Business Card Design at DVinfo.net

Dale Stoltzfus · October 23rd, 2007, 10:56 AM

Hello!

I've finally found time to throw together a business card for my business and I'm looking for opinions.

First, what do you think of the design, overall?

Second, should I have the sword in the background (I've attached two versions with and without to compare)? I just can't decide if it is distracting or not.

Thanks!

Mark Bournes · October 23rd, 2007, 11:08 AM

I ilke it better without the sword

Steven Davis · October 23rd, 2007, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Bournes

I ilke it better without the sword

Me too........... Although my business card is a little busy. So I guess I have little room to talk.

Reid Bailey · October 23rd, 2007, 01:08 PM

Without the sword.

With the sword you're not sure where to look and some of the text is difficult to read.

Dale Stoltzfus · October 23rd, 2007, 01:23 PM

Ok - I was thinking that too, but I liked the sword so well I was hoping it was just me... Oh well - here is another version. I've changed the text to black as well to help it stand out from the BG.

Daniel Ross · October 23rd, 2007, 01:26 PM

I don't hate the sword, but I'd suggest making it more like a watermark, or at least much lower opacity.

The film strip is now distracting to me. (background, not the horizontal strip)

Richard Alvarez · October 23rd, 2007, 01:28 PM

Your Name and the phone number should be larger/BOLD. I've got old eyes, and when I look at a business card, I want to see the NAME and the CONTACT jump out at me.

And losing the sword was the right choice. (Hey, I made my LIVING with a sword, so I'm partial to them too... but it was distracting/clutter)

Dale Stoltzfus · October 23rd, 2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ross

The film strip is now distracting to me. (background, not the horizontal strip)

Really? Because it doesn't seem at all distracting to me. Anyway, I made a minor change to it, so it should be at least a BIT better now. I can't really take down the opacity any further or the lighter part of the film strip would disappear.

EDIT: I just realized that, since I'm not working on a calibrated monitor right now, the film BG could be a lot more visible than I think it is. I've added a second version with the BG opacity reduced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Alvarez

Your Name and the phone number should be larger/BOLD. I've got old eyes, and when I look at a business card, I want to see the NAME and the CONTACT jump out at me.

Suggestion dually taken - why didn't I think of that? ;)

Mark Bournes · October 24th, 2007, 06:57 AM

I still think it's too busy with the film strip. Remember it's a business card, you want things easy to read.

Richard Alvarez · October 24th, 2007, 07:10 AM

Dale,

I don't know how old your are, but I'm in my fifties. I have 20-14 vision at a distance, but like most people my age, I carry around 'reading classes' for anything that's within an arms length. The easier you make it for me to find your name, and number (or email, if that's your primary contact) the more likely I am to actually USE that business card.

In other words, I'd make your name and contact BIGGER as well as bolder. Seriously, take it from a baby boomer, this is important.

Dale Stoltzfus · October 24th, 2007, 09:04 AM

Thank you all for you kind critique!

I realized last night that I hadn't included my email, and the design as it was didn't have room to add it without looking crowded. To remedy, I redesigned. This one isn't as busy and features larger text across the board (except for the logo).

I'm still not sure about the text color - what I would really like to do is make all the text black except for the company description, which would be light-colored. However, with the varying light and darkish background, I haven't figured out a way to make that feasible. Instead, I've made the description black and the rest brown, which kind of works. I'll have to experiment some more.

Also keep in mind that small text is easier to read in print than it is on a computer screen.

Richard Alvarez · October 24th, 2007, 10:07 AM

This is a much better design. Less cluttered, the tip of the sword points down towards your name and the contact info, background is not as distracting. You're almost there.

Mark Bournes · October 24th, 2007, 10:22 AM

Much better on the latest design, I like it, easy to read and still creative.

Steven Davis · October 24th, 2007, 10:51 AM

Yeah, much better, might increase the critical contact font a little, but I like it, the gradient on the film is really subtle and nice.

