27 replies to this topic

[Robert2009]

Hi, I''d like to get feedback from those who work on Photoshop side and I am beginner. Here's my business card I created a few years ago and am considering some change....going to add my phone number but I'll hold on that for now.

Thanks,  NMBusinessCard.jpg   67.69K   165 downloads

[Jean-Louis]

Hi, I''d like to get feedback from those who work on Photoshop side and I am beginner. Here's my business card I created a few years ago and am considering some change....going to add my phone number but I'll hold on that for now.

Thanks,  NMBusinessCard.jpg   67.69K   165 downloads

Hi Robert.
General layout is OK but way too many loud colors and fonts
Pick yourself a palette with 2 or (3 at the most) colors that are related and not primary
Avoid overly decorative script fonts that are hard to read
Remember the adage 'White space sells'
no need of borders on a business card
Remember my other favorite adage: Simplicity is the goal but only comes from complex work and planning
hope this helps

[Hans van der Maarel]

What Jean-Louis said. Also, the font used on your address data is not a very good one. I cannot decipher what street you're on.

[Dennis McClendon]

Wow. That's a lot of things happening in a seven square inch area!

One idea is plenty for a business card. Will it be the decorative lettering (the font used for New Mexico Soil Survey is OK for a "logo," but looks like you've optically condensed it), the unidentified plant, the GIS globe, the margin, or the Zia?

Pick a main idea and then make the other things, such as your address and phone number, subservient to it.

[razornole]

Hello Robert,

Ok I understand that the red and yellow are the state colors (at least on the flag) of New Mexico, but they are awfully loud. Furthermore, it makes me think; danger, caution. If you want to pay homage to your state, keep it subtle such as your dots with the New Mexico cross (or whatever that design is called).

Secondly as the others have pointed out, I can't read your font. I think that it reads .nm.usda.gov, but it looks like a prescription that my doctor wrote. I would be hesitant to e-mail anyone which address I am not sure.

Most importantly, what do you do? What is a GIS specialist? GIS is such a broad field it would be similar to saying I'm a medical specialist. Of course this is all confused by the very large fonts that read Soil Survey New Mexico.

Finally I will agree with what all the others have said. I'm glad you posted this so you can make your update much more communicative.

kru

[Jimbo]

I first saw soil survey then I thought must be something to do with gardening.

[MapMedia]

Hi, I''d like to get feedback from those who work on Photoshop side and I am beginner. Here's my business card I created a few years ago and am considering some change....going to add my phone number but I'll hold on that for now.

Thanks,  NMBusinessCard.jpg   67.69K   165 downloads

wow - that is awful! (i.e., too much contrasting color and images, font is too wacky)

I would 'phone a friend' or hire the job out.

Don't mean to be cruel - but I know from experience that a good business card (assuming you will be giving them to people you will ask to use your professional service) is essential and even a simple card can be fine.

But it's likely a little counter productive to obsess on it.

[Adam Wilbert]

it seems as if the design critique has been well covered, so I'll just offer some practical advice.

Most printers would like to see a 1/8" bleed on the card, so make sure your photoshop document is set up to 3.75" x 2.25". You can set up a few ruler guides to remind you that the extra space will be chopped off during the cutting process. Try and keep any critical information (ie, text) another 1/8" inside the trim area. Any background colors or images should fill up the full 3.75x2.25 area though. Borders are a bad idea on business cards because even a small shift during the cutting process (fairly common) becomes immediately noticeable on the finished card.

 example1.jpg   27.41K   47 downloads


as an aside, I think a "show off your business card" thread would be kind of fun!

[razornole]

I agree Adam,

I've been wanting to update my card for sometime, but it has been on the back-burner. This thread has pointed out some nifty tid-bits that has inspired my to open up my old cs3 file.

kru

[Robert2009]

To all,

Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate all your help. It's hard to know if it looks too good but for others it may be different so I need a second brain !

The business card I use is I put to my MS Outlook as a attachment to share everyone. I do not normally give it out to people. If I wanted to hand it out to somebody I would use different than this business card I created.

Jean-Louis, Thanks for the info. Is there a website that you mention about the layout ? To see examples ??

Dennis, Yes, I use it as for the logo for our office but without my name and address. Actually, I made some change from the
old original logo from another state that I know someone from. I modify the logos from Arizona's and created my own and made the changes to apply our the colors and the symbology of New Mexico and the Soil Survey. The colors are red and yellow to relate with our state color.

Adam, Thanks for the info about the actual size for the card. I wasn' t thinking about the size at first. I am sure if I knew back then the logo probably will not fit in it. ha ha ha But I am learning all about Photoshop.

I have backup of this logo and will sure make some changes and maybe I will post it later for some review and feedbacks.

Thanks again,
Robert

[BioGeoMan]

Simplicity rules for business cards...remember their purpose is to tell people how to CONTACT you, not what you do necessarily, hopefully you tell them that when you give them your card!

[Dennis McClendon]

Like a map, the design should have foreground and background layers. When everything is shouting, nothing can be heard. Two decorative typefaces (one that's impossible to read), four different images, a dozen colors. Look how much more effective simplicity can be:

[David Medeiros]

Simplicity rules for business cards...remember their purpose is to tell people how to CONTACT you, not what you do necessarily, hopefully you tell them that when you give them your card!

Ditto that, simplicity is key. Also remember what your advertising on your card. In this case it's soil survery and GIS services and I presume maps. In the case of any visual design service I think it's important that your card be representative of your design ethic to some degree. It's not a sales brochure or work sample but it should still dovetail with your style and be an appealing attractive design.

[Robert2009]

Like a map, the design should have foreground and background layers. When everything is shouting, nothing can be heard. Two decorative typefaces (one that's impossible to read), four different images, a dozen colors. Look how much more effective simplicity can be:

That's nice picture. What if the person wants the business card to be in Portrait instead of landscape ? I only have seen them in that Portrait for the same size ?

Take care,
Robert

[Dennis McClendon]

I usually like portrait orientations, but in this case the proportions don't work out as nicely: