/ / F A Q
question.
Every
Answered.
Real answers to every question a serious client has — about the work, the process, the pricing, and the person behind all of it. Use the search or scroll through by category.
// Search indexes all text on this page — rahGraphics native search compatible
/ / 0 0 1 . W H O I S R A H
Are you an artist or a designer?
Both — and the distinction matters. Art is expression. Design is communication. Art asks questions. Design solves problems. My work lives at the intersection of both. I think like an artist while applying the structure and strategy of a designer. That combination is what makes the work function and feel like something at the same time.
How long have you been doing this?
Art started in childhood. By junior high, a mural was already on a wall. At 13, attending a graphic novel convention led to working with the artists there. High school I was selling tattoo flash pages to shops. At 18, screen pressing and t-shirt design. Over the years: airbrushing, CD insert design, band logos, album cover art.
The formal path began in 2004 through a fashion design degree, and by 2006, professional freelancing was underway. Study abroad at Sorbonne University - Paris, France. BFA- Graphic Design from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
There's significantly more than what fits here.
"Design is more than an aesthetic. It is language. Every visual decision is a statement about who you are and what you believe."
— rah
What kind of work do you actually do?
Brand identity. Website design. Typography. Editorial and publication design. Language systems. Print. Presentation design. Resume design. Creative direction. The common thread across all of it is communication — who is speaking, who is listening, what needs to happen because of the exchange. The aesthetic is proof of the thinking, not the whole offering. My active practice right now covers brand identity, web design, editorial design, publication design, visual systems, typography, photography, and creative direction. Historically, my practice has also included charcoal, oil, acrylic, watercolor, airbrushing, murals, fashion design, interior design, collage, beadwork, hemp braiding, ceramics, vector art, graphic novels, t-shirt design, skateboard design, tattoo design, videography, audio editing, podcast clipping, and content creation. These are different ways of studying form, communication, texture, and composition — the same underlying obsession across different surfaces.
What makes your approach different?
Most designers begin with aesthetics. I begin with communication. Before a single visual decision is made, I'm asking: Who is speaking? Who is listening? What needs to be communicated? What action should occur? The visual solution emerges from those answers. I also bring something most graphic designers don't have — a background in sales psychology, people management, and operational leadership at a corporate scale. I led teams of 120+ people across multiple markets, took a bottom-quartile location to top-quartile sales growth. That context directly informs how I think about conversion, trust-building, and client behavior. Design that performs commercially is the goal — not design that photographs well.
What is your most significant project?
My senior thesis. A full-year project that resulted in a functional, durable communication card system for a five-year-old nonverbal child in a bilingual family — English and Portuguese at home, no one in the family knew sign language. The cards integrate American Sign Language, Portuguese, and English through color-coded categories, tactile contrast, and visual simplicity. Made from flexible, waterproof, tear-proof plastic with rounded safety corners. Designed to bridge the child's own self-made communication system into something his family and community could learn alongside him. The project was galleried at the senior thesis exhibition. I gave two public speeches around it: the thesis presentation and a separate call-to-action speech advocating for ASL in school systems, which I also produced as a video with on-screen text and supporting visuals. It's the project where art, language, accessibility, activism, and design intersected at full capacity — and the one I point to when someone asks what I'm actually capable of.
What does "Think. Speak. Evolve." mean?
Think intentionally. Speak clearly. Evolve continuously. Awareness creates possibility. Language shapes perception. Action creates transformation. It's the operating philosophy underneath everything rahGraphics does — and the same principle that runs through every project, from a logo system to a website to a language card for a child who needed a voice.
Where are you based?
Chattanooga, Tennessee, with active professional ties in France, Mexico, Brazil, and Canada. The site says "United States and Paris, France" because both are true — Paris is practical and personal, part of an ongoing trajectory that includes studying at the Sorbonne University, a best friend and professional is based there, and long-term goals that include living and working internationally. rahGraphics works with clients locally, regionally, and internationally. The work doesn't require proximity.
Starting the
Process
/ / 0 0 2 . G E T T I N G S T A R T E D
Everything that happens between "I'm interested" and "let's do this."
-
A confirmation email arrives right away with a link to book your Discovery Call directly — no waiting on me.. I read every inquiry personally within 1 business day. By the time we talk, I have an idea of the vision.
