The honest answers.
Everything we get asked, with the real answer instead of the marketing version.
Is this just a chatbot wearing a designer's name?
Reasonable question. The model is Anthropic's Claude, prompted carefully to think the way a working print designer does — direct, allergic to filler, biased toward subtraction over decoration, oriented toward the actual job your piece has to do.
It is not pretending to be a person. It's a designer's perspective, written into a careful program. Ann — a graphic designer with forty years in newspaper, billboard, and direct-mail advertising — shaped the perspective from her career. She does not personally read every critique, and we won't pretend she does. She reviews what goes out and signs every one.
How fast is fast?
Under 24 hours, every tier. Most are returned within a few hours. If yours is held back for studio quality review, it can take longer — we'd rather be slow than wrong.
What kinds of design does the studio critique?
Most graphic-design pieces: posters, landing pages, websites, app screens, logos, menus, packaging, books, business cards, identity systems, signage, social-media posts, presentation decks, infographics, and editorial layouts.
Things outside our specialty: motion graphics, 3D renders, interior design, architectural drawings, fine-art paintings. We'll still try, but the critique might be less useful than for the work above.
Can I send something that isn't a finished design?
Yes. Drafts, sketches, hand-set type, work-in-progress screenshots — all of it works. Tell us where you are in the process in the "what is this for?" field. The critique adapts to the stage.
Will the studio give me what I want to hear?
No. The critique will be direct. That is what you are paying for.
If it's harder than you hoped, take the afternoon. Read it again tomorrow. The mark is usually the right one.
What if I disagree with the critique?
You should. Half the value of any critique is the part you reject — the part that helps you articulate why your choice was deliberate. A good critique gives you that even when it's wrong.
If the critique is technically wrong (it misread the piece, identified an issue that isn't there, missed the brief), reply to the email. We'll re-read. We do not soften critiques retroactively — the studio's name is on them — but if we got something factually wrong, we'll send a revised card and refund the difference.
What does "studio quality review" mean?
One in twenty critiques is automatically flagged for a studio-side check before it ships. Random sampling, plus any critique where our internal rubric trips a warning (forbidden phrases, output validity, tonal consistency).
Ann pulls from this queue at her discretion. There is no obligation; she reads what she wants to read. If a flagged critique sits unattended for more than 24 hours, it ships with a small note that says "queued for studio review" and we follow up.
What happens to my image after I submit it?
It's stored encrypted in a private bucket for thirty days, then deleted. It is read once by the model to generate your critique, and never used to train any AI model. Not Anthropic's, not ours, not anyone's. The company's Operating Agreement makes this binding on us, in writing.
The critique card itself, with your image embedded, is yours to keep. We retain a copy for thirty days for delivery purposes, then we delete that too.
Refunds?
Full refund within seven days if the critique was not substantive. Email hello@stylebydesign.ai with the critique number and one sentence about why. We don't argue.
Can I cancel the subscription?
Yes, anytime, with one click. Unused critiques in the current period are honored; the next period does not bill.
Do you take commissions?
No. The studio offers critique only. We don't take design commissions, freelance work, or contract design. Forty years of doing that work is what built the taste behind the critique service — but the studio itself isn't a job shop.