About Digi-designers.

Before I tell you about where to find digital elements (free and for purchase), let's talk about the people who create the digital designs.

Designers share their work in 2 main ways: through a major store (like Sweet Shoppe Designs) or through their personal website (like Traci Reed Designs.) Usually when you buy through a major store (site), you will be dealing with the store's customer service; buying through a designer's personal website has you dealing with the designers themselves.

2022 update: it seems that designers use Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for their online presence, and Etsy for purchases and downloads if they're not affiliated with a store. 

My favorite thing about digital scrapbooking is that with the internet, the playing field is leveled.  Designers don't have to get noticed by a big company or find large amounts of start-up cash to get a product ready to offer.  Just about anyone with talent, a computer with access to the internet, and a little e-knowledge can jump in.  (Whether they thrive or not depends on other factors, but I love that anyone can try!)  Designers can start out and remain independent and still thrive.  [Digital scrapbooking right now is a wonderful community -- designers talk to each other, buy each others designs, leave feedback on layouts posted at web galleries, post comments responding to questions on digi-message boards, and respond to customers (and fans!) in e-mails.  I hope this remains as the "industry" continues to move forward.] Well, that didn't age super well.

Here are some things you need to keep in mind about digital designers:

1.   Above all else, they are people.  They are mothers.  They are wives.  They are daughters.  They have homes and families and lives to take care of.  They aren't raking in money selling their designs.  Seriously.  Even the most popular ones.  They pour their hearts and time (a LOT of time) into their kits.  Many are SAHM's making a little extra money to supplement staying home.  Some have full-time jobs in addition to designing.  Give them the benefit of the doubt, be patient with them, be respectful and kind when you e-mail them.

2.  Overwhelmingly what I have heard from them is that they DO care about their customers.  They WANT to hear from their customers.  They love to see pages made with their elements.  Sending an e-mail with a link to a layout you made will not bother them; most likely it will be flattering and fun for them.  They enjoy feedback on the kits they made, and many are open to suggestions for future kits.

3.  If you have a problem with an element from a designer, e-mail the designer directly. Give them time to answer the e-mail (I say 48 hours.  Some may think differently.)  As one designer says, "PLEASE let us know if something's not right with a kit or element, and never feel like you're 'bothering' us with an email. If we've chosen to sell our designs, we've also chosen to take on any and all questions and concerns about them."

4. In the same vein, THINK before posting on message boards [(like TwoPeas or DigiShopTalk) ope, moot point] about a digi-designer.  If the problem can be resolved in e-mail, it's best left to e-mail.  People are very impressionable -- it only takes reading one bad thing that may or may not be true to plant an idea in someone's subconscious.  When you have a GOOD experience with a designer, it's nice to let others know -- give the designer a shout-out and tell the world.  It's nice to feature them on your personal blog, too -- designers really appreciate this.  But be careful about jumping to be negative -- the problems you're having might be something you are doing wrong. Do you really want to put a designer's reputation at risk because of a little problem YOU had?

5.  It takes a LOT to design and offer kits.  As digi-scrappers we need to respect designers for the work they put into their elements.  We need to realize that there are costs involved that we're not aware of -- design programs, fonts, websites and bandwidth, advertising, etc.  Time is taken to plan a kit, decide on the colors, experiment to get all the elements just right, tweaking terms of use, making sure all the files are named correctly, formatting the kit for download, making a previews graphic . . . it's not like it's taking them 20 minutes from start to finish.  A designer's time is valuable.  The art of their designs is valuable.

6. (When you are posting the layout on-line): ALWAYS give credit where credit is due.  Most designers will include a Terms of Use document (the best are in Notepad form instead of Word or Works, because then a program doesn't have to be opened to read it).  The TOU will tell you what you can and can't do with the kit, how to contact the designer, and anything else you need to know.  Always keep the TOU with the elements.  Save the kits by designer name so you're not left wondering where you got something.  (It takes NO time at all to make a new folder with the designer's name and store their kits there.  It's actually a lot easier to find what you're looking for then.)  Even if you change or alter an element, you still used that element as a starting point and you need to give credit.  Unless you made it from scratch, it's not yours. It's standard when posting layouts to share the designer's full name and the name of the kit. 

Comments

[DeLynn]

Thank you so much for your work! How wonderful to have this resource! Thanks again!

[Clara Wallace]

Jen, this is a wonderfully written - you covered all the bases. Thanks for putting this info together and sharing it with the digiscrapping public! Your blog really is a great resource for any digiscrapper. I'll be adding you to my list of links at my site!

[Jeanine Baechtold]

Thanks so much for posting this Jen! This will be invaluable for new digiscrappers :)

[Julie]

Jen - this is such awesome information that you are sharing about designers! Being a designer myself, I SO appreciate the time and effort you have put into this site to help educate and inform the digi-community!

Thanks, thanks, and more thanks!
Julie

[Elizabeth]

Very helpful post! Thanks!

I have a question about using kits to make a header for a personal blog, not for commercial use or profit. Is that OK as long as you have credits somewhere on your blog or do you need to ask permission? If it is OK with credits, is there a "proper" way to give credit? I was thinking a link to a page "About the header" where I could give credit.

Thanks!

[Mels Brushes]

Very good post Jen- all so true. The points you make about digi designers should be read by everyone! As a digi designer myself, I wish i could show this to everyone who visits my site - often people can be rude and/or overly demanding especially given they are getting my hard work for free. Its lovely when you get feedback.
Well done for this!