What if the design sucks?

[heni30]

What if you see things in your clients designs that could be improved upon.

 

I have a client right now that I'm doing a bar/restaurant rendering for and he chose a yellow patterned tile for the face of the bar that clashes with everything else.

 

Would you discreetly hint that that's the worst possible color he could have chosen and maybe risk ruffling his feathers - seeing that designers are such ego-maniacs?

 

Or do you just try to make it look as good as possible and think "It's not my problem - I'm not being paid to give design advice. Why make things more complicated?"

 

In this case he's competing for the job and if he gets it, it's more renderings for me.

Edited September 9, 2013 by heni30

[numerobis]

Would you discreetly hint that that's the worst possible color he could have chosen

I think this depends on your relationship to the client. I have some clients who ask me for my opinion on some decisions and if i see a thing like your yellow tiles i would say it, yes.

[Scott Schroeder]

It is a double edge razor to tell the client something "sucks". We've all been given schemes to render that are pretty bad, but we are paid to render and not necessarily give our opinion.

 

I would just try to make it look as good as possible and not worry about forcing your subjective opinion (you might think it sucks but they don't) on your client.

[heni30]

I used the word "suck" to call attention to the thread. I was just asking the question in general.

 

Phillip Johnson used to say that we're all such whores.

 

What if your amazing design sways the zoning board to grant a variance and an abomination is built and it destroys the neighborhood. As far-fetched as it may seem, does moral responsibility enter into the equation.

 

By the way, here's the rendering done at break-neck speed due to everyone draggin' their butts about making decisions until the last minute. Large changes were being made 1/2 hour before delivery. (for instance, the paneling on the rounded wood end of the bar is colored strips of brown.)

 

Thank you Photoshop.

Edited September 9, 2013 by heni30

[Karl Larsen]

I think all "airport food service designers" went to the same school of gaudiness...

 

I would try to cut back the dark color in the tile if I could, Something looks wrong with the hanging light fixtures.

 

 

I used the word "suck" to call attention to the thread. I was just asking the question in general.

 

Phillip Johnson used to say that we're all such whores.

 

What if your amazing design sways the zoning board to grant a variance and this abomination is built and it destroys the neighborhood. As far-fetched as it may seem, does moral responsibility enter into the equation.

 

By the way, here's the rendering done at break-neck speed due to everyone draggin' their butts about making decisions until the last minute. Large changes were being made 1/2 hour before delivery. (for instance, the paneling on the rounded wood end of the bar is colored strips of brown.)

 

Thank you Photoshop.

[heni30]

I agree. Like I said, the hanging light fixtures were pasted in Photoshop at the last minute due to perpetual indecision.

[AJLynn]

Yeah, that tile is pretty unfortunate. I think you've done what you can by making an image that allows the designer and client to see the unfortunate tile. If they go ahead and build it, well, it's not like the photos are going in your portfolio.

[Francisco Penaloza]

I also think is about what's your relation between the customer and you, I do both, work in house and freelance, when is a new client, my input is kept to the minimum unless I see something completely wrong and even that I always, say it is my opinion but they always do the final call.

With interior designers it is very hard, because they have been working on that project way more that us so most of them tried several options already so they fell a lot of ownership and do not forget about the client input there too, but if you do give a interesting fresh point of view is always welcome, believe me, but again they do the final call, we all know that not every of our work will be a master piece, sometimes the best thing is put your head down finish it as fast as you can and just forget about it

[M V]

There is a thin line here for sure. If there is something that you can suggest that would make the image better, than I would say that it is your responsibility to tell your client. Maybe your suggestion wows the client and makes them rething their concept and they see respect your design eye even more. Now if you want to redesign the whole thing, you are overstepping your boundaries. You are the artist hired to make someone elses design shine (sucky or not). Simply keep this one out of your portfolio.

[CliveG]

I was a designer first and a 3D artist second (I use the term loosely), I occasionally get work simply producing rendered images of another designers work and for me it can be a really pleasant break. Takes a bit of pressure off me so I can just concentrate on the technical aspects of the images and not on both the technical aspects and my design as is usual.

 

Sometimes though if I think the design could be improved and I can get away without putting someone's nose out of joint I'll run a second option for free and say why not do it this way. I've picked up more work for my design services because of this. Yet if they don't like mine, no one loses?

 

Usually they'll happily run options past their clients and we're all often surprised in the end at what THEY like! Design is so subjective that, as a designer, we shouldn't be so precious and get offended by other suggestions - from any quarter. (That's not to say it doesn't happen though)

 

I try to remind myself that the one who pays for the project is ultimately always right, regardless of if they prefer my scheme or someone elses.

[markparsons]

Maybe it's because I often open my mouth when it should be closed, but I'm an intern architect as well as a cg artist, so I often offer materiality choices/suggestions at the planning stage. I'm working with an architect now who asks me about materiality all of the time because the last couple of options I suggested in past projects (getting rid of fascias, adding cor-ten trim, etc) he accepted and was happy for doing so. He's actually a great architect, though, so a lot of clients in development may be different. If the deadline allows for it and you are comfortable with your client, these suggestions don't do any harm. I think he respects me for being vocal about making his work as successful as possible.

 

As far as the design sucking in general, yeah, I've had that as well. I recently did some work for a huge condo developer and hated the architect's work. Developers are generally the worst, though, but since they often have a pretty big marketing budget it's a double edge sword if the pay is good. I'll never work with them again, though. Honest work is much more satisfying.

[markparsons]

I try to remind myself that the one who pays for the project is ultimately always right, regardless of if they prefer my scheme or someone elses.

 

This is always the bottom line as much as it hurts. Pretty sage advice, mate.

[Peter M. Gruhn]

With OP's question about colors an innocent question might be "do I have these colors right?"

[heni30]

The client approved the colors of the rendering when it was finished. I think the designer that I was working for didn't like the tile color either but it was his clients who chose it.

 

I asked the question generically because I'm sure we all run into situations where we can see how a design can be improved - how do you handle this?

[Alan Wilson]

Try working on set with a director who clearly has a bad idea, rule of thumb....say nothing unless asked too contribute.

 

 

It is after all their vision, not yours.

 

 

So I have to agree with C G