Setting Up a Graphics Studio

What do I need for my graphics studio set up?

Where you work can really influence your creativity and having the perfect workflow can improve your efficiency so that you can produce beautiful work in time for your clients. No one wants a cluttered or disordered studio.

So how do I set up the perfect studio?

Furniture is the first thing to consider. A cramped workspace is not going to help feed the creative process, so whether you have a small or a large workspace, how you configure the room can really help to get things organised. There’s nothing better than pencil and paper for starting off your ideas, so you’ll need a good-sized table or desk and plenty of storage for your supplies. Try modular cabinets, peg boards and other clever solutions.

Once you have your furniture, you need a good computer or tablet for creating your designs and a colour accurate monitor. Have you ever created a piece of stunning artwork and then sent it to a client only for them to say that the colours are off? Have you created incredible pieces which just don’t translate correctly into print? Colour accuracy is vital. Since there are differences between how people perceive colours, it’s important to use a high-quality colour accurate monitor such as those in the EIZO ColorEdge range.

EIZO ColorEdge monitors are professional level displays designed for photographers, filmmakers, and designers. These monitors support a large colour gamut, are high brightness and show remarkable detail. The EIZO ColorEdge CG2700S 27-inch Monitor is the ideal monitor for your design needs.

EIZO ColorEdge CG2700S 27-inch Monitor

Key Features:

• 2K WQHD Resolution 27-inch 4K Ultra HD monitor
• Covers 99% of the Adobe RGB colour space
• Wide colour gamut that reproduces 98% of the DCI-P3 standard used in digital cinema
• Single cable connection with USB Type-C
• Reliably charges a MacBook Pro or other high-end laptops with 92 W power delivery
• Stable network connection and enables network-based colour management via ColorNavigator Network
• Built-in sensor to automate your workflow
• ColorNavigator 7 Color Management software
• Covers almost the entire ISO-coated and US web-coated CMYK colour spaces
• 3D LUT for accurate colour display
• Features a high brightness level of 400 cd/m2
• In compliance with the DCI standard, the monitor offers a high contrast ratio of 1600:1* for producing true blacks

Draw digitally with a Wacom Tablet

Once you have your ideas down on paper you need to translate that into a digital image. A graphics tablet is an essential piece of equipment for any graphic designer. Wacom is the trusted global leader in the pen display and tablet market and their displays allow you to draw digitally as naturally as you would on paper.

Wacom One Creative Pen Display Graphics Tablet

Key Features:

• Paper-like Canvas: Enjoy a natural surface with minimal reflection, providing a paper-like feel for your digital creations.
• No Batteries Required: The pen feels and looks like a standard pen, eliminating the need for batteries and ensuring a comfortable, familiar experience.
• Space to Play: With a nearly A4/Letter-sized full-colour display, see your imagination come to life in vibrant detail.
• Digital Freedom: Sketch, paint, annotate, edit, and share your creations with ease.
• Bonus Pack Included: Receive a bundle of brilliant apps, including Bamboo Paper Pro, Clip Studio Paint Pro, Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom, and Adobe Fresco.
• Connect Your Way: Compatible with Mac, PC, and select Android devices for versatile connectivity options.

How do I get my colours right?

We’ve already covered why a colour-accurate display is essential for your workflow. But how do you ensure that your monitor remains accurate in any lighting condition and configuration? A colour calibration device can be used to measure how colours are displayed on screen and ensure that your monitor, printer, or scanner are all perfectly calibrated, so that the colours you see on screen and the colours you print are perfectly matched up with your creative vision.

Calibrite sets the standard with a new era in display measurement technology. Experience ground-breaking technology backed by decades of display and colour science research with the Display SL, Display Pro HL and Display Plus HL devices.

Not sure which device you need? View this handy guide.

Now you can get down to designing! But which colours do you choose?

PANTONE provides colour reference guides which contain a universal language of colour understood by brands, manufacturers, and clients around the world, allowing you to make decisions about colour with confidence! For more information on which type of colour guide you need for your specific workflow, read our handy guide.

We recommend the PANTONE Portable Guide Studio for graphic designers which features eight fan decks in a convenient carry case. It includes the Formula Guide, Metallics and Pastels & Neons Guides along with the Color Bridge and CMYK guide sets. The individual guides are also available separately.

PANTONE Portable Guide Studio

The PANTONE Portable Guide Studio is a complete collection of all 2,390 traditional spot colours, 2,359 spot-to-process colours, 2,868 four-colour process colours and 865 speciality metallic, pastel and neon spot colours, a comprehensive colour guide set for all your design needs.

Key Features:

• Each colour is displayed with its coordinating number and ink formulation or values
• The lighting indicator page demonstrates when lighting conditions are suitable, allowing for proper colour evaluation
• Use for comparing spot-to-process colour, logos and branding, packaging, digital design and animation
• Ink formulations help printers accurately achieve Pantone® Spot Colors on printed materials
• The index at the back of each guide provides a numeric location for each colour

View your colours in perfect lighting

As a designer, you’re probably very aware of how lighting can affect how the colours in your designs are perceived. When you’re comparing printed designs with your PANTONE colour guide, use the Calibrite GrafiLite, which is a professional quality compact desk lamp with three colour settings for standardised lighting conditions including natural daylight (5,000K), store light (4,000K), home light (2,700K).

Need advice?

Still not sure what you need for your studio or need colour advice? Color Confidence’s expertise in colour science is here for you! We can help you to understand the whole workflow and walk you through your colour management needs. Call us or visit our support area and we will help you to find the perfect solution that suits you.