both the professional, business-focused side of the enterprise as well as the product itself, which is aimed at children. I spend some time comparing swatches and preparing some options to show the client.
10:30
Next, I’m on to a big task. This business is undergoing a complete site overhaul. It’s a large job, so we’re working closely with the client to ensure that everything is exactly the way they like it. Together, we’ve already decided on colours and style, so I’m designing the details like blog pages so that the whole site is cohesive. This will then be sent over to them for approval at the end of the day.
11:45
I take a break from my big project to work on one of my regular tasks. One of our clients has an internal newspaper that’s printed and shared in their office, so I lay this out with their latest news and send it over to them.
12:15
An existing client wants to update the lightbox imagery on their site, so I spend some time with speaking with a colleague to work out what development is required to get this put on the site. I send them a quote and book them in for a meeting later this week to talk about it more.
12:45
I get back to the full site redesign, trying a few different options for the layout of a blog page. For this client, we’re going for a vibrant, creative feel so I have the freedom to try lots of different things to find something that really reflects what they’re looking for.
14:15
I’m back from lunch and refreshed after a break. My next task in one of my favourites; a brand refresh exercise. We’re working with a company that’s relaunching, so it’s time for a new start when it comes to their logo and company colours. I lay out a document that shows different fonts, colours, imagery and styles so that the client can pick one that suits their new look.
16:00
The client who I’ll be meeting later this week about their imagery replies, so I make up some contact sheets to show them. These are sheets of thumbnail sized imagery that enable the client to look through all of the potential choices and compare them quickly.
16:30
In my last hour, I go back to the design overhaul to refine the things I did earlier. Working at an agency can require a lot of juggling, so I like to look over things to make sure that the finer details are always looked after. Little details make all the difference, especially in creative design.
For our Creative team, no two days are the same. The range of clients and mediums we work with ensures that we’re never bored, working with web design, branding, print and more.
