Hey! I’m Marina!
… you most likely got here through a referral and I thank your friend for that!
I graduated with an Honours Degree in Fine Arts at York University in Toronto. I focused heavily on Graphic Design in my last year as desktop publishing and the internet was just emerging. I started designing way back sitting at a lighted drafting table, cutting ruby film, typesetting, and getting layouts camera ready. I advanced later to Microsoft Front Page, Dreamweaver, animated Gifs and Photoshop 2.0! If that doesn’t date me, then I don’t know what will!
Fast forward 20 years, I have designed hundreds of sites for clients. I recently took a 2 year hiatus from web design to focus on my own projects. I now take on design projects for smaller business and individuals. I will never take on more than 2 web projects at once. This is so that I can dedicate and my focus all of my attention on you!
Besides running around after 2 kids, in my spare time, I love drawing, home renovations, architecture and baking. Follow me on Instagram!
What I Offer
Brand Strategy + Creative Direction
Being a pixel pusher in my first few years as a Graphic Designer made me realize that my passion extended beyond that. Yes, I knew all about colour theory and how to master Photoshop, but with each passing client meeting, I became aware that I was also helping them strategize their business and solving many problems.
What are their long term goals, how to stand out in the competition, who is their audience, how to set up social accounts. Sometimes these chats weren’t even related to design! Things like process flow and best apps to use for streamlining tasks to be more efficient, etc. Brand strategy is crucial to the success of any business. What you will get from me are all these things and not just pretty visuals!
Below, you will see general information and also, what my design process work flow timeline looks like. Setting these parameters with my clients ensures that their projects will run smoothly with no surprises and most importantly be delivered on time and on budget. It is also crucial that both my clients and I stay on time so that all goals are met.
Brand Strategy | Creative Direction | Business Branding | Web & Print
Testimonials
Marina ~ is truly amazing! She is so easy to work with! I knew she was perfect after our initial conversation, she understood what I was looking for and needed. Marina took the time to understand my brand and what my business was about and created fantastic socials, logo, flyers, images and an amazing fully functional website.
I could not be happier, her communication and fast turnaround was a breath of fresh air. I have worked with so many other designers over the years and nothing went quite this smooth. I would totally be using her again the near future.
~ Tanya Lynch | Chef/Founder | misstee.ca
Marina has an artist’s eye and the speed of a cheetah. She created my author website in two weeks flat and it is beautifully designed. Also, she’s a pleasure to work with. My original vision for the website was a bit static and, probably, dated. Marina showed me how it could be more dynamic and visually exciting by incorporating movement and strong photography. Her speed, confidence and good taste made everything easy. I just said yes to everything she came up with and she had a beautiful website ready to go in two weeks!
~ Ann Walmsley | Author | annwalmsley.com
Marina is quick, creative and a total pro. I love my new website!
~ Kaira Rouda | USA Today, Amazon Charts and International Bestselling Author | kairarouda.com
What an incredibly fun project this has been to work on with the super talented Marina Duque ~ hit her up if you need web design. She’s brilliant!
~ Laura Bruder | Founder | thehonestoilcompany.co
How has Marina helped you?
1) Communication — Marina’s response time was amazing, and her ability to hone in on what I was looking for (via email, I might add) was impressive, 2) Follow through – she delivered, faster than I expected, and did exactly what she said she was going to do, 3) Final product – the site looks beautiful, does exactly what I need it to do, and I know she’s there whenever I need her!
~ Karma Brown | Author
I have no words ~ and that’s a big deal for me! Marina always delivers more than I ever expected. She’s artistic, methodical, and so knowledgable in what she does. If you are debating whether to hire a graphic designer, stop debating and then hire Marina. I will be recommending her to all of my clients and friends and sincerely going to miss working so closely with her now that my site is live. Thank you Marina!
~ Cheryl Boyce | Copywriter | cheryllynnboyce.com
Marina and her team designed a stunning website for me in a quick, efficient manner that perfectly suited my style and needs. Attention to detail and communication were above par; I was well informed every step of the way and could not be more pleased with the finished design. Flawless!
~ Mary Kubica | New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author | marykubica.com
I needed to give my website a new look and Marina worked her magic! She guided me through the process with so much patience and understood the look and feel that I wanted to have. She truly was a joy to work with in helping me achieve my vision for my blog!
~ Rajbinder Grewal | thismamaneedsavacay.com
Marina is the absolute best! Her timely turnaround coupled with her ability to envision the creative with very little direction, and a keen eye for story, makes her skills on any project invaluable to the team. Not to mention, she’s easy to work with and always communicates her process clearly. It is always a pleasure to bring our designs to life with Marina!
