web diseno barcelona

Hola - Bondia Everybody. Just moved the barcelona BCN region of spain espana. I am available for graphic design freelance work in web design and SEO optimization. Learning Spanish and bits of Catalan fast! - It’s a great avontura! I will be posting up some personal experiences soon about the buzz and humor of living in this great city and region. The Spanish are great. Check my portfolio out for more details on what I can offer. http://www.pixeltierra.com/ Saludos Justin

A feb 2008 update. web diseno in BCN or freelance.

Moving to Barcelona for freelance web design/graphic design work and not speaking Spanish is hard. GOOD LUCK SOLDIER – DIG IN!

I am learning so much and loving it. I recommend frantic networking via the http://www.paginasamarillas.es and get into www.infojobs.es. Avoid HR agencies; they simply don’t understand us creatives. You must be legally part of Spain for business, meaning you can have your own company at great expense (4000 euros) or for 1euro you can choose to be autonomous, but then you get nailed a 240-euro social pension fund fee per month. Nice in 15 years for payout. Ouch, if you starting out - it is tough. Get help from an accountant on how to setup an invoice for your customers. You have to charge IVA (Vat) in Spain and there is no minimum turnover to be registered meaning if you trade you charge vat and return the tax on the scheduled 4 dates of the year, end of story otherwise penalties muchos!! Vale! (Ok confirm) (This is your keyword for Catalunya). The government of Spain will teach you Spanish free of charge at your local Adjuntment (Municipality). Nice. The person who says Spanish is easy is really talking nonsense. It’s hard as each meaning has a female and male meaning and ending and it changes depending on the situation. Also Barcelona is in Catalunya and Catalan is the preferred language and its very different to Spanish. So you think you are all so clever speaking Spanish and they are all Catalan, so you are still a stranger!! I am very keen to learn Catalan, but Spanish is a good start.

The creative part is another story. Once you get a lead then they are very friendly, but be professional and patient. Explain the brief and create some boundaries with flexibility in the design process as they are billing a client and have to make money too, so keep good communication. Hourly rates for freelancing and webdesino vary and sometimes its better to get a complete job price estimate. Translate google was wicked to me so be careful there. I really enjoy working with the Spanish people and they are outgoing and generally very creative. Don’t come into town with "I know it all attitude", but rather a peaceful approach of "How can I help". Try and also get into terminal b for more networking as well as cold calling. The Large advertising agencies are a closely bonded group of individuals (This is a global thing) so knowing someone in the company is helpful. I emailed 200 companies selling them my brilliant creative web strategies and SEO optimization and got 20 good leads, so that’s not too bad for someone who knows nobody in a very large City. At the end of the day 7 where really great and I could establish a long term working relationship with.

Please make sure you charge some sort of deposit fee - it makes everyone committed. Please avoid www.b............. Very unethical. Tempted to put the name up here, but don’t want to create a hostile front, Still keen to kick their butt!

Transport and Living: Living in Barcelona is expensive so most professionals live outside the city (Apartments go from 800 euros upwards) and some lucky ones with large cash flow may live in the city or have apartments handed down from their past families. I found the underground/buses mixed with a bit of taxi really fast if you have no clue where the company is except for a small address. The taxi should not be more than 6 euros and can be cheaper if you get to the closest underground station near the client. It's a great way to get there fast to be on time! LEARN YOUR UNDERGROUND COLOURS WELL!! The addresses in BCN confused me somewhat! It was funny. I often thought ooh it’s just a block away and half an hour later I am still walking! It’s like New York – huge. Look on the side of the buildings for the street address, No signs practically on the road. Now the funny part is when you actually get there, then you get confronted with a large intercom panel with rows of numbers. AND NO COMPANY LISTING OR MARKINGS. It is all blank! All 30 numbers! So the mobile comes handy. I tried once the push all buttons and got some sort of Spanish %%$$##@@@!

When you see a client close to the beach, then plan your day around dashing to the beach and jumping on a windsurfer as I cant Kite there and bolting a quick run out to sea and back. It seems to put things in perspective and some salt in your hair + the sense of freedom. The city is clean, but the germs are there so wash handies!!!! Nothing worse than getting flu and been creative.

I will write more as things come to mind. Does anyone else out there do what I do?? I am feeling like the only English guy here. I will put more money saving methods of transport with the same ticket up soon.

Saludos Justin. Web diseno barcelona, web design, BCN maestro google pro grande diseno. Vale!! I am luring google now. ahhaha