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What are the Different Types of Freelance Design Jobs?

G. Wiesen
G. Wiesen

There are many different types of freelance design jobs, which are often based on the type of design work that needs to be done and the way in which it will be completed. Website design, for example, is a major opportunity for many freelance artists and designers. There is also a great deal of work for freelance designers in creating logos and imagery for small businesses, which cannot often afford the costs of larger design studios. Some freelance design jobs are part of a larger job, but are contracted out in part to freelance artists to supplement work done by “in house” designers.

Freelance design jobs are typically jobs in which someone creates artwork for another person or company on a short-term freelance basis. This is in contrast to work that is done on a contractual basis, which involves someone being hired by a company or individual to produce a certain amount of work or for a certain amount of time. Freelance work is often preferable by employers in many situations since it allows a person to hire a designer for particular design jobs, rather than have someone employed even when work may not be available or needed. This type of work may be unreliable for a designer, but can provide an opportunity to gain professional experience.

Freelance designers are typically hired to create artwork for a company.
Freelance designers are typically hired to create artwork for a company.

One of the most common types of freelance design jobs is web design work that may involve creating a website or providing artwork for a website. Website designers are often involved in actually creating the overall look and layout of a website, usually through artistic creations and the use of various computer applications. These types of freelance design jobs can also simply involve the creation of original artwork, which a different website designer then uses to create the actual website.

A freelance website designer can code and build a website for those who do not have experience designing webpages.
A freelance website designer can code and build a website for those who do not have experience designing webpages.

There are also freelance design jobs that involve the creation of logos or images for a particular purpose, which is then often used in marketing or merchandising of a product. If a company is just getting started, it may hire a freelance designer to create a company logo that can be used on paperwork and company business cards. That company may then hire the same designer again to create a new logo for a particular product, but does not pay the designer between those separate projects.

Freelance designers are expected to have their own computer and design software.
Freelance designers are expected to have their own computer and design software.

A number of freelance design jobs are also generated to help a design staff finish a project on time or make up for missing people. If a team of designers is working on a major project and running behind, then it may hire more designers on a freelance basis to help finish the project. Once the project is complete, then the freelancers would likely be done working with the team, though especially talented designers could be hired based on their freelance work.

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    • Freelance designers are typically hired to create artwork for a company.
      By: Robert Kneschke
      Freelance designers are typically hired to create artwork for a company.
    • A freelance website designer can code and build a website for those who do not have experience designing webpages.
      By: Nikolai Sorokin
      A freelance website designer can code and build a website for those who do not have experience designing webpages.
    • Freelance designers are expected to have their own computer and design software.
      By: AntonioDiaz
      Freelance designers are expected to have their own computer and design software.