Help with Business/Contact Card

[LERsince1991]

Ok thanks for the info.

I've printed them at school and cut them out on the guillotine for now they are great.

I've also used my new found skills and designed two friends cards as well
Had fun at school doing them Forget exams...

Nice little collection

Edit: Removed the pictures as they had phone numbers on etc...

 

[design-is]

Good to see you're experimenting

However, tracking is not your friend! A theme is developing throughout a lot of your stuff - very widely spaced letters. I'd make a mental note to avoid it in future, it rarely looks nice.

I also think the small caps setting is generally evil.

These make it hard to visually balance line and can create rivers in your text, reducing readability and becoming distracting to the eye.

 

[LERsince1991]

Good to see you're experimenting

However, tracking is not your friend! A theme is developing throughout a lot of your stuff - very widely spaced letters. I'd make a mental note to avoid it in future, it rarely looks nice.

I also think the small caps setting is generally evil.

These make it hard to visually balance line and can create rivers in your text, reducing readability and becoming distracting to the eye.

Ah right, I see what you mean, I will watch out not to use it all the time... I tend to find a new style and use it a lot because its safe maybe? or because I just like it.

I only did them both in about 20 mins each and used my existing card as a sort of template. Just modified the text, colours, fonts and images.

I tweaked it slightly and I've got 10 free cards from Moo just to try then if I like them they've agreed to do a student deal with me... not going to say what they've offered though haha.

might post when they come to share thoughts about Moo

 

[LERsince1991]

Loving the Moo cards, got 10 free cards with the Moo logo on to try. Very nice.

I'll probably change the design slightly before I order 200 though.
I might do 3 different designs.

one the back they would say the 3 titles; architecture/design or photography.

I've got some new nice photos for photography, novanta can be design and got some good concepts for architecture. So the backs would all have a different image and then one of the titles to correspond to that image.

 

[P-Worm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoIvd3zzu4Y

P-Worm

 

[LERsince1991]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoIvd3zzu4Y

P-Worm

Haha Sweet!

 

[jsyingling]

Yes, definitely get some typography lessons. You have a good feel for color/contrast, but without the basics, you'll look amateurish. Check out the "NON-DESIGNER'S TYPE BOOK" and "THE MAC IS NOT A TYPEWRITER" by Robin Williams.

Your other card came along nicely... exactly the direction I would have taken it. Well done.

 

[Designer Dale]

I've been following this thread for a while and I have a question in your business card layout. Is it common in England for business cards to have type identifying the contact numbers? Tel Email Web and such. They tend to identify themselves and are falling off designs I see here in the States.

555.1234.5678
556.5678.9012
DesignerDale@notreal.com
DesignerDale.net

These identify themselves (yes,fakes). Phone numbers are in order of your call priority. Fax numbers have (fax) after them. At least this is what I work towards.

Dale

 

[DesignerGenes]

I really like the colors, that orange on gray is generally hard to pull off, i would make sure that you find a good printer, especially if it will be ran digitally. That solid gray may turn to a streaky mess on a digital press.

I think that the solid white text may be a bit intrusive, maybe make it a lighter gray, the contact info at the very least.

Smaller text would help a lot...Maybe taking in the tracking a bit. Also, i would suggest keeping the text further away from the edge, it makes it less noticeable if you would happen to get a crooked trim line.

The computer on the back distracts my eye from the actual desk. Something less colorful perhaps like an outline, just to show what the desk can be used for.

With that said I think it has great potential and is going in the right direction. It's a very slick looking card. The design is only half the battle. Getting the finished piece the way you visualized it is a toughie too.

Good luck with everything!

 

[LERsince1991]

Just been informed this morning that I've been chosen to exhibit in London for the final with 19 others on the 19th June!

Young Designers Competition

Come a long and see me haha, would be good support
Dulwich College - 1:00pm - London

Definitely need to get the cards sorted now

 

[design-is]

Congrats!

That's strangely close to where I live... Shame its a work day, otherwise I would pop in and see!

