A designer comes up with creative ideas. A DTP specialist prepares files technically so they’re ready for print. I just happen to be both. Still, sometimes all I do is check documents and make them print-ready, while the design itself has already been created in Canva or Word. The kind of old-school production work I used to do a lot back when I worked at a printing company.
Because of all these self-proclaimed creatives, I sometimes come across designs that make me pause. My hands itch to adjust something, straighten things out, maybe remove a font or two, tone down the color explosion. But as a DTP specialist, that’s not my role.
Designing a document requires skills not everyone has. Having hundreds of fonts to choose from may seem fun, but using them all at once creates chaos. The same goes for color and form.
Are you guiding the reader through the message, without them even noticing, or is it all about your artistic expression?
If there’s room for it, I’ll give some unsolicited advice on how it could be improved. Some people appreciate it, others stick to their own design, and both are perfectly fine.
I don’t think calm is boring. Calm creates order, clarity, and structure. Maybe it’s the autistic part of me that holds onto that more than necessary.
But chaos? No, that’s not my thing.
#design #dtp #graphicdesign
I’m Mireille, and I translate ideas into graphic design that works—both creatively and technically. With over 25 years of experience, I help entrepreneurs build a visual identity that lasts.