-
A phone call. I find out what you're actually building and what's been in the way. 20–30 minutes. Nothing is owed until a contract is signed. The call exists to determine whether we're a fit — for both of us.
-
Come as you are. You filled out the inquiry form — I've already read it. Bring your questions, your honest situation, and whatever clarity you have about what you need. Decks, presentations, and prepared materials are welcome but not required. The conversation will get us where we need to go.
-
Most clients know something isn't working but aren't sure which solution fits. That's exactly what the Discovery and Strategy conversations are designed to clarify. You don't need to arrive with a brief. Arrive with the problem.
-
Both. Startups are often building clarity — who are we, what do we do, why should people care. Established businesses are often rebuilding clarity — the same questions, with more history in the way. In both situations the challenge is usually communication. rahGraphics tends to be especially valuable during periods of transition, when something real is being built or rebuilt and the visual and verbal system needs to catch up to the ambition.
-
Yes. The work doesn't require physical proximity. rahGraphics has worked with clients locally and at a distance — the process translates fully to remote collaboration. Phone calls, shared files, and clear communication are the tools. Geography isn't a barrier.
/ / 0 0 3 . P R O C E S S & T I M E L I N E
2
Calls before work begins
Discovery Call to understand you. Strategy Call to present scope, pricing, and timeline. You decide at the end of the second call whether to move forward.
20+
Years of practice
Art started in childhood. By junior high, a mural was on a wall at the YMCA. At 13, attending a graphic novel convention led to working directly with the artists. High school, I was selling tattoo flash pages to shops. At 18, screen pressing and t-shirt design. Over the years: airbrushing, CD insert design, band logos, album cover art.
The formal path began in 2004 through a fashion design degree, and by 2006, professional freelancing was underway. Study abroad at Sorbonne University, Paris, France in 2025. BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
There's significantly more than what fits here.
0
Dollars owed until a contract is signed
Nothing moves forward — no work, no timeline, no obligation — until both parties have agreed to the terms in writing.
WALK ME THROUGH HOW A PROJECT ACTUALLY WORKS.
A phone call — the Discovery Call. I find out what you're building and what's been in the way. Then a second call — the Strategy Call. I bring back what I learned: the real strategy behind what you need, plus the price, the scope, and the timeline. You decide if we move. Contract signed, deposit in — the real work starts. I build the thing we planned: the brand, the site, the system, whatever solves it. You watch it become real, on the timeline we agreed to. Impact is what happens after — your business moving, your client showing up to a brand they finally trust, your sales doing what they were always supposed to do.
HOW LONG DO PROJECTS TAKE?
Every project is scoped individually. General timelines: Logo Design 2–4 weeks. Brand Identity 3–8 weeks. Website Design 4–12 weeks. Publications 2–8 weeks. Presentations 1–4 weeks. Actual timelines depend on scope, your responsiveness, content readiness, and complexity. These are confirmed during the Strategy Call — every project gets a timeline built specifically for it, with a buffer built in. I deliver what I say I'll deliver, when I say I'll deliver it.
WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE BRAND ASSETS YET?
That's a normal starting point. If you arrive without a color scheme, logo, or fonts, that work gets scoped and priced before any deposit is collected. No project moves forward on guesswork about what you have or don't have — it's confirmed during discovery, clearly priced in the proposal, and accounted for in the timeline.
HOW FAR OUT ARE YOU BOOKED?
Capacity is assessed per project, based on current workload at the time of your Strategy Call. Like a commissioned painter — at a certain point commissions close, and that's communicated transparently. Timeline and capacity are confirmed before any deposit is collected. The better question is: what are you building, and when does it need to be done? Start there.
/ / 0 0 4 . P R I C I N G & P A Y M E N T
Real answers
about real money.
How much does this cost?
Starting investments: Logo Design from $500. Brand Identity from $1,500 — full identity systems from $4,500. Web Design from $1,200 (Launch Site: up to 3 pages, no copy, no logo included) / $2,800 (Brand Site). Maintenance from $99/month. Technical Setup — each item is a separate service fee: Domain registration and connection —from $75. Email automation setup with 1–3 emails from $150 / 4–7 emails from $350 / custom sequences quoted by call. Booking system setup —from $150 (embedded) / $90 (external link). Intake forms and lead capture —from $150. Print & Digital from $150. Copywriting from $500.
