new graphic designer rates?

If you are still building a portfolio and you want to freelance to gain industry experience and build the protfolio then £10 does not sound bad at all. Have you tried contacting any local designers to ask for quick costs for an imaginary job? A 2 min chat on the phone and most people will give you a run down of costs.

I spoke to a friend - he and his father are graphic designers, and got told that its maybe £20-£30/hour, starting rate, depending on size of job etc.. but ive just been asked a flat rate, and dont want to sound too high without much of a portfolio? though not too low as to sound rubbish .. 🙂 thanks 🙂

£20-£30 is probably a fair rate for someone with a bit of experience. If you have done other jobs then fair enough but for real starters rates, having no industry experience and you want to win the work then being cheap can be the swinging point! If it was me then wanting the work to build the portfolio would be more important than losing the job due to being too expensive.

Is the work more important than the money is the question I would be asking myself.

Do you work as a permie doing design already? If so what is your monthly wage? Divide this by 20 then by 8 to give you a rough hourly wage in your current job. How does your rate for freelancing sound now?

If you are starting out in design and want to work in that industry then not only is this work a potential earner it is the key to your next freelancing work or a permie job as your portfolio is vital.

Personally, I would charge a lower rate until to get established and, hopefully, indispensible - then you can up your rate.

Just like a full time design job, the aim is to get your foot on the ladder, and that usually means taking what ever is avaliable, even if you only make enough money to pay the bills and buy the latest copy of Grafik!

Make sure you are well versed in the basics of graphic design (artworking etc) as a lot of companies wouldn't be too happy paying a freelancer who is effectively a junior designer.

Have you considered getting a full time job for a year or two and gaining industry experience before going solo?

dmd, post: 803 a écrit : Have you considered getting a full time job for a year or two and gaining industry experience before going solo?

This is good advice........and the perfect way to build that portfolio. :)
You can always pick up freelance gigs at the same time, then drop the full-time job when your client-base is big enough to keep you in socks/whisky/baked beans etc.
🙂

glebe digital, post: 804 a écrit : This is good advice........and the perfect way to build that portfolio. :)
You can always pick up freelance gigs at the same time, then drop the full-time job when your client-base is big enough to keep you in socks/whisky/baked beans etc.
:)

Haha… yeah, mostly whiskey to ease the pain of late night deadlines!

Happy Easter to everyone and don't go too crazy on those eggs!

Edinburgh freelancer here...

Hi, thought I might be able to help - I live in Edinburgh and have been freelancing for four years, however when I began freelancing I already had eight years experience under my belt. The base standard rate in Edinburgh tends to £25 per hour (£30 upwards once you have at least ten years experience behind you), but that is dependent on experience. I would suggest, as a newbie, you charge perhaps £16-£20 per hour until you get a client base, and after a year put your rates up.

It may be a good idea to start freelancing through an agency (Denholm Associates are good) - you don't go on their payroll, so you are still freelance, and they will be able to give you advice on your fee level.

Good luck, and get in touch if you need any other advice!

Lucy

Personally i have two rates. One for regular and trade clients and one for standard non discounted work. £35 per hour and £45 per hour.
You would then discount your rates for a days full work or a weeks full work etc.
Ive been freelance for 6 years though.

To calculate your rates is quite common sense.
Figure out what level of experience you have and work out what you would be paid or would like to be paid if you were at an agency.
You then need to consider that as a freelancer you may not have enough work for a third or up to half the year.
Divide your expected salary by 26 weeks and then that figure by 5 days and you have a daily rate to aim for.
eg £30000/26 weeks = £1153/5days = £230 per day or £28.80 per hour

graphic design rates

hi i want to know the rate for a very small HMTL site of 5 pages design, and a logo design.
thanxs

I've just started to do freelance work and i'm trying to do "deals" to generate business, so for instance I have agreed to do a Logo design, business cards and website (with just one page) for £150. Do you think this is okay? I have alot of experience but just working as an in-house designer so I don't have anything i can actually add to my own portfolio site as the company I work for hasn't given me permission...