FWIW, I'd say call it out when you see that kind of thing happening. You'll get the mod's support every time if someone's being a jerk, and maybe a fresh perspective if they're not.
Sound fair?
Hey I'm not here to open a can of dead worms....just to learn and share.
That book will do a much better job of teaching you about fonts and design than I ever could. Like I said, it's slim and a fast read. I highly recommend it.
That book will do a much better job of teaching you about fonts and design than I ever could. Like I said, it's slim and a fast read. I highly recommend it.
Ok it's worth a look see.
I'll check at B&K next time I'm there.
I'll google up a ISBN # on it.
Thanx!
If I wanted to learn with books I'd go to Barnes and Knoble or the Library.
Thus I'd have no need for Photography Forums.
Sometimes it's more helpful to learn from others than to plod threw books.
How long would it take to become a Mechanic if ya had to learn it all from books?
How much more could you learn with "hands on" with a actual Mechanic that has years of experience?
That doesn't mean the Mechanic treats you like your and idiot cuz you don't know what ball joint is.
But yet takes the time to tell you what it does and shows you how to replace it.
Whether it is a book or a forum post reading is reading. Both have their place.
A good mechanic keeps books for reference. Books are a godsend when you can't wait for a answer. Personally I like the pictures. Really. I also keep a lot of bookmarks (can you tell I use FF?) of sites with info I can quickly refer to. I type slow so instead of typing out a long set of instructions, I'll often just post a link for the info. I have a large library of reference books on a multitude of subject. I wouldn't trade them for... hmmm... Nahhhhh.
Edit to add:
Here's one of those links: http://www.bamagazine.com/
They have some free downloads that will give you some great info on graphic design.
Enjoy
Tis sometimes better to be a big fish in a small pond than to be shark bait.
Whether it is a book or a forum post reading is reading. Both have their place.
A good mechanic keeps books for reference. Books are a godsend when you can't wait for a answer. Personally I like the pictures. Really. I also keep a lot of bookmarks (can you tell I use FF?) of sites with info I can quickly refer to. I type slow so instead of typing out a long set of instructions, I'll often just post a link for the info. I have a large library of reference books on a multitude of subject. I wouldn't trade them for... hmmm... Nahhhhh.
Edit to add:
Here's one of those links: http://www.bamagazine.com/
They have some free downloads that will give you some great info on graphic design.
Ok I had a coupla Graphic Designers approach me online to help me learn.
The one person was quite the pro and taught me a few things.
Esp about PSD files and lil about layers.
I hafta say if these don't cut it I dunno what will.
Ok I had a coupla Graphic Designers approach me online to help me learn.
The one person was quite the pro and taught me a few things.
Esp about PSD files and lil about layers.
I hafta say if these don't cut it I dunno what will.
#1 is probably my fav....tough choice!
Examples
Jim:
These are fine examples of cards. I prefer the "fall leaves and bridge" myself, because you used only one font.
I would tighten up the text a bit more and align your URL with your title block (but that's just me).
I would also drop the "Sr". Unless you're directly competing with another family member no business contact will care what generation Bolden you are.
(ps: I like image one too but I don't like the jumble of typefaces)
The first one is pretty good, but IMO you've got too many fonts. I would keep it to 2, max.
I also think that raising your name would help. Put all of your contact info together in one cluster, with your number on top, so that they stack nicely, you know, start short and get longer as you go down. And lastly, put Nature Photography on one line.
That's my 2 cents on the first one. Do those things, you've got a mighty-fine card.
Ok I had a coupla Graphic Designers approach me online to help me learn.
The one person was quite the pro and taught me a few things.
Esp about PSD files and lil about layers.
I hafta say if these don't cut it I dunno what will.
#1 is probably my fav....tough choice!
Examples
Great examples. I like #1 and #2.
Let me throw something else out for you to think about. A cluttered card.
My main clientele are classic car owners and hotrodders, the boomer crowd and older. The only complaint I got with my first card design was the print was to small for aging eyes. Now, I don't want to exclude potential customers, especially the ones with the most disposable income. I took a new look at what I wanted from my card.
First it is a showcase of what I do.
Second, it is to give a potential customer an easy way to contact me later.
Third, a place to write notes.
Here's what I did. I made the front, what I feel is, reasonably sophisticated yet bold to catch the eye. The back is white so notes can be written on it and I put my contact info there in large, black, easy to read Arial font. Name, Phone, Email, and Website. They don't need my mailing address to contact me and I don't want people knocking on my door unannounced.
Is it graphically correct? It's close. It breaks some rules, but that's okay. So do I. I know what pleases my eye and it does what I need it to do.
People stop to ask questions and compliment me about the front, and they love the easy to read info on the back while complaining about other's hard to read cards. A side benefit is, it has led to orders from clients for courtesy cards they can give out at shows with their car and info on them.