All prices are starting investments. Final scope and quote are confirmed in writing after your Strategy Call. Prices are not negotiated downward from these rates.
What's the payment structure?
Every project runs on a two-milestone system.
50% deposit starts the project. It locks your timeline, confirms your slot, and begins the work. Within two hours of your Strategy Call, you have the option to submit a 20% Project Hold to reserve your dates for 24 hours while you finalize your decision. That 20% applies in full toward your deposit if you move forward. If you do not proceed or the window closes, the hold is forfeited.
Remaining 50% is due at the halfway point of your project timeline. At that mark, full payment is complete and the project moves into final phase — reviews, refinements, and delivery.
Final assets release upon project completion. This structure is standard across all projects and confirmed in writing before anything moves.
Is the deposit refundable?
Deposits are non-refundable. They secure your time, planning, scheduling, strategy, and project allocation — all of which begin the moment you book. Completed work, completed phases, research, strategy, consultation time, and approved deliverables remain billable if a project is canceled. Specific terms are outlined in your project contract.
What about revisions?
Design systems and large-scale brand projects include two revision rounds. Additional revisions are quoted and billed before that work begins. Some project types do not include revisions in scope — this is outlined clearly in your contract. Revision pricing starts at $75 for minor adjustments.
Why does good design cost what it does?
Because the process is real. Before anything is created, there is discovery, research, strategy, communication planning, and competitive analysis. Every decision is intentional. rahGraphics delivers a system that functions commercially, communicates clearly, and holds up under the scrutiny of your actual audience. The investment reflects that.
Do you offer payment plans?
On select larger projects, milestone payment structures may be available. Considered case by case. Raise it during your Strategy Call.
How do you know you can trust me?
/ / 0 0 5 . T H E W O R K
Do you have client testimonials?
Building now. A growing local and regional client list is being documented and will be displayed on this site as a living portfolio. A formal testimonial intake system is in development — automated, transparent, real client feedback as it comes in. In the meantime, the work speaks. The Projects page shows the depth and range. The inquiry form starts the conversation where trust actually gets established: in person, on a call, in real time.
Do you have recognizable brand clients?
The client list is growing — local and regional work, documented and expanding. What exists now is a body of work across brand identity, publication design, language systems, event branding, typography, and web — visible on the Projects page. Early in a practice, the proof is in the range and quality of the work, not the name recognition of the client list. That list is being built with intention.
Who are you a good fit for?
Clients who value communication, strategy, collaboration, and long-term thinking. People who are building something real and need it to look and function like it. Clients who understand that good design takes time and that investment in the visual identity of their business pays returns. Businesses in transition — startups building clarity, established brands rebuilding it.
Who are you not a good fit for?
Clients who need a logo for $50 by tomorrow. Clients who want cheap and fast and are willing to sacrifice quality. Clients who will make design edits without telling me — the site says it plainly: I'm watching. Clients who want execution only, with no room for strategic input. Clients who aren't ready to commit to a timeline or a deposit. There's no judgment in any of this — it's just honest about where the work is best.
“I became the person I needed when I was lost — and I built a design practice around that same clarity.”
— rah
/ / THE ONE QUESTION CLIENTS SHOULD ASK BUT RARELY DO
Can you actually do this work?
Most clients who have this question don't ask it. They hope the answer is yes and move forward — or they silently decide it's no and disappear. The honest answer is on the Projects page. A BFA, 20+ years of practice, a galleried thesis, growing client work across multiple industries, and a Discovery Call where you can feel the answer for yourself. The call exists precisely so you don't have to take it on faith.
The practical
details.
/ / 0 0 6 . W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R
-
Backend access stays with rahGraphics by default. This protects the design integrity of the site you're paying for. Full handoff is available and documented at project close — your files, your access, formal offboarding — if that's the path you choose.
-
Yes. If you choose the full handoff path, you receive complete access and editing rights. Modifications made after project completion may affect functionality, design consistency, or performance. Additional support is available if changes go sideways — at the maintenance or extended support rates.