Paul Tauger · October 24th, 2007, 11:00 AM

I also like it better without the background sword. I do like the way you dot your Is and cross your Ts. ;)

October 23rd, 2007, 10:56 AM	#1
Dale Stoltzfus Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ephrata, PA United States Posts: 257	Business Card Design Hello! I've finally found time to throw together a business card for my business and I'm looking for opinions. First, what do you think of the design, overall? Second, should I have the sword in the background (I've attached two versions with and without to compare)? I just can't decide if it is distracting or not. Thanks! Attached Thumbnails __________________ Mountjoy! Studios - Promotional Videography & Graphic Design MountjoyStudios.net

October 23rd, 2007, 11:08 AM	#2
Mark Bournes Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 565	I ilke it better without the sword __________________ Mark www.sharkvp.com

October 23rd, 2007, 01:23 PM	#5
Dale Stoltzfus Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ephrata, PA United States Posts: 257	Ok - I was thinking that too, but I liked the sword so well I was hoping it was just me... Oh well - here is another version. I've changed the text to black as well to help it stand out from the BG. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Mountjoy! Studios - Promotional Videography & Graphic Design MountjoyStudios.net

October 24th, 2007, 06:57 AM	#9
Mark Bournes Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 565	I still think it's too busy with the film strip. Remember it's a business card, you want things easy to read. __________________ Mark www.sharkvp.com

October 24th, 2007, 09:04 AM	#11
Dale Stoltzfus Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ephrata, PA United States Posts: 257	Thank you all for you kind critique! I realized last night that I hadn't included my email, and the design as it was didn't have room to add it without looking crowded. To remedy, I redesigned. This one isn't as busy and features larger text across the board (except for the logo). I'm still not sure about the text color - what I would really like to do is make all the text black except for the company description, which would be light-colored. However, with the varying light and darkish background, I haven't figured out a way to make that feasible. Instead, I've made the description black and the rest brown, which kind of works. I'll have to experiment some more. Also keep in mind that small text is easier to read in print than it is on a computer screen. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Mountjoy! Studios - Promotional Videography & Graphic Design MountjoyStudios.net

October 23rd, 2007, 01:08 PM	#4
Reid Bailey Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fredericksburg, Va Posts: 220	Without the sword. With the sword you're not sure where to look and some of the text is difficult to read.

October 23rd, 2007, 01:26 PM	#6
Daniel Ross Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Marin & Davis, CA, USA Posts: 418	I don't hate the sword, but I'd suggest making it more like a watermark, or at least much lower opacity. The film strip is now distracting to me. (background, not the horizontal strip)

October 23rd, 2007, 01:28 PM	#7
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Your Name and the phone number should be larger/BOLD. I've got old eyes, and when I look at a business card, I want to see the NAME and the CONTACT jump out at me. And losing the sword was the right choice. (Hey, I made my LIVING with a sword, so I'm partial to them too... but it was distracting/clutter)

October 24th, 2007, 07:10 AM	#10
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Dale, I don't know how old your are, but I'm in my fifties. I have 20-14 vision at a distance, but like most people my age, I carry around 'reading classes' for anything that's within an arms length. The easier you make it for me to find your name, and number (or email, if that's your primary contact) the more likely I am to actually USE that business card. In other words, I'd make your name and contact BIGGER as well as bolder. Seriously, take it from a baby boomer, this is important.

October 24th, 2007, 10:07 AM	#12
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	This is a much better design. Less cluttered, the tip of the sword points down towards your name and the contact info, background is not as distracting. You're almost there.

October 24th, 2007, 10:22 AM	#13
Mark Bournes Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 565	Much better on the latest design, I like it, easy to read and still creative. __________________ Mark www.sharkvp.com

October 24th, 2007, 10:51 AM	#14
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	Yeah, much better, might increase the critical contact font a little, but I like it, the gradient on the film is really subtle and nice. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?

October 24th, 2007, 11:00 AM	#15
Paul Tauger Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Los Angeles (recently from San Francisco) Posts: 954	I also like it better without the background sword. I do like the way you dot your Is and cross your Ts. ;)