Here is my latest design.
Tis sometimes better to be a big fish in a small pond than to be shark bait.
First it is a showcase of what I do.
Second, it is to give a potential customer an easy way to contact me later.
Third, a place to write notes.
Thanx for your input!!
I think I have the above 3 covered.
As for the cluttered card and small font....I might streamline things a bit?
As for the bolder font I hafta agree.....I think I'll change that in my contact info on card #1.
Also shows what Photography I specialize in.
Altho I dabble in other forms of Photography.
I think I'll rotate designs as I run out.
1st run I'll keep em 1 sided as double sided costs more.
See if it produces a few bux and go from there.
(Any profits will be funneled back into better equipment and such)
#1 I think will be my 1st run as it really catches the eye.
Like you I decided to use my work on the card as a showcase.
Should I decide to jump back to Automobiles I have a similar shot to yours I can use for a card.
Should I decide to jump back to Automobiles I have a similar shot to yours I can use for a card.
Mmmmmmmmm... Nice. Radiator/Hood Ornaments are kind of my passion. Most of my shots are not on smugmug yet. I'm slowwwwly putting together a book on them. Maybe some day it'll be done.
Tis sometimes better to be a big fish in a small pond than to be shark bait.
In lew of stretching out the "Show us your Business Cards" thread a million pages.....new thread with popular demand designs.
A new thread in lieu of one that currently exists on the same topic....more threads is not always better. The people who are most interested in this already subjscribe and are aware of this thread. It's an active thread that gets found by search engines. There's precedence of many other posters getting the exact same type of help you are asking for.
A new thread in lieu of one that currently exists on the same topic....more threads is not always better. The people who are most interested in this already subscribe and are aware of this thread. It's an active thread that gets found by search engines. There's precedence of many other posters getting the exact same type of help you are asking for.
I moved your posts back to this thread. Thanks.
My apologies Andy!
Did wanna make a nuisance of myself and hog the whole thread.
Although lately I feel I've been doing a good job at it....making a nuisance of myself.:twitch
My apologies Andy!
Did wanna make a nuisance of myself and hog the whole thread.
Although lately I feel I've been doing a good job at it....making a nuisance of myself.:twitch
Here are mine...C&C for a newbie
I am pretty new to SM and selling my photos in general....and many will be able to tell - my BC is not an original design, borrowed the idea from some in this thread. The 1st one I plan on using at sporting events I shot - the 2nd toward portrait customer. Right now I am just printing them on my own printer and cutting them out myself. I want to make sure I have a final design prior to using a professional printing service.
I also included a 3rd design - this is my original card I had been using for sporting events - I would remove the "Purchase photo...." as I do not this that in there - any good?? or trash it and use the new one??
I started to post this elsewhere, since it grew from me just building a logo to making this new business card.
It's a teeny-tiny brochure, inspired by a how-to on bamagazine.com.
It's printed front and back, and is folded as a 3-fold brochure, but is business card sized. It's 3.5" tall, and when folded, it's 2" wide. I'm still working on it, I'm not sure what I want to say on the inside, yet.
Anyway, all comments/critique welcome.
Here's the "front". The right most panel is the front. The middle panel is the back, and the left panel is the bit that folds in. So when you unfold the right panel, you'll reveal the left panel. Hope that makes sense.
I started to post this elsewhere, since it grew from me just building a logo to making this new business card.
It's a teeny-tiny brochure, inspired by a how-to on bamagazine.com.
It's printed front and back, and is folded as a 3-fold brochure, but is business card sized. It's 3.5" tall, and when folded, it's 2" wide. I'm still working on it, I'm not sure what I want to say on the inside, yet.
Anyway, all comments/critique welcome.
Here's the "front". The right most panel is the front. The middle panel is the back, and the left panel is the bit that folds in. So when you unfold the right panel, you'll reveal the left panel. Hope that makes sense.
And when you open it up, this is the inside:
You have good design tastes. Try a separator line or stroke around the small photos, so they don't run into each other. ?
This is very classy looking, David! I like the mini brochure idea and your colors and simplicity are very appealing. I thought I'd throw out a couple nit picky thoughts...
Having any words go out to the right of your initials (as "Photography" was in your other post) made me want to read it as Rphotography...like R was the first letter of the word. It looks like you've done away with that in this design.
The bottom two pictures you've chosen are lined up so that the boy's leg looks like it melds into the man's head below it. The lines between the pictures do help separate them, but now it looks like there's a line going through the middle of the man's head. At least to my eyes! Maybe different pictures or a different arrangement would keep them all separated better?
This is not a big deal at all, but for simplicity sake, why not have the DR on the inside have the same size and placement as the DR on the outside? You have three different DR's (all different colors too) and on something so compact, I wonder if having the backgrounds of the outside and inside match (shape and placement, not color) would be a good thing?
