This is my first attempt at a biz card for my SEO/PPC freelance business. It will be printed on 16PT matte (dull Aqueous Coating) possibly with rounded corners. Biz Card Complete v1.pdf

Hi Chris,

 

A good concept so far but i feel the font doesn't fit that 'professional' look category. Its more of a fun text and i feel the bold choice of font brings the design down.

Also the colors used... Why not try to incorporate some gradients into it. Radial gradients are easy to do and make the design that little more special in my eyes.

 

I think with these points worked on it'l look great.

 

Thanks

I don't think it's too bad, quite retro looking. If that's the image you want to give with your business though could be quite odd with an SEO firm. Although black text on orange is nice I'm not too keen on the vice-versa, though it could just be a subjective thing. I would, however, definitely change the font on your contact details. It's not very clear and doesn't, imo, look very attractive at such small size and density. Change it too a sans-serif and try block caps, perhaps.

 

Goodluck,

~evu.

Edited August 22, 201115 yr by evu

I'd use some square font, e g:

http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/square-fonts.htm

I don't think the font is too bad for the identity, but I agree that it makes the contact details too hard to read. I would also say that a gradient would probably be a good idea.

I'm up for suggestions on the logo font, and definately agree on the info. I didn't know what would pair well with the logo font. A radial gradient...... Can you give an example of how you would do it.

 

I definately want to look professional, but I am also a 31 year old freelancer, and don't want to be TOO serious (or boring).

 

I was kinda going for a retro look, with the hopes it would be more memorable, esp with the orange (which I may lighten) it looked really 70s when I tried a darker orange.

 

~Chris

Thanks!

 

Hi Chris,

 

A good concept so far but i feel the font doesn't fit that 'professional' look category. Its more of a fun text and i feel the bold choice of font brings the design down.

Also the colors used... Why not try to incorporate some gradients into it. Radial gradients are easy to do and make the design that little more special in my eyes.

 

I think with these points worked on it'l look great.

 

Thanks

I changed the orange a bit on the one, and also there is another version I've been toying with. Not sure how to best use gradients, like a web 2.0 look?

 

 

I don't think it's too bad, quite retro looking. If that's the image you want to give with your business though could be quite odd with an SEO firm. Although black text on orange is nice I'm not too keen on the vice-versa, though it could just be a subjective thing. I would, however, definitely change the font on your contact details. It's not very clear and doesn't, imo, look very attractive at such small size and density. Change it too a sans-serif and try block caps, perhaps.

 

Goodluck,

~evu.

Hi Chris. I would have to say mate, your latter two versions do not improve on it imo.

 

Here's what I suggest, take from this what you wish.

 

Stick to the original orange on the back with black text, perhaps try one of those fonts that Lev suggested, you want a clean professional one. Some of those on that site are very armature fonts and made quite badly, a good indication is the anti-aliasing on it.

 

I would then flip the front(contact) side to a white background. You can't go wrong with white, very professional and clean. Maybe try the orange for the logo text. Then you can try to use a standard font like Helvetica or Arial for the contact details and have a play with caps lock. I would suggest being careful with letter spacing and bold.

 

Hope this helps and as always, it's my humble opinion and your business in the end

~evu.

 

eD: Personally, I also see no need for a gradient. There is no "web 2.0" in print. Do not think you HAVE to add such features if there's no place for it.

Edited August 23, 201115 yr by evu

lol i made a liquorice allsort

 

Little things like making sure all the little boxes with the info next to them are inline, same distance from text etc.

 

All adds up.

 

Im also thinking slightly that your designing your logo & colour scheme as you go.

3 squares would be great for a development agency ran by, well 3 squares.

I feel like I've made progress, but am no closer to deciding on what I should do.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Chris,

 

I liked the funk element in your first design. I know a square font makes sense for your name though. I think there is a line between funky and old fasioned.

 

To me, the last design's font is bad. Orange on black looks dated, I much prefer the black on orange look. Have you considered a different shade of orange as that orange (021?) I've seen loads of times.

 

People see design differently so not everyone will be happy Have you considered a bitmap (pixel art) style font.

 

On the front you've used left aligned text and centered the web address, you might want them to have the same alignment so its easier on the eye.

 

The spacing between letters on the back makes it hard for me to read it.

Ok... Orange on black is out. I don't really love this exact orange either, but i'm not sure which way to go on it. I have in my head orange creamsicle. I tried some more pixelated fonts. I do like the retro style, but there is certainly a fine line there. I want it to be a style I can use on web as well as print.

~Chris

 

I actually prefer the original to all of the future designs.

 

The one change that I liked was the font you used for the contact details on the v1b version. IMHO if you kept the original but changed the font for that info, it would look professional but retain the great first font choice.

Ok, Here it is more like the first one, more of a creamsicle orange. I think I like it better than some of the newer ones as well.

 

For me your business card has one major flaw. It doesn't say even in brief what you actually do. Yes it says marketing but that could apply to so many things.

 

If you left this card somewhere, for a random person to pick up they'd have no idea what you actually do or whether they should keep the card as it may be useful to them.

 

Your card only works IF you have spoken to the person and left the card with them which is limiting the use of your business card quite a bit.

 

In terms of design, card 1 the very original with a better font will do the job.

