Product and Design Prep Work

There are some helpful things to think about and get together before getting on a consult call with me that can give you clarity on what you're making and maximize our time together.

Not sure how to figure that out? Head here.

for all products

Your product's purpose
The visual look and feel (it doesn't need to be super specific, but having a general idea is ideal)
The amount you want to order (this can be a range to start)
Any hard deadlines, if you have them

for Journals and Guided Journals

Dimensions of the book you want to make
How you want someone to use it
Journal copy or prompts in progress or done
Idea of visuals for the book decided or in progress
Cover concepts

for books and cookbooks

Dimensions of the book you want to make
Copy or prompts in progress or done
Idea of visuals for the book decided or in progress
Cover concepts

for Affirmation, Tarot or Oracle Decks (with a guide book)

More finalized number of cards
Idea of visuals for the cards decided or in progress or done (depending on who’s designing those)
Copy for cards (if applicable) in progress or done
Copy for guidebook in progress or done
Idea of visuals for the guidebook decided or in progress or done (depending on who’s designing those), if applicable
Cover concepts
Dimensions of cards and guidebook (can be different!)
Idea of how you want the cards to be stored (kind of box or bag)
Concepts or ideas for the box of bag

for Affirmation, Tarot or Oracle Decks (without a guide book)

More finalized number of cards
Idea of visuals for the cards decided or in progress or done (depending on who’s designing those)
Copy for cards (if applicable) in progress or done
Dimensions of cards
Idea of how you want the cards to be stored (kind of box or bag)
Concepts or ideas for the box of bag

for enamel pin

A more finalized concept(or artwork to go off of, depending on your needs)
More finalized pin dimensions
Ideas on how you want it packaged (if applicable)
Metal preference

for other paper-related products

Product dimensions
Copy in progress or done (if applicable)
Any other details that are important to you

how you can figure some of these things out

If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed about how to figure some of these things out, don't worry! You have a better idea about what you want than you think! You do not have to be a designer to have a design eye or know what you like. Here are some ways you can get some clarity on some of the items above and get a better idea of what you want your product to look and feel like.

Get as much together as you can and I can help give you even more clarity when we talk on our consult call. Having that starting place will be very helpful.

Look at any of these products that you own and see what you like. Look at the details: the size, the box, the paper, how it feels, the colors, how it’s bound if it’s a book/notebook etc.
Head to a bookstore, gift shop or friends’ collections and start looking at other examples to see what you like.
Start looking in your home, Instagram and literally anywhere for visuals you like. Check out books and other visual things you already have in your house.
Save them to Pinterest if you find them online and that speaks to you.
Gather physical examples in one place to show me in our consult call.

if you're creating the artwork or working with someone to create the art

If you or a creative partner are working on the artwork ahead of a consult call, decide on the size/general proportion of the product you're creating first. Here are some other things to consider based on how the artwork is being created.

digital artwork guidelines

Create art at the product dimensions or at the same proportions but larger
Create in CMYK color mode, ideally at 600dpi. (300dpi is okay, 600dpi is best)
Add a .25" bleed to all edges of artwork, especially if the artwork goes edge to edge
I have all Adobe programs, so please send me editable, layered .psds or .ai files
Please do not send flattened digital artwork if it was originally created in and with layers

traditional artwork guidelines

Create art at the product dimensions or at the same proportions but larger
Add a .25" bleed to all edges of artwork, especially if the artwork goes edge to edge
You or your artist will be responsible for sending scans of the artwork for me to work with and place in templates
Scan your artwork in CMYK color mode, ideally at 600dpi. (300dpi is okay, 600dpi is best)
Please send scans in .tiffs or .psds

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