~ Avery Robinson Rouda | CEO of Enlighten Productions
I have known Marina since our University days and I have always admired her eye for design coupled with her knowledge of technology. It was my dream to work with her on my website and I’m so thankful my dream manifested. She intuitively saw my vision and made it a reality.
~ Hiromi Okuyama | Content Creator | hiromiacts.com
What to Expect
Recommended products and services contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Rest assured that I will not endorse any product without having used and tried it first hand for myself or with my clients.
All of my design rates are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
Investment
WordPress Websites ~ Please contact
A fully functional informational website containing:
- Installation of WordPress
- Domain Connection to Hosting
- Creation of Emails
- 5 Page Website
- Blog Integration
- Website Theme Installation and associated plugins
- Social Media Icons
- (2) IG Posts and Stories to showcase upcoming website and live website
- IG profile photo if necessary
- 1 hour tutorial with client for WordPress self maintenance
A single page website with 3-5 sections also starts at the same price.
Shopify Websites ~ Please contact
A fully functional E-commerce website containing:
- You will need to pay a monthly subscription fee to Shopify, please contact me for more information.
- My design fees also depends on how many products you are selling / variations of each product.
- Depending on the nature and size of your products, I also offer product photography. Please inquire.
Other Website Add ons:
- Logo ~ starting at $400
- Newsletter Templates Only (Mailmunch / Mailchimp) ~ Basic ($200) / Advance ($250)
- Mailmunch Newsletter Campaigns: ~ Starting at $350
• Installation of Mailmunch Plugin into WordPress
• Newsletter Signup Box + Exit Popup
• Re-routed Thank You Page
• Design of New Subscriber Email
• Design of 1 Newsletter Template for future newsletters
• Import existing subscribers from Mailchimp (if you were using this) - Mailmunch Lead Magnet Campaign
• Starting at $500
• Design of Lead Magnet up to 3 page PDF (to be discussed)
• Installation of Mailmunch Plugin into WordPress
• Newsletter Signup Box + Exit Popup
• Re-routed Thank You Page with Lead Magnet Download
• Design of New Subscriber Email with Lead Magnet Download
• Design of 1 Newsletter Template for future newsletters
• Import existing subscribers from Mailchimp (if you were using this) - Copywriting (see below)
- Social Media Management (see below)
Please contact me at hello@marinaduque.com for other designs including Business Cards, Postcards, Mail Drops, Posters, Brochures, etc. I can provide to you the final design in digital format for you to take to your printer.
Portfolio
Yes! You can find my portfolio here.
General Questions
Hourly Rate
$90 CAD/hour. If your project goes beyond the allotted timeline or scope of the contract, my hourly fee will kick in. But don’t worry, I will be sure to let you know prior.
Fee Schedule
My minimum fee for any project $90. If your project is less than $250, I require full payment before commencing any work. This balance must be paid in full before I send over any final artwork or before your website goes live. Failure to pay the balance will incur interest charges of 2% per month.
If your project is over $250, I require a non-refundable 50% deposit before commencement of any work. Balance is to be paid upon project completion or within 45 days whichever comes first.
It is imperative that you have all your content organized and named properly before uploading them to Dropbox. Naming them properly in an organized manner will take out the guess work and back and forth communication. I like to have all ideas, images, and copy ready to go, before I start the project. Please name your files accordingly, such as “about.doc”, bio_photo.jpg” etc.
Under normal circumstances, you can expect:
- Web Projects: 4 – 6 weeks from date of signed contract (I will notify you if there is a delay in production)
- Print + Logo Projects: Proof within 7-14 business days from signed contract (depending on scope of project)
I do the majority of my work in Adobe Illustrator / Photoshop and use the Adobe Creative Suite for my designs. Unless you have this software, you won’t be able to edit any graphics on your own.
Another alternative is for you to create and design in Canva.
Having worked in the photo / video industry for the past 15 years, photography and images are what make and break your design. I believe that a true authentic website features your own photos. And by that, I don’t mean a picture that you took with your Nikon Coolpix in the basement under horrendously low light with a flash. I are talking about professional studio shots of your product / service.
I know that it may not be in your marketing budget to hire a professional photographer, so if you must, then do use royalty free stock photography but select them carefully. I do love Unsplash and will help you curate photos selectively.
If you have products and would like me to shoot your products, please inquire.
I take pride in my work and will do my best to complete the project according to your specifications. By going through my process, we should stay on track with the project. There will be time in between to discuss progress so that you are never surprised. However, should there be any discrepancy, I will handle them on a case-by-case basis.