-
If rahGraphics still holds backend access, this is visible. Modifications made outside the agreed scope may affect your maintenance retainer or require a separate audit before further work can proceed. Transparency protects both sides — that's what the contract is for.
-
Revision rounds are scoped by project and included in your contract. Minor fixes (single asset, copy tweak, color adjustment) are $75 per round. Full reworks involving new direction or significant brand identity changes are from $750, reflecting the actual labor involved — typically 8–15 hours minimum. The number of included rounds is confirmed during the Strategy Call.
-
Expedited timelines or rush turnaround is available on an individual basis and is not guaranteed.
If you know ahead of time that your project requires an accelerated timeline, that is addressed during your Strategy Call. Scope, cost, and timeline are adjusted to reflect the compression, documented, and signed before work begins.
Timeline compression is priced by severity:
Light compression (roughly 25% faster) adds 25% to the project total.
Moderate compression (roughly 50% faster) adds 150%.
Severe compression (same-day or within hours) adds 200%. Not available on all projects.These rates exist because rush work displaces time reserved for other clients and requires restructuring the entire workflow around your deadline.
If your timeline needs shifted after a project is underway, contact directly to discuss. Any expedited adjustments mid-project may not be available.
Rush availability is never assumed. It is confirmed in writing.
-
Indecision, uncertainty, and not knowing design terminology are never problems — those get solved in the process. The biggest challenge is when someone wants expertise but refuses guidance. The strongest projects happen when there's collaboration and trust. The weakest happen when every decision becomes a battle, feedback is contradictory, or objectives shift constantly without acknowledging the impact on timeline and scope. Good design requires partnership,
-
How many questions I ask. Most people expect a designer to immediately start designing. I spend a significant amount of time listening, observing, asking questions, and identifying patterns before anything visual gets made. The conversations that happen before the visual work often determine whether a project succeeds. The questions aren't inefficiency — they're the strategy.
-
Yes. Copywriting is a paid, standalone service starting from $500 — not a checkbox on a form. If you choose to provide your own copy, a Copywriting Intake will be sent with instructions for submitting your language as-is. Your words, your voice, properly formatted and ready to go into design. The intake exists so that if copywriting isn't in the budget, the project still moves forward without gaps.
/ / 0 0 7 . A F T E R T H E P R O J E C T
The work doesn’t end at delivery.
Stay on Retainer
A website is a living thing. Maintenance retainers keep it current and on-brand — every update goes through rahGraphics, so the design stays exactly as intended. Starting at $99/month. Best for clients who want the site protected and consistently maintained without DIY risk.
Full Handoff
The Company
A creative company bigger than rah alone. Systems, intellectual property, workshops, publications, educational experiences, speaking engagements, community spaces, and communication frameworks that create value beyond direct client work.
The Mission
Work with people. Solve meaningful problems. Improve how we communicate. And connect to something deeper.
Think. Speak. Evolve. — The Movement
Live and virtual workshops, retreats, and speaking engagements across the United States and abroad. A positivity movement with real tour potential — bringing people back to themselves through design thinking, communication, and clarity of voice. Physical goods that carry the message: apparel, swag, etc., that make the philosophy wearable and repeatable.
The International Dimension
Select workshops, retreats, and creative experiences both here and abroad — giving the brand a global footprint and an editorial register that domestic-only studios cannot match.
The Nonprofit
A founding mission focused on youth, inclusion, and accessibility for marginalized communities. Hundreds of hours of vision already held. Built when the time is right, not rushed.
The Intellectual Property
Publications. Educational frameworks. Communication systems. Content that teaches, scales, and generates value whether rah is in the room or not.
rah Inc. — What’s the vision?
Take the keys. Full access, editing rights, formal documentation of everything built, and a clean offboarding. No ongoing obligation in either direction. Best for clients who want independence after delivery and have the internal capacity to maintain the site themselves.
What do clients say after a project is done?
The most common feedback is beyond the design. It's about clarity and work flow. Clients often say they hired a designer and gained perspective. The design matters — and what they're reacting to is the process of organizing ideas, identifying priorities, and creating structure around things that previously felt overwhelming. The visual result is proof the thinking worked.
Still have questions?
This form takes about 4 minutes. The more specific you are, the more accurately I can serve you — and the faster we can move.