Anyway, those are my initial (no pun intended) impressions! I really like this a lot and hope these comments are not taken too seriously!
Elaine
Elaine
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
You're teasing us with that phone number... aren't you?
Every time I've posted it, I've gone, "dang, I've got to get rid of that phone number" and had to go back out, blur it and replace the photo. You'd think I'd learn...
Every time I've posted it, I've gone, "dang, I've got to get rid of that phone number" and had to go back out, blur it and replace the photo. You'd think I'd learn...
now for a comment, you earned it:
colors - very soothing, your intended audience should love it
layout - classy, simple, I can dig it. Little too "country" and "whispy" for me, but, I'm not your "engagement/wedding/family" audience.
David, it's really nice and I like it very much. I agree about the 2nd and 3rd photos lining up in a funny way - you may want to re-think that bit.
My only other comment is the very plain left "3rd". If I'm reading this correctly, that 3rd will be what you see when you open the front cover of the "mini-book" you are making. That being the case, I think it is too plain and abstract. I would expect something more interesting on that "page" especially. Currently it's just a few strokes that don't relate to anything else (it's not your logo until you unfold the whole thing) and your contact info in fairly small type without much contrast. To my mind "heading 1" and this panel should work together, like a 2-page magazine ad would. Not necessarily one image, but related text and image or something.
Maybe not a great explanation, but my two cents anyway.
Comments
Hey I'm not here to open a can of dead worms....just to learn and share.
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
That book will do a much better job of teaching you about fonts and design than I ever could. Like I said, it's slim and a fast read. I highly recommend it.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Ok it's worth a look see.
I'll check at B&K next time I'm there.
I'll google up a ISBN # on it.
Thanx!
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
A good mechanic keeps books for reference. Books are a godsend when you can't wait for a answer. Personally I like the pictures. Really. I also keep a lot of bookmarks (can you tell I use FF?) of sites with info I can quickly refer to. I type slow so instead of typing out a long set of instructions, I'll often just post a link for the info. I have a large library of reference books on a multitude of subject. I wouldn't trade them for... hmmm... Nahhhhh.
Edit to add:
Here's one of those links: http://www.bamagazine.com/
They have some free downloads that will give you some great info on graphic design.
Enjoy
http://jburtphotos.com
http://jburtphotos.smugmug.com
Basic but makin' changes
Thanx a bunch! Looks interesting.
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
The one person was quite the pro and taught me a few things.
Esp about PSD files and lil about layers.
I hafta say if these don't cut it I dunno what will.
#1 is probably my fav....tough choice!
Examples
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
What a great site!
I'm subscribing.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Jim:
These are fine examples of cards. I prefer the "fall leaves and bridge" myself, because you used only one font.
I would tighten up the text a bit more and align your URL with your title block (but that's just me).
I would also drop the "Sr". Unless you're directly competing with another family member no business contact will care what generation Bolden you are.
(ps: I like image one too but I don't like the jumble of typefaces)
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
Anglelo's comments are right on.
The first one is pretty good, but IMO you've got too many fonts. I would keep it to 2, max.
I also think that raising your name would help. Put all of your contact info together in one cluster, with your number on top, so that they stack nicely, you know, start short and get longer as you go down. And lastly, put Nature Photography on one line.
That's my 2 cents on the first one. Do those things, you've got a mighty-fine card.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Let me throw something else out for you to think about. A cluttered card.
My main clientele are classic car owners and hotrodders, the boomer crowd and older. The only complaint I got with my first card design was the print was to small for aging eyes. Now, I don't want to exclude potential customers, especially the ones with the most disposable income. I took a new look at what I wanted from my card.
First it is a showcase of what I do.
Second, it is to give a potential customer an easy way to contact me later.
Third, a place to write notes.
Here's what I did. I made the front, what I feel is, reasonably sophisticated yet bold to catch the eye. The back is white so notes can be written on it and I put my contact info there in large, black, easy to read Arial font. Name, Phone, Email, and Website. They don't need my mailing address to contact me and I don't want people knocking on my door unannounced.
Is it graphically correct? It's close. It breaks some rules, but that's okay. So do I. I know what pleases my eye and it does what I need it to do.
People stop to ask questions and compliment me about the front, and they love the easy to read info on the back while complaining about other's hard to read cards. A side benefit is, it has led to orders from clients for courtesy cards they can give out at shows with their car and info on them.
Here is my latest design.
http://jburtphotos.com
http://jburtphotos.smugmug.com
Basic but makin' changes
Nice!
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
http://jburtphotos.com
http://jburtphotos.smugmug.com
Basic but makin' changes
Thanx for your input!!
I think I have the above 3 covered.
As for the cluttered card and small font....I might streamline things a bit?