If you are on Social Media, it’s also a good idea to post some hype on your social media to build momentum. I may create some design posts for you so you can share with your followers. After your project is done, I will most likely do a shout out to you on my IG!
Marina Duque retains copyright of all design work until final payment is made after which the copyright will then belong to the client. If contract is terminated before work is completed, all design work will remain copyright of Marina Duque. Marina Duque and its subcontractors retain the right to display graphics and other design elements as samples of their work in their respective portfolios.
Copywriting & Social Media Mgmt
Copy needs to be done before your design!
I work with a great copywriting gal named Cheryl Boyce. Yes I also did her website! She is my go to for all copywriting needs. If you decide to have your copy written by Cheryl, please book a consult with her. I will work with Cheryl to get all the details to enter into your website.
Custom Copy for Websites starting at $800
I work with a great copywriting gal named Cheryl Boyce. Yes I also did her website! She is my go to for all copywriting needs. If you would like her to manage your social media, book a consult with her.
Package 1: $400/month
- Questionnaire about your business each month to help custom tailor your captions
- Engagement tips and recommended times to post
- 1 Month of Posts – Monday to Friday captions (delivered in a Google Doc ready for you to copy, paste and post)
- Photo suggestions
- 5 story ideas
Package 2: $600/month
- Questionnaire about your business each month to help custom tailor your captions
- Engagement tips and recommended times to post
- 1 Month of Posts – Monday to Friday captions (delivered in a Google Doc ready for you to copy, paste and post)
- 20 posts done for you with images (your brand colours will be taken into account)
- 10 photo suggestions
- 5 story ideas with Canva templates
- Mid month to discuss strategy and how engagement is going
Package 3: Hands Off / Contact for Estimate
If you would like Cheryl to post for you with scheduled single photo posts for any given day of the month, she can! We would also require you to subscribe to Later Media and also allow her access to your account to schedule the posts. There is a free plan on Later Media for 10 posts a month.
Other packages are available if you do not wish to post each day.
Design Process Work Flow
All Estimates + Invoices are in CAD.
- After preliminary discussion, I will send you an Estimate.
- After Estimate is approved, I will send you an Invoice. The Invoice will state all the details of your project.
Deposit
If your project is over $250, a non-refundable 50% deposit is required before commencement of any work. Balance is to be paid upon project completion / before website goes live or within 45 days whichever comes first.
If your project is under $250, full balance must be paid before commencement of any work.
Payment forms:
- Email Money Transfer (hello@marinaduque.com)
- Paypal (hello@marinaduque.com)
- Credit Card (payable through system)
When you are ready to start your design, fill out this Design Questionnaire below. Doing so will give me a better understanding of your design style and what types of web functionality you would like. Provide as much information as you can. I also encourage you to provide any sketches (even if you have to use a napkin), drawings, other samples to aid in the design process. I will require all of your images and copy ideas before the start of your project (Refer to Step 3).
Dropbox
I will create a personal and private Dropbox link for you. This is where we can share files. You do not need to have an account, however it would be beneficial to do so. It’s free!
File Submissions
Logo
Provide your logo in vector format (PDF), or high resolution transparent PNG.
If you do not have a logo, and if you are an individual, I highly recommend getting a signature logo from Photologo. I have referred many clients to use their services as well as my own name logo is designed by them!
If you have hired me to design your logo, and depending on my current schedule, I will send you a proof between 7 – 10 days. You are allowed 3 rounds of revisions for changes/modifications. I encourage you to mix and match any of the designs and tweak colours. If changes/modifications exceed 3 passes, my hourly rate of $80 will be applied.
If you have hired me to do your logo only, once the design has been finalized, remaining balance is due before I supply all final artwork. You will receive a project sign off form stating that the project is now closed.
Web Copy
Please create a document in Microsoft Word or Google Docs (this can be shared with me at hello@marinaduque.com) with all the text copy for your website. Organize each set in pages. For example, have “Biography/About” on Page 1, “Products & services” on Page 2, etc.
Print Copy
Please do in the same manner as Web Copy.
Photos / Images
Provide Photos and Images in high res format.
*If you have hired Cheryl to do your copywriting (see left for Copywriting Services), her and I can connect on file submission.
WordPress
WordPress is best suited for informational websites. It does not come with a Domain Name (www.yourcompany.com) or Hosting (where your website is stored). If you do not have the following, you will need these 3 things:
- Domain Name: Purchase and register your domain name with Godaddy. Follow my tutorial here on how to purchase your domain name.
