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As I mentioned an my earlier post, I've been working on my card. In my signature was my original and I've included two similar pics of the one I'm working on. How about some input. Are they to busy, not enough. Thinking of placing info on the back. Not sure yet. But be gentle, as I may start drinking heavier.
Thanks
bigger phone # too. If you have a decent ink jet you can print cards on it pretty nicely. google for 100 packs of the micro perforated sheets which is 1000 biz cards. That way you can print a few at a time and get feedback on them as you go too
too busy for my eyes .
just my opinion but i think you are going in too many directions with your design
you have at least 4 fonts , 4 or 5 different colors , horizontal,vertical and angled writings , a car a cat a motorcycle and a usa pic
like Harley dad, i also like it nice clean and simple
Sometimes less is more. Keep it your company name (include logo), what you do (powder coating/ceramic coating) and how they can contact you. Anything else is just getting in the way of your advertising by serving as a distraction.
Here's a chance for me to contribute! (Not a powder coater by trade... just like to learn from the best! )
I've taught some form of graphic design and graphic marketing on and off for 12 years now; the advice I give is from an educators point of view; I don't mean to offend with my tutelage.
I've found most businesspersons fancy themselves designers; sometimes to great effect, and sometimes not so much. I think this stems from the desire to totally control their business image and "branding." Let's face it, you're not a coater/painter/customizer because you like others to do things for you, and you obviously have an eye for design or you wouldn't be good at what you do.
I have this advice for would-be designers in any forum:
1) Know your audience and what they're used to seeing with regards to the services you offer. Harley riders are used to seeing black and orange. Because of their "culture" you're not going to impress them unless you're knowledgeable about their brand. Using black and orange is a way to do this. However, a lot of other people are turned off by the culture and in purely aesthetic terms, black and orange isn't really a good combo; I always suggest a business should have at least two business cards for these reasons.
2) Keep the message you're presenting clear and informative. A business card can't tell your prospective customer everything about your business. Leave that for print advertising. With a business card you're saying "This is the name of my company, here's what we do and here's how you reach me." THAT'S IT.
3) Use the space available to you judiciously. 2" x 3.5" is not much room. Even in a small space, people need the opportunity to "relax" their eyes. Think about it this way; your prospective client has 3 seconds to learn what they need from a business card before the talking head (you) distracts them with a pitch. That's just long enough to memorize a well-designed logo. That person will then associate your conversation with the logo and when they think about the service, they'll THEN go to the card for the information they need. Don't distract them with anything that might confuse this memory.
4) Don't use gimmicks. Misspelling a word is just that; a misspelled word. Using more than 1 or 2 type faces is a no-no...don't expect your audience to switch "languages" just to get the information they need.
5) Be unique. The "vertical" card is a nice way to set yourself off; no one is going to confuse a vertical card from your competitor's horizontal card. (Unless your competition uses the vertical card... do some research)
What's good about your cards: You have a very clean, distinctive and pleasing logo. Good job. It should be larger, more prominent. Your "tag" line is clear, but a little weak. "It's all about color and durability" omits the client, though. Consider "for your needs in long lasting color" or "Durable color for your parts"
What's bad about your cards: Too much distraction. What's that lump on the left side? A car? You're in Bristol, so you're in the US; you're too far from any ocean or border to be confused for a foreigner. (patriotic is good, though, in the right crowd) Back to the idea of multiple cards; the card you present to HD riders should suggest knowledge about the brand and certainly should include a motorcycle image-inducing graphic. (Not necessarily a bike, but maybe part of a bike... be bold)
Here are a couple of suggestions; the logo is pretty low-res so I couldn't do much that's useable, but if you're interested in working something up, drop me a line.
Firstyeardeek thanks for posting. I was looking for some impact with my card and as you said, a business card don't give you a lot of room. And the graphics were to get attention from those crowds. Constructive criticism is what I was after and I got that from everyone. All the comments had me rethinking my card. So again thanks and I will take you up on your offer. I do, however, like what you put together. Nice stuff.
JT
I'm glad my post was well received; like I said, I can't really contribute too much since I don't powder coat for a living! I don't feel right "lurking" and not contributing so I try to do so when ever I can.
I know I can be a bit verbose, that's the educator in me.
I'm glad my post was well received; like I said, I can't really contribute too much since I don't powder coat for a living! I don't feel right "lurking" and not contributing so I try to do so when ever I can.
I know I can be a bit verbose, that's the educator in me.
-Deek
WOW you completely floored me. Thats great advice and well stated. Thanks for sharing. I also liked the cards you presented as examples of jtw37's biz. I agree with the logo part a lot thats why I designed a logo to use on one side of my cards. And a trade mark way of doing the company name. If you wouldn't mind dropping and opinion? JT, I hope you don't mind me hyjacking.
I'm from the school of "function over form" with regards to business identities so the second logo appeals to my sensibilities, but the "LNP" logo is very well put together and definitely could be the start of a solid brand. You'll have to duplicate the text that is missing from the logo, but it's an opportunity to reiterate your brand in a single glance.
Either is a good starting point; I would begin with the top one and expand slightly... perhaps replacing the thin black gradient line with a heavier line in the same color as your letters. (Try to duplicate the line weight of the characters) whether or not you connect that line to the letters is something you'll have to play with. Giving characters room to "breathe" in a box makes them more like words, connecting them with their boundary makes them more like graphics. (Usually better in a logo)
Something to avoid when designing a logo is making it hard to reproduce. The gradient line that outlines the letters now would never reproduce reliably. Replacing it with a single (same) color will make it more "robust" to the processes you will expose it to.
Also, a 1 color graphic as a logo has enormous potential; if done carefully, it can be reproduced in any medium and be instantly recognizable. (Think of the NOS or Fox logos in the motorsports industry. You never see them the same color twice, but you know instantly what you're seeing. But the AT&T logo in orange, for example, might confuse you.)
Consider the graphics below and you can see some of the suggestions I've made.
I like!!!!!!! I appreciate all your inputs. You need your own section in the board index. I think I like the second one more....... I can't decide they both look great. Thanks!!!
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