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business card re-design
- Thread starter datablitz
- Start date
Jillbeans
New Member
As I just said in your logo post...
looks like typed text.
The card has no contrast and is highly difficult to read in the thumbnail, which is usually a good indicator of what it's like full size.
Too much small stuff on the front of the card, you may want to move that to the back of the card.
After enlarging it, the textures look like a nasty afterthought.
"Hmmm...maybe if I push this texture button it will look cool."
Your business card should be a clever lure to make someone want to pick it up and read it.
I personally would not give this one a second look.
Love.....Jill
looks like typed text.
The card has no contrast and is highly difficult to read in the thumbnail, which is usually a good indicator of what it's like full size.
Too much small stuff on the front of the card, you may want to move that to the back of the card.
After enlarging it, the textures look like a nasty afterthought.
"Hmmm...maybe if I push this texture button it will look cool."
Your business card should be a clever lure to make someone want to pick it up and read it.
I personally would not give this one a second look.
Love.....Jill
Craig Sjoquist
New Member
Although organized well with good flow, it does seem a little bit much for a professional service such as yours, ok how to correct with what ya have.
Name is fine but Ltd.is way to strong myself I'd put .net in place and drop the name and closer to center, also serif name / sans-serif sub copy for contrast. ( put Ltd. on back with name or small )
Back ground if you ok with the green swoosh and effect then make the blue plain and more like a panel why contrast..fancy / plain .
Next is one side vs 2 sided yes 2 sided is better, with cards now more then half the price as they were several years ago, the more dignified look will give a better image.
Name is fine but Ltd.is way to strong myself I'd put .net in place and drop the name and closer to center, also serif name / sans-serif sub copy for contrast. ( put Ltd. on back with name or small )
Back ground if you ok with the green swoosh and effect then make the blue plain and more like a panel why contrast..fancy / plain .
Next is one side vs 2 sided yes 2 sided is better, with cards now more then half the price as they were several years ago, the more dignified look will give a better image.
bob
It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Make it better? Destroy it and hire someone to design a card for you.
i would hire a designer, but i am trying to better my designs through criticism. did everyone on here start out with flawless designs? 1997? close. i made this is 2001. part of why i am changing it up. im not looking for comments to just burn it. im looking for feedback to make improvements. under the assumption that there is nothing salvagable, make a suggestion to improve one thing. just saying it sucks isnt very helpful.
here is a new blank with just some text. thoughts on font choices? is this still cluttered looking? do you think the font size is in the ballpark?
thanks for any critique.
here is a new blank with just some text. thoughts on font choices? is this still cluttered looking? do you think the font size is in the ballpark?
thanks for any critique.
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Sven
New Member
Thumbs up for trying to improve your design. I'm not liking the texture--looks cheesy. That's the biggest problem to me. I'm also not crazy about the shading on the text, or the font. The font looks kind of outdated to me for some reason. (edit: this is about the original design.)
ForgeInc
New Member
Might not be helpful, but i think it'll be the best advice you get.
FrankenSigns.biz
New Member
To me, your original card is fine. Try resetting the contact information in Helvetica 55 or 65 at about 9pt. If you can, let's see how the background looks without that photoshop effect.
Jillbeans
New Member
I thought I did give constructive advice.
(I guess the particulars of it were posted on the thread about your logo which you put up the same day)
However, your new card idea is not a happening thing either.
That font is dated and computer ugly, and the layout itself has about as much pizazz as a generic can of corn.
While it's always best to start a design in black and white, you don't really want to leave it that way.
Like I suggested in your other thread, this book and this guy's books and this link would all be good reading for starters.
(I guess the particulars of it were posted on the thread about your logo which you put up the same day)
However, your new card idea is not a happening thing either.
That font is dated and computer ugly, and the layout itself has about as much pizazz as a generic can of corn.
While it's always best to start a design in black and white, you don't really want to leave it that way.
Like I suggested in your other thread, this book and this guy's books and this link would all be good reading for starters.
Jill, i appreciate your suggestions. I got a copy of stevens book and have been starting to work my way through it. my earlier comments about not being helpful were more towards the people making comments to just delete it and give up. edit: also, i'm not saying this is a finished work, but just a start in B/W that will be colorised in some manner, im just working it this way before i get that far.
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Jillbeans
New Member
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Hey datab...........
Would you rather we just all say it looks fine and give you all kinds of kudos so no one hurts your feelings ??
If something is somewhere between awful and lousy..... how much nicer can a person be ??
You want a pat on the back ?? Go to a relative or your spouse, they have to live with you.... we don't. So, we'll be honest.