- Hosting: Purchase the Baby Plan from Hostgator. Follow my tutorial here on how to purchase your hosting. Make sure that you select the option “I already have a Domain Name”.
- Website Theme: WordPress uses themes. There are a thousand themes out there but the one I use is Avada. It’s my number 1 go to because of it’s versatility. If this means nothing to you, that’s ok! I will take care of it for you :). Avada’s theme costs $60USD for each licence. Please register an account with Envato and purchase the Avada theme.
After you have signed up for both these services, email me your:
- Godaddy username and password.
- Hostgator CPANEL username and password. They would have sent you in a welcome email.
- Avada Licence Code. Download and email me the Licence code in the PDF. Click here to see where to get the code.
Changes
Because of the intricacies of web design, I usually work on this on a case by case basis in terms of set up and design, however the same general rules apply. You are allowed 3 rounds of revisions for changes/modifications after web design is completed. If changes/modifications exceed 3 passes, my rate of $90/hour will be applied. Once the design has been finalized, remaining balance is due before the site is made live. You will receive a project sign off form stating that the project is now closed.
Shopify
Shopify is best suited for ecommerce websites and has it’s own built in hosting which is your monthly fee.
It is best to get your domain through Shopify. If you already have your domain name purchased through Godaddy, that is not a problem, we can link them at the very end. If you have purchased a .ca (Canadian) domain elsewhere, note that Shopify doesn’t currently support domain transfers from .ca domains. You will still need to manage it from where you have purchased it from.
When you are ready, email me your Shopify username and password.
Changes
Because of the intricacies of web design, I usually work on this on a case by case basis in terms of set up and design, however the same general rules apply. You are allowed 3 rounds of revisions for changes/modifications after web design is completed. If changes/modifications exceed 3 passes, my rate of $90/hour will be applied. Once the design has been finalized, remaining balance is due before the site is made live. You will receive a project sign off form stating that the project is now closed.
I highly recommend using MailMunch to manage your campaigns. I use to recommend MailChimp in the past and that might be still the best lead generation app out there in terms of breaking down your stats and conversion rates, but MailMunch forms and UI is so much more easier to use. Their forms are also highly customizable making the design on your website more seamless.
If you are interested in gaining subscribers, sign up for MailMunch and send me your username and password so that I can integrate it into your website.
Also be sure to read my article on “Everything You Need to Know About a Lead Magnet” and why this is crucial to any newsletter sign up form.
At this stage, I will begin your design!
Proofing + Changes: Print
Once deposit has been received, I will send you a proof of the artwork at a specified time frame depending on your project (usually between 7-10 business days on regular projects). You are allowed 3 rounds of revisions for changes/modifications. This is why it is important to have all of your ducks in a row! If changes/modifications exceed 3 passes, my hourly rate of $90 will be applied. Once the design has been finalized, remaining balance is due before I supply all final artwork. You will receive a project sign off form stating that the project is now closed.
Proofing + Changes: Logo
Once deposit has been received, I will send you 2 logo concepts (depending on my current schedule, this can happen between 7-10 business days.) You are allowed 3 rounds of revisions for changes/modifications. I encourage you to mix and match any of the designs and tweak colours. If changes/modifications exceed 3 passes, my hourly rate of $90 will be applied. Once the design has been finalized, remaining balance is due before I supply all final artwork. You will receive a project sign off form stating that the project is now closed.
Proofing + Changes: Web
Because of the intricacies of web design, I usually work on this on a case by case basis in terms of set up and design, however the same general rules apply. You are allowed 3 rounds of revisions for changes/modifications after web design is completed. If changes/modifications exceed 3 passes, my lovely rate of $90 will be applied. Once the design has been finalized, remaining balance is due before the site is made live. You will receive a project sign off form stating that the project is now closed.
At this stage, you can do a final sweep of the entire website with allowance for any minor text changes.
We will set up a 1 hour phone tutorial, where I will walk you through the steps on how to access your website and make changes so that you can maintain it yourself. Fire up your computer/laptop, grab that pen and paper and a hot cup of tea/coffee!
After this tutorial, if you ever wish to refer back, you can visit the Maintenance page where I have video tutorials on how to use the Avada theme and WordPress.
I’m Ready to Start!
Contact me at hello@marinaduque.com so that I can get to know a little bit more about your business and branding goals. My advice for any business before they want to brand/re-brand is write down exactly what they want. Research your competition, and ask yourself “what really stands out about my business?”, “what sets me apart from everyone else?”, “what is the number 1 thing I want to convey to my audience?”.
I will try my best to bring your vision to life!