question about business cards?

[biosensor]

whats the biggest size you should use on a business card?
by boss is wanting me to use a 12 point on the cards but it seems big to me or am i just crazy...
the font im using is just plain arial...

sorry mod if i posted this in the wrong forum, i posted it in the techniques thread but i wasnt sure if it went there...
you can move it for me if need be...thanx...

[biosensor]

so here is the business card...
she made me change it around to this...
she wanted the guys name to be 12 point...i used 11 here...
it seems really cluttered...
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h176/biosensor/businesscard.jpg

[SharkFinStudios]

Is the card going to be used for other people, too? She should keep in mind that other people might have longer names or longer titles. I think what you have done looks good. I think it works and it seems a bit cluttered, but not bad. I don't think you need the word 'Email' anymore. You could move it up right below the guys title, move that section up a little and that would add some space to the bottom. Keep at it, it's looking good. Sometimes the boss has to win out, but you can always learn.

[INDY GS]

It looks cluttered, but not because of the larger type. I don't like the flow of the numbers. Try putting office/cell/fax etc after the numbers rather than before. Maybe even abbreviate them by using an O, C, & F instead of spelling them out.

Do you HAVE to have Contact/ Email / Address Spelled out? Isn't that implied with having the address on there anyway?

I rarely use over 10 pt on BC's sometime 12 but sparingly. One time for a sight impared client I had to design one side with all type 14 pt or larger. What a pain, but I understood the need.

[capezio]

Maybe lower the red and black left corner and extend it to the right hand side then move the contact details underneath the logo and before the red/black corner and loose the contact office cell and fax or at least shorten them. The name and designation can then go in the space created and be on its own slightly lower doen leaving some space to the right of the logo

Arial is big at 12pt other fonts are quite small if you compare say gill sans or garamond at 12pt. I don't think you can have a hard and fast rule. I do know though that some companies that use Arial as their corporate font also require all printed matter letters etc to be typed in 12pt. All to do with this legibility issue.

[Samakimoto Graphics]

Try arranging elements on a portrait format...

[budafist]

I hate when people use initials on their card. It's like when I call you should I ask for you by your initial or by your surname? How do I know if you are a Mr or a Mrs or a Miss our should I just take a stab in the dark?

I also dislike when people don't put their surname on their card. It makes me think they are shady.

About the card. 11pt is too big. Print it out and show it to her. What pt size type are their current cards? Unless she has a really good reason to make type so large, it's just ugly. Tell her to get some ****ing glasses.

[patkennedy78]

I'd remove the words Contact, Email, and Address

When I see the line smitchemATgilanet.net I know that's an e-mail address.

That block of contact info isn't alighned with either element on the top, I think that's what is making it feel askew.

[biosensor]

thanx guys still working on this alot of helpful tips you guys rock!

[logomantis]

I do alot of business cards. Only a couple of small corrections and you should be good to go. First: Remove the words Contact, Email, Address, because there is no room on a business card to state the obvious and it's not an invoice sheet, and it will let the layout breath and not look over crowded. Second: Fix the kerning on the email address so that it is equal in length with the phone numbers. You should be done after that. Oh, and move the name and title over a hair so that the m in Mitchem is right justified with the last letter on the street adress.

[biosensor]

so I was able to shrink the text to 10point finally convincing my boss, they wanted me to keep the office, cell, fax, for whatever reason
I also got rid of the contacts. And I put the email right up top..
so I went ahead and sent it to the printer, and they sent me back a reply saying that I need to make the colors pms imprint colors black and pms red 185...

I know this is stupid but I dont usually send them pms colors, usually ill just send them a cmyk tiff or a pdf file. I know what they are wanting just dont know how to go about it. So your help is appreciated...


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h176/biosensor/nts_example.jpg

[SharkFinStudios]

How did you build the file? Is it in Illy or Photoshop? I would have recommended Illy for a business card. That way you can just change the colors to Black and PMS 185 red from your swatches and be done. Sending a CMYK tif is ok for a short run, but if it is a printer who is using plates or screen printing they will need the PMS breakdown.

I would also recommend italicizing the email address. Everything is very busy at the top.

The sizes look much better.

[biosensor]

i originally did it in photoshop the background then just did saved it as a tiff and then just went to indesign and added the text. mostly because thats how we usually do it when we do other work like our flyers and such, this is my first time doing a card so its really new to me.

ill go and do it in illustrator and change it there. I love working with illustrator anyways, my coworker hates i use all the programs to make something instead of using just indesign to do stuff.

thanx again...

[budafist]

Make sure you're using spot colours and not just a cmyk version of your red! If you can't figure this out, just use 100% Magenta instead of your spot red.