Charlotte

Edited September 28, 201115 yr by smoothonline

I don't intend to be cruel, but the layout is bad, the font is bad, the business name is bad, and the colour scheme is bad.

 

Sorry Chris, I'm trying to do you a favour..

Edited September 28, 201115 yr by oakleaves

Oakleaves, you are just one person with one opinion, I really don't see how you're doing him a favour unless you state WHY its bad.

 

Charlotte

Oakleaves, you are just one person with one opinion

 

 

and?

 

1. layout

2. font

3. colour scheme

4. business name

You're not going to get all bada*s on me again just because I voice an opinion that is contrary to yours?

 

All any of us can do is voice an opinion. It's up to the op who he decides to listen to. I never have a hissy fit of people choose to ignore my opinion, that's their choice.

 

If people do not want opinions then they would not ask would they?

 

I have had to design business cards for a number of different clients and in my experience this design is a fail due to the things I have already mentioned.

 

Let the OP decide - it's no skin off my nose either way. And just for your information, all critique that I offer on this website is well thought out and carefully worded.

 

Have a pleasant evening.

 

S

Edited September 28, 201115 yr by MikeChipshop

*nods*

I'm sorry if you taken my replies as being bada*se.

 

But its really no skin off my nose either.

I appreciate the feedback, however what specifically would you do? For the moment ignore the name criticism, there are worse names and they do fine (blekko, google, yahoo, box crush, crush the box, etc)

 

What would YOU do?

The idea is that I don't think I could put enough information on the card to explain it without talking to them anyway. But perhaps some kind of information would be good. Ideally it would direct them to the website, or be attached with a sales flyer or something.

 

 

 

For me your business card has one major flaw. It doesn't say even in brief what you actually do. Yes it says marketing but that could apply to so many things.

 

If you left this card somewhere, for a random person to pick up they'd have no idea what you actually do or whether they should keep the card as it may be useful to them.

 

Your card only works IF you have spoken to the person and left the card with them which is limiting the use of your business card quite a bit.

 

In terms of design, card 1 the very original with a better font will do the job.

Charlotte

I think Charlotte means you just need to state what your business is. Consider a tag line or something, for instance, my card has "web print design" underneath the logo and on the front it says "Web & Print Designer" underneath my name, making it very obvious what I do.

 

Of those 4 oakleaves pointed out - The layout and colour scheme only need tweaking. Font choice needs work but imo you're just not keeping it simple enough. The name's fine dude, don't worry about that.

 

 

Side-note:

I think Charlotte is right, no point telling someone their work is bad with no advice on improvement. Just means he'll be back to ask why anyway if you've not put him off for life.

 

Goodluck m8, post any revisions

~evu.

We're not here to do the work for them, merely point them in the right direction. If we do it for them they will never learn.

 

"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life."

 

 

(That's assuming he like's fish)

Edited September 29, 201115 yr by oakleaves

i agree with oakleaves. the current card looks very dated - like from the 80s, because of the font, the colour and the squares. there are quite a few good free fonts on places like font squirrel

 

here's some ideas for fishing - note the corners are only slightly rounded to look more professional, orange is deeper and more vibrant, the white squares are actually (square) holes if it would be possible for you printer to do cutouts well just an idea. elements are (mostly if not all) lined up with each other.

 

great designs davep.

 

Oakleeaves,

I was not suggesting do the work for him, you just put its bad trust me or something to that effect which doesn't tell the user why its bad so he can improve it.

 

You only let me know what was bad about it when asked, I think you're taking my word outs of context, not once did I imply you had to redesign the card or even make design suggestions.

 

Charlotte

I don't intend to be cruel, but the layout is bad, the font is bad, the business name is bad, and the colour scheme is bad.

 

This thread isn't about me it's about the OP.

 

I have received plenty of critique on my work, and some of it has been far more blunt than anything I have put on this thread. I always take it in the spirit it is intended. If I don't agree with anything I explain why. Where I agree, I take it on board.

 

When someone gives me critique who I believe is more advanced than me I thank them for their time . I will take that all day long, to me it's more precious than gold.

 

When you operate in the design field you need to have broad shoulders, otherwise you will not last two minutes.

Edited September 30, 201115 yr by oakleaves

Dare i say this...?

 

Keep on topic folks

Play nice kids.

 

 

On topic - I don't think it's a bad idea, just bad execution. The font is pretty ugly.

 

Daveps ideas are a great improvement already. Your biggest problem though really is your selection and use of fonts. I think you need to read up on fonts a bit to improve your use of them. Have a look at Google web fonts, you can download them and the quality of their fonts is really good.

Edited September 30, 201115 yr by brightonmike

Ok, I just want to say I REALLY appreciate ALL the feedback I'm getting. I also want to know how everyone is posting files as I appear to be doing it wrong. It's working, but less than optimally. I'm going to look for a better font and I do like that orange better than mine (which I didn't like all that much specifically)

http://www.fontsquirrel.com/ has some good ones

ok.. I tweaked the orange. still now sure about it, and used 95% gray for the other side. I think these fonts are an improvement over the 'retro' Bauhaus font.

 

 

I'm still not sure if i'm attaching files right. It is just a straight png from photoshop.