 

[fluidedge]

good luck!

Great excuse to buy loads of calling cards!

 

[LERsince1991]

Yes, definitely get some typography lessons. You have a good feel for color/contrast, but without the basics, you'll look amateurish. Check out the "NON-DESIGNER'S TYPE BOOK" and "THE MAC IS NOT A TYPEWRITER" by Robin Williams.

Your other card came along nicely... exactly the direction I would have taken it. Well done.

Cheers
I probably won't be able to have graphics/typography lessons...
BUT when I'm studying architecture in September at uni I'll get on the good side of the graphics/typography lecturers and tutors and will try to attend some of their lectures
I want to do architecture because its the highest form of design BUT I don;t want to be pinned down to just that at all!

Congrats!

That's strangely close to where I live... Shame its a work day, otherwise I would pop in and see!

Is the college nice do you know?
Would be funny meeting the web designer
You guys are only virtual haha
I think the exhibition starts at 1:00 and the awards are at 4:30

good luck!

Great excuse to buy loads of calling cards!

Cheers,
Definitely

I really like the colors, that orange on gray is generally hard to pull off, i would make sure that you find a good printer, especially if it will be ran digitally. That solid gray may turn to a streaky mess on a digital press.

I think that the solid white text may be a bit intrusive, maybe make it a lighter gray, the contact info at the very least.

Smaller text would help a lot...Maybe taking in the tracking a bit. Also, i would suggest keeping the text further away from the edge, it makes it less noticeable if you would happen to get a crooked trim line.

The computer on the back distracts my eye from the actual desk. Something less colorful perhaps like an outline, just to show what the desk can be used for.

With that said I think it has great potential and is going in the right direction. It's a very slick looking card. The design is only half the battle. Getting the finished piece the way you visualized it is a toughie too.

Good luck with everything!

I'm actually partially colour blind so finding colours is hard for me
I try to name the collection I have on CS4 but I don't know how well they go ^^

 

[design-is]

Cheers
Is the college nice do you know?
Would be funny meeting the web designer
You guys are only virtual haha
I think the exhibition starts at 1:00 and the awards are at 4:30

Yup, very posh! So I've heard anyway

Website says it's open to the public at 3pm - I'll see what I can do about getting back to say hi!

P.S. 9-5 I'm more design for print based really Web is my freelance passion.

 

[LERsince1991]

Yup, very posh! So I've heard anyway

Website says it's open to the public at 3pm - I'll see what I can do about getting back to say hi!

P.S. 9-5 I'm more print based really Web is my freelance passion.

Cool
Thing is I bet the other finalists all go private schools and had their projects fully paid for by parents and had links in the industry so...

Ah right k then Might cya soon

 

[LERsince1991]

Right I've got a bit of a dilemma and need some advice since this is a bit more serious now as I am sure I want them printed:

I'm going to order 200 cards soon for the exhibition in London...

I'm not sure whether I'll want 200 with the same Novanta design on...

I could have 4 sets of 50 cards (one pack of 200, split) with different designs on.
I've added some links to the titles below so people can say what they would recommend as a good piece of work to use on the card.

Architecture - Render of architecture design on the back

Photography - Photo that I took on the back

Novanta (design) - Just like I've shown

and probably Novanta (for the design title) again but with a different image on from a different angle.

But I've tried some different images out instead of Novanta and they don't seem to fit into the design of the front...
Not really sure what to do

I could try out some different images (explained above)
Or..
I could do a couple of different Novanta images on
or..
I could have 200 of the same Novanta design.

... These are what I'm uploading to Moo at the moment (..Well in PDF format though to preserve vectors and image better):
They include a 2mm bleed which Moo required.

 

[LeviG]

Having done new designers myself when I finished uni you'll find that there are a lot of good and memorable designs on show, these exhibitions are for the supposed best in their field etc.

Our tutors suggested we have our business cards matching our artwork for one simple reason, the people there may not remember the person but they will remember the work. So if you start mixing up several designs then you'll get lost in the mix of others etc.

