INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you're looking for a graphic designer for a professional job, such as redesigning the logo for a company, ask similar businesses whose designs you admire what designers they've used. You can also ask trusted friends and family, but make sure you ask for designers they've used in the past, rather than people they only know personally. Freelancers can be cheaper and more straightforward to work with, but may not have the same skills as someone working at a design firm. To find candidates, write a short listing that sums up the project and your expectations and desired experience from a freelancer. Briefly describe your company as well. Post it on general job sites as well as those tailored towards design jobs, such as Creative Hotlist and the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) site. Both require a fee to post a job opening. Post on the AIGA site here: http://designjobs.aiga.org/select-posting-type Post on Creative Hotlist here: http://www.creativehotlist.com/Jobs/Post Your job listing could be as simple as, "Family-owned restaurant looking for a designer to re-design our logo. Interested in designers with at least 3 years of applicable experience. Possibility of expansion into a long-term job. Please email portfolio and brief cover letter to" You can give a rough salary estimate, or simply write "competitive rate," or "salary dependent on experience." Expect to be paying somewhere between $50-$150 per hour. If you're looking for a designer to work with for a long time or for a larger, more intensive project, try researching a design firm to assign to your projects. Remember that firms will be more expensive and possibly less personal to work with than freelance graphic designers, but they'll also have more resources at their disposal. Look for firms with designs you like, or that have designed for companies similar to yours. Ask for a quote and speak to the assigned designer in person or on the phone before giving them the job. Designers' strategies differ when they're working in print versus digital. If yours is a print project, look more closely at the newspaper ad campaign they designed, rather than the digital work they've done, and vice versa. It's not always necessary to have a designer that you can meet with in person, as long as they're communicative by phone and email. This is especially true for digital projects, where you won't require the designer to print or create the project manually. Specify in your listing that you expect them to respond promptly to your emails and calls and that good communication will be a must. You'll get more applications by allowing for remote candidates, so be choosy and look carefully at each application. Only consider those with good experience and rich portfolios. Take notes on projects that you do and don't like. Write down questions to ask during the designer's interview. Make sure to ask, in particular, what the designer's role was in each project. Ask, for example, "Did you come up with this logo on your own, or were you given strict parameters by the company? Did you work with anyone else on the project?" Ask each candidate to provide a list of 2-3 references with their application. If they have a website with client testimonials, take a look at that too. Ask these references what they liked and didn't like about the designer and their work. Describe your project and ask if they think the designer would be a good fit. Even if you love one candidate in particular after seeing their portfolio and talking to references, don't make your decision just yet. Choose at least 3 candidates to interview and email or call them to set up an interview time and place, if they're local. You can let the other candidates know that they won't be moving on, or simply don't get in touch. If they reach out to you, thank them for their interest and explain that their experience wasn't quite what you were looking for.

SUMMARY: Ask for recommendations from businesses similar to yours. Post job listings for freelancers on professional sites. Consider a design firm if you have a larger project. Look for a designer with experience in the right medium. Consider remote graphic designers to broaden your pool. Look through their portfolio to get an idea of their style. Ask for references or look at client testimonials. Choose at least 3 candidates to interview.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The wall needs to be smooth and clean before you apply the tiles to the backsplash area. Take some time to inspect the wall where you will be applying the tiles to spot any damages that exist. You should patch holes in the wall with spackling compound or joint compound and then sand the surface if you spot damaged areas. Take mild detergent and water, and clean the walls. You could use dish detergent. Remember that some adhesives won't adhere to grease. You can also clean walls with trisodium phosphate and water. Look for this cleaner in home project stores. If you spot any oil or grease stains, clean those too. You can do so with a degreaser or a primer if a soft cloth with detergent doesn't do the job. Let the surface dry before you continue with installation. Figure out where the tile is going to go before you actually apply it to the kitchen wall. Sometimes, it works best to center your tile around a focal point like a faucet. Mark the start and the end point for the tile so you know how much you are going to need and where you plan to put it. Lay out the tile on the floor or on a large table to make sure the layout works, then measure it to be sure it fits the dimensions on the wall. Use tile spacers to account for grout. Put tile spacers in the corners of the tiles as you lay them to create even grout lines. Some smaller tiles have small protrusions called lugs that fit into the tiles next to them to create space for the grout. Grout is a mortar or paste used to fill the spaces between the tiles, giving it a finished look. Start with the spot on the wall that you can most easily see. Then, move outward and upward from that point. Use a level or straight edge to make sure the tile isn't crooked. You might need to cut tiles if they won't fit. A tile cutter will work for ceramic or porcelain tiles. Natural stone or thicker glass tiles may require a wet saw. Be very careful when using any cutting instruments. Purchase powdered thin-set mortar for natural stone mosaic tile. You will want to get this ready next. If you have ceramic or porcelain tiles, you may purchase mastic adhesive instead. The mortar package will instruct you on how much water to put in the bucket, in addition to the mortar powder. Mix it. Mastic adhesive is often already mixed by the manufacturer. Let the mortar stand for about 5 to 10 more minutes, and then mix it again. Usually, you will only have a few hours to use the mortar after mixing it. Again, check the directions on the package. There are some mortars that you use right away after mixing. Again check the package for instructions as it can vary by brand! Many people suggest mastic adhesive glue for ceramic or porcelain tiles, and mortar for natural stone or other tile backsplashes. Start spreading the mortar or mastic on the wall where you will place the tiles. You will want to begin with a 2-foot section. Spread the mortar in a thin layer by using a trowel. Press it at a 45 degree angle. This method will make the mortar fully adhere to the wall. Now, use a notched edge of the trowel to add more mortar on it, and comb even ridges in one direction. Working in small sections helps prevent the mortar from drying as you apply the tile. Use the trowel to apply mastic in similar fashion. You will want to use the right trowel size. If you are using natural stone tile, you will want a notch trowel that is by inch in size. You may choose thinset/adhesive for glass tile instead or tile with adhesive on the backs.

SUMMARY:
Prep the wall. Pre-lay the tile. Prepare the mortar. Apply adhesive.