esdesign business card
Apfhex (325 points) | Thu, 2007-01-25 10:40Earlier I showed off my website -> http://creativebits.org/esdesign_v_3
In the same style, I'm working on a resume, and I thought it might be a good time to work on completing the "business system" with a card and a letterhead.
The plain white one on the top is more in line with the rest of the designs, but I wanted to try something a bit more interesting so I created the bottom one with the gradient. I know it's more work/money from a printing perspective but I'm not even close to thinking about that right now.
UPDATE: I decided to go with the white one... changed the color a little... that's about it. Thanks for the critique and suggestions. Original one is attached.
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I'd say don't mess with the gradient. It's not necessarily more expensive, just hard to get to print correctly.
I agree with using the white card instead -- works with the style you've set up with the website.
The only thing I'd suggest is pumping up the gray color a bit with some more blue to make it more interesting and lively. Otherwise great job!
I'm jealous because I desperately need to update my 4 year old logo!
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"The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling
is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side." - James Baldwin
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Dirt and Rust
Thanks, and I think you're right. I've had a hard time deciding on a color to go with my identity.
1. instead of the gradient, how about a solid hit of a metallic with k/o type. Add a matte aqueous coating.
2. On the white card, your logo offers the perfect opportunity for a die-cut treatment. Even if you didn't die-cut the entire graphic but just the center horizontal bar... that would make a truly unique card.
Those are good ideas, but definitely blow up the budget a bit.
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"The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling
is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side." - James Baldwin
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Dirt and Rust
I've never paid to have a business card printed... and I've had new 4/4 +ac cards every few years. When I have a client's job completed and going to press and it's perfectly suited to print my own cards, I ask the printer if there's room on the press sheet to gang my cards on. If not, I wait. Or the situations have occurred that since I have a long working relationship with several print shops that I'll tell them what I need and they let me know when a job comes up that I can gang onto.
Sometimes I've paid for an odd trim size (not more than $25) or for a die-cut or emboss ($150). My point is that PRINT SHOPS ARE YOUR FRIENDS! treat them well, bring them lots of work and BIG clients and small favors sometimes happen in return.
: )
Very true and some good ideas!
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"The price one pays for pursuing any profession or calling
is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side." - James Baldwin
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Dirt and Rust
I really like em.
"The definition of a liberal is someone who's afraid to take their own side in a fight."
love the brand, love the simplicity, love the grey gradient, I think a decent printer can handle that, as long as you dont go digital on output... might get "bandy" if it was digital.
"The definition of a liberal is someone who's afraid to take their own side in a fight."
nah, would be even better with digital as long as you keep the gradient and text as vectors and your printshop has a decent pressman... if there is banding due to digital, then there is a platesetter laser that is out of callibration. if the laser power is too low, or too high, then the halftone dots are no longer the proper size, causing a banding effect in the halftones. that problem drove me nuts for a good couple of weeks once.
that said, the dark card presents more ink coverage, which should cost a little more, but most shops don't price based on ink coverage, they charge by the card... but price aside, it also is less attractive from a distance, whereas a dark metalic ink would catch more light and thus draw more attention. but then the white card also draws more attention, but does not look as impressive.
for the white card you can get the puffy coating, this looks much better than plain ink, the 3d effect draws more attention, and makes the image stand out on a glossy card even when reflective glare is considered
the only thing wrong with your card that I see is that it does not explain what KIND of design you do at a glance, the potential client has to read the fine type to know that you're a graphic designer, while this is OK to hand out to existing customers, you want potential customers to pick up your card on a whim or out of need thus at a glance.
"...and mamma cried: Watch out where the huskies go, don't you eat that yellow snow" - Frank Zappa