And I still don't think they're stong enough in terms of design like I said earlier.

I take it you're not using the back of the minicards for text?

 

[LERsince1991]

Having done new designers myself when I finished uni you'll find that there are a lot of good and memorable designs on show, these exhibitions are for the supposed best in their field etc.

Our tutors suggested we have our business cards matching our artwork for one simple reason, the people there may not remember the person but they will remember the work. So if you start mixing up several designs then you'll get lost in the mix of others etc.

And I still don't think they're stong enough in terms of design like I said earlier.

I take it you're not using the back of the minicards for text?

It's not New Designers, I wasn't allowed to do that show as they have a rule where only people that have done uni can exhibit... they said come back soon haha

Erm good point there though from your tutors... they might not remember whos design matches your name... I guess I will be getting 200 of the Novanta cards then

There not minicards they are full credit card size business cards.
84mm x 55mm when cut
88mm x 59mm with bleed

Edit: just out of interest what did you exhibit at ND show when you did it?

 

[LeviG]

I've replied to your pm etc

 

[LERsince1991]

I have got my Moo cards through today
I'm thinking maybe I didn't need 200 lol but never mind its done now... nothing I can do.

Very nicely packed and presented, the box for the 50 cards is cool for the exhibition and they are good

 

[GoCubsGo]

Pic of the cards?

 

[THX1139]

... I want to do architecture because its the highest form of design.

What do you mean by that? Highest as in the buildings are high? Or are you saying it's the most important type of design? I know of a couple hundred designers that would disagree with your statement. Not saying that architecture isn't important- but it's certainly not the ultimate form of design.

I'm just saying so you don't go to school and get all disillusioned and snobby. Most architects NEVER get to design a skyscraper or history making building. Those projects are actually done by teams of design companies today. The days of Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, or Corbusier are over. Even Frank Gehry does mostly industrial design now. Most individual architects are lucky if the get do design a shopping mall, or a home development project.

 

[LeviG]

THX - you forgot to put that most engineering, product and industrial designers could do architecture too (I know I could once I looked into the regs), in some respects residential architecture is the simplest form of design, they're generally a box with a roof and some holes cut out, following some specifications predefined by the local building inspector/planning department.
I'm not so sure that an architect could easily do the reverse.

And from a designers perspective, architecture is not the highest form of design by a long shot, personally I would say the highest form of design is the 'golden ratio' or typography. And the highest form of designer is multi disciplined and able to create iconic designs that can never truely go out of fashion (charles/ray eames or the alessi group for example)

 

[LERsince1991]

Of course not in terms of how high a building is lol.
Architecture is the highest form of design in terms of technicality, budget, scale of projects, and level of engineering... It just is lol.

I disagree that most product designers could do architecture...

And I'm not saying architects are better than all other designers... just merely stating that when choosing my course for uni it was between product design and architecture. I chose architecture because from there I can scope out into all sorts of design. If I did a product design course I wouldn't be able to do architecture. I would like to be able to do all sorts of design when needed in my future; architecture, fashion, photography, graphic, product, interior etc... Because I enjoy them Architecture is the most challenging and I enjoy an interesting challenge.

It's not really worth going into anyway... You will never agree with what I say and I don't care really, everyone has a different view on things. I'm not trying to put anyone down, say somethings 'better' than something else... Just my choice of what I want to do.

I'm just saying so you don't go to school and get all disillusioned and snobby. Most architects NEVER get to design a skyscraper or history making building. Those projects are actually done by teams of design companies today. The days of Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, or Corbusier are over. Even Frank Gehry does mostly industrial design now. Most individual architects are lucky if the get do design a shopping mall, or a home development project.

I would probably agree with some of that. BTW I won't get 'all disillusioned and snobby'.
You say 'most' architects, who's to say there aren't exceptions?
I'd love to be on a team of top architects anyway, teams always work better. But anyway thanks for the heads up.

Heres a pic of the cards.

Luke.

 

[LeviG]

You keep thinking the way you do, you will do wonderfully when you get to university