As for the bolder font I hafta agree.....I think I'll change that in my contact info on card #1.
Also shows what Photography I specialize in.
Altho I dabble in other forms of Photography.
I think I'll rotate designs as I run out.
1st run I'll keep em 1 sided as double sided costs more.
See if it produces a few bux and go from there.
(Any profits will be funneled back into better equipment and such)
#1 I think will be my 1st run as it really catches the eye.
Like you I decided to use my work on the card as a showcase.
Should I decide to jump back to Automobiles I have a similar shot to yours I can use for a card.
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
http://jburtphotos.com
http://jburtphotos.smugmug.com
Basic but makin' changes
NOW I'm getting some constructive help I wanted!
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
Ok I got the vertical one done that everyone wanted me to do so bad.
The only thing I might change on #1 is the fonts look a lil small for my info?
#2 Everyone has raved about this being different but the fonts weren't gonna be readable.
Byington TTF 9pt BOLD for older folks once printed should do it!
Open for comments for FINAL tweaks.
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
A new thread in lieu of one that currently exists on the same topic....more threads is not always better. The people who are most interested in this already subjscribe and are aware of this thread. It's an active thread that gets found by search engines. There's precedence of many other posters getting the exact same type of help you are asking for.
I moved your posts back to this thread. Thanks.
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Printed at ASMGoods.com and the are fantastic
My apologies Andy!
Did wanna make a nuisance of myself and hog the whole thread.
Although lately I feel I've been doing a good job at it....making a nuisance of myself.:twitch
Manfrotto Mono | Bag- LowePro Slingshot 100AW
http://www.graphyfotoz.smugmug.com/
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
I am pretty new to SM and selling my photos in general....and many will be able to tell - my BC is not an original design, borrowed the idea from some in this thread. The 1st one I plan on using at sporting events I shot - the 2nd toward portrait customer. Right now I am just printing them on my own printer and cutting them out myself. I want to make sure I have a final design prior to using a professional printing service.
I also included a 3rd design - this is my original card I had been using for sporting events - I would remove the "Purchase photo...." as I do not this that in there - any good?? or trash it and use the new one??
How do I post multiple images in one posting????
New Sports BC
New Portrait BC
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/photos/121368861-M.jpg
Old Sports BC
http://mlkimages.smugmug.com/photos/121369044-M.jpg
Thanks,
Michael
It's a teeny-tiny brochure, inspired by a how-to on bamagazine.com.
It's printed front and back, and is folded as a 3-fold brochure, but is business card sized. It's 3.5" tall, and when folded, it's 2" wide. I'm still working on it, I'm not sure what I want to say on the inside, yet.
Anyway, all comments/critique welcome.
Here's the "front". The right most panel is the front. The middle panel is the back, and the left panel is the bit that folds in. So when you unfold the right panel, you'll reveal the left panel. Hope that makes sense.
And when you open it up, this is the inside:
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
You have good design tastes. Try a separator line or stroke around the small photos, so they don't run into each other. ?
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Like this?
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Having any words go out to the right of your initials (as "Photography" was in your other post) made me want to read it as Rphotography...like R was the first letter of the word. It looks like you've done away with that in this design.
The bottom two pictures you've chosen are lined up so that the boy's leg looks like it melds into the man's head below it. The lines between the pictures do help separate them, but now it looks like there's a line going through the middle of the man's head. At least to my eyes! Maybe different pictures or a different arrangement would keep them all separated better?
This is not a big deal at all, but for simplicity sake, why not have the DR on the inside have the same size and placement as the DR on the outside? You have three different DR's (all different colors too) and on something so compact, I wonder if having the backgrounds of the outside and inside match (shape and placement, not color) would be a good thing?
Anyway, those are my initial (no pun intended) impressions! I really like this a lot and hope these comments are not taken too seriously!
Elaine
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
Elaine Heasley Photography
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
Every time I've posted it, I've gone, "dang, I've got to get rid of that phone number" and had to go back out, blur it and replace the photo. You'd think I'd learn...
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
now for a comment, you earned it:
colors - very soothing, your intended audience should love it
layout - classy, simple, I can dig it. Little too "country" and "whispy" for me, but, I'm not your "engagement/wedding/family" audience.
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
My only other comment is the very plain left "3rd". If I'm reading this correctly, that 3rd will be what you see when you open the front cover of the "mini-book" you are making. That being the case, I think it is too plain and abstract. I would expect something more interesting on that "page" especially. Currently it's just a few strokes that don't relate to anything else (it's not your logo until you unfold the whole thing) and your contact info in fairly small type without much contrast. To my mind "heading 1" and this panel should work together, like a 2-page magazine ad would. Not necessarily one image, but related text and image or something.
Maybe not a great explanation, but my two cents anyway.