Your first mistake is expecting others to just give you all kinds of great information on exactly what to do. This is your project and YOU should learn how to do it by learning.... not a Show & Tell game or some dissertation.
You've gotten many good bits of advice.... try putting them to use.
Would you rather we just all say it looks fine and give you all kinds of kudos so no one hurts your feelings ??
If something is somewhere between awful and lousy..... how much nicer can a person be ??
You want a pat on the back ?? Go to a relative or your spouse, they have to live with you.... we don't. So, we'll be honest.
Your first mistake is expecting others to just give you all kinds of great information on exactly what to do. This is your project and YOU should learn how to do it by learning.... not a Show & Tell game or some dissertation.
You've gotten many good bits of advice.... try putting them to use.
MikeSTK
Dawns Vinyl Designs
I like the information layout on the first card better. I can't believe the swoosh went unchallenged, lol.
The background texture offered something as well. As Jill said you need something to set it apart from all the plain text white cards.
Don't repeat information though, email and website. Pick one. If you want them to visit the site to view your services fine, but if you hand them out to people with the intention of them sending an email then go that route.
Let the client scan the card and get as much info to them in the shortest amount of time. Give them the big picture quick.
Maybe Google business card images and see what catches your attention.
The background texture offered something as well. As Jill said you need something to set it apart from all the plain text white cards.
Don't repeat information though, email and website. Pick one. If you want them to visit the site to view your services fine, but if you hand them out to people with the intention of them sending an email then go that route.
Let the client scan the card and get as much info to them in the shortest amount of time. Give them the big picture quick.
Maybe Google business card images and see what catches your attention.
It's not really our job to give you an entire design education in bit by bit specific criticism. Go get a degree and come back and I'll give you some specific crit but right now your designs don't show the baseline required to have a legit conversation about what's wrong with it.
You should know that even high-end design shops often hire other shops to do their branding and identity -- sometimes you're too close to something to work on it objectively. You're risking your business out of pride, and design isn't even remotely your wheelhouse.
Sorry if it's harsh but it's the truth.
You should know that even high-end design shops often hire other shops to do their branding and identity -- sometimes you're too close to something to work on it objectively. You're risking your business out of pride, and design isn't even remotely your wheelhouse.
Sorry if it's harsh but it's the truth.
TyrantDesigner
Art! Hot and fresh.
If all you want is a black and white card with no design elements to it ... just tombstoned text ... you have succeeded. You really need to start with a concept and a sketch as your business card should be the start to successfully branding your company and establishing an identifiable name. Right now ALL your designs do not do that. First, hire someone to design a logo for you, spend the 400-1k dollars for it ... it is worth the time and effort ... also trademark it. second when it comes to business cards, you really need to think about what information you need on them ... and also realize you have 2 sizes to work with. ... after that ... the design elements and how you handle the layout of the text and treatment should be the next priority. My suggestion is to do your research and again sketch out possible layouts for business cards and how you thing the card should be held to read all the information and how it is perceived. lastly, if you need education on any of this ... there is an amazing array of books on typography, branding design and logo design. go to your local book store and pick some up ... oh and delete what you have now cause it looks like slop just piled onto a document.
i would rather post the email and hope people figure out the web site. i typically give out my card with the intent of receiving an email from the customer, i do have a contact page on my website but it goes to my field tech. so i would have to change the contact page to list both myself and my techs, but i feel that may be confusing for others. i feel like this is starting to look better, but im not a good judge of that i guess. here is the current version.
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Gino
Premium Subscriber
You need to look at a color wheel and a monochromatic scale to figure out what works and doesn’t work.
Your colors are atrocious. That’s not being mean… it’s being honest.
Another problem you have is… you’re looking at this stuff on your screen at about 10 times the normal size of this and studying it. People generally look at a business card and if they have trouble reading it, it goes into the round file.
You have size, composition, uniformity, color and aesthetics all going against you. I would venture to say, if you want to learn this stuff…. learn it as you go, but for now, get someone that will design something for you, because you don’t have the slightest iota of what to do. Unless someone here posts up a finished design…. you’re gonna keep going round and round in circles over designing a business card and you’re simply not going to win.
Your colors are atrocious. That’s not being mean… it’s being honest.
Another problem you have is… you’re looking at this stuff on your screen at about 10 times the normal size of this and studying it. People generally look at a business card and if they have trouble reading it, it goes into the round file.
You have size, composition, uniformity, color and aesthetics all going against you. I would venture to say, if you want to learn this stuff…. learn it as you go, but for now, get someone that will design something for you, because you don’t have the slightest iota of what to do. Unless someone here posts up a finished design…. you’re gonna keep going round and round in circles over designing a business card and you’re simply not going to win.