

Ask HN: Where do you find good graphic/web designers? - lionheart

I'm a web developer but I'll be the first to admit that I don't have a single designer bone in my body. So I always have to find someone to do the design for my web applications and websites.<p>However, for the life of me, I can't find anyone who is good, consistent, and reliable.<p>So I'm wondering what everyone else does when they need some good graphic design done.<p>Should I just go to 99designs and hope for the best? Or are the some designers/firms that you use all the time and could recommend?
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thetylerhayes
If you are looking for PT/FT employees, I would suggest
<http://authenticjobs.com>

If you're looking for a freelancer or agency, I would suggest
<http://sortfolio.com> (run by 37signals).

As a designer, I would almost never suggest crowd-sourcing design, be it
99designs or otherwise. Rather than go into detail here, I'd suggest you read
<http://www.no-spec.com/articles/ten-reasons/> (as well as the other few
articles on that site).

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jamesteow
Thanks for sharing Authentic Jobs. I usually use Krop and Coroflot so knowing
one which seems to focus on interactive is a great thing to know.

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2plus2equals5
try design students at local universities. they're cheaper, and might even
work for free so they can build their portfolio.

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anigbrowl
Upvoted for the idea of finding students - but I wish people would stop with
this idea that it's fine to ask artists to work for free while they build a
portfolio/resume. It's one thing for an established artist to get assistants
like that, because they're rewarding them in other ways. For anyone else to do
so is degrading.

Also stupid, because without payment you will have no way to assert ownership
of the design/logo/etc. later if you get sued for copyright abuse, by the
artist or an assignee.

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thetylerhayes
Spot-on. Thanks for making these points.

