2007 post card concept... [Archive]

YNOT

06-18-2007, 11:13 PM

Since my last round of post cards were very succesful in growing my biz, I wanted to do a new one for this year. I plan not only to mail these out again, but to hit some car shows and drop them off in some of the cars as well.

I'm very satisfied with this, but I wanted to run this by my fellow designers and see if any of you see anything that you maybe don't like or that needs to be improved. In my usual style...I kept it simple and to the point highlighting an illustration of mine.

Here's the front...
http://www.satanclauz.com/mynot/card_frt_607.jpg

and the back...
http://www.satanclauz.com/mynot/card_bk_607.jpg

Any comments/critiques are certainly welcome.

Thanks!
http://www.tmooregraphics.com/media/signature.gif

balou

06-19-2007, 01:49 AM

I wouldn't change a thing Tony.

budafist

06-19-2007, 02:09 AM

It looks hot :)

Mynock

06-19-2007, 01:54 PM

Very niiiiiiiiiiiice.

Broacher

06-19-2007, 02:11 PM

I understand the message you're trying to get across, but it doesn't. At least not in the time it takes me, or most people, to quickly glance at a card and decide whether to keep or toss.

Conceptually, it's not--unless you're specifically targetting any racing/auto related businesses-- or you have a very unique mailing list of 'Businesses who's owners specically are car nuts'.

You've basically illustrated the word 'horsepower' directly, symbollically perhaps, but without any connection to proof. How will a sportscar illustrator/designer's skills increase sales for my business? Show me that you know how to do this. Otherwise, add a hot babe and make it wall-stickable.

If you specialize in vehicle graphics, and that's what you want more of-- why not SHOW a photo of an acrtual finished vehicle? That's what I'd like to see as a potential customer.

cj2a

06-19-2007, 02:31 PM

Looks good, but I would suggest adding some additional imagery on the left side of the back...there is room to show off some of your other work interspersed with your copy, IMO.

carter the artist

06-19-2007, 04:46 PM

I think it's great.

CkretAjint

06-19-2007, 05:33 PM

I understand the message you're trying to get across, but it doesn't. At least not in the time it takes me, or most people, to quickly glance at a card and decide whether to keep or toss.

Conceptually, it's not--unless you're specifically targetting any racing/auto related businesses-- or you have a very unique mailing list of 'Businesses who's owners specically are car nuts'.

He does target this market and I am guessing a good 80% of his clients fall into this catagory....

You've basically illustrated the word 'horsepower' directly, symbollically perhaps, but without any connection to proof. How will a sportscar illustrator/designer's skills increase sales for my business? Show me that you know how to do this. Otherwise, add a hot babe and make it wall-stickable.

*groans* Please don't 'add a babe'...

YNOT, I think this postcard is perfectly fine. Perhaps a small graphic or illustration (red variation of you letterhead??) on the back would really set it off nicely....

steve2112

06-19-2007, 05:34 PM

looks great but i know the post office changed some requirements lately and i would double check to see if that tint is ok if you are mailing it out at bulk rate.

carter the artist

06-19-2007, 06:28 PM

You know what would be cool? if the car was a clear sticker or something.. But the cost would add a bit. I'm just thinking of something outside of just a card. But, I still love your style.

CkretAjint

06-19-2007, 06:52 PM

You know what would be cool? if the car was a clear sticker or something..

If you do that, I am requesting one be sent to me! I will even pay for it... LOL :D

Tea

06-19-2007, 06:55 PM

*groans* Please don't 'add a babe'...

Thank you.

Mynock

06-19-2007, 07:05 PM

Add two. I believe broacher was saying that jokingly.

CamarotaDesign

06-19-2007, 07:18 PM

If these are being sent to car related businesses, I'd say this is a 100% successful design. Looks great, and I think it would greatly appeal to anyone running a car related business, autobody, mechanic, custom hotrod, etc. It's definitely not going to work if you send it to any other type of business though, i think Tony knows what he is doing with the market targeting. Excellent work.

YNOT

06-19-2007, 07:36 PM

looks great but i know the post office changed some requirements lately and i would double check to see if that tint is ok if you are mailing it out at bulk rate.

Yeah...my last ones had this on there and they all went fine, but I'll check it out.

Thanks for the feedback on this so far everyone.

Yes...my target market is 100% car related companies...car builders, painters, detailers...anything and everything that has to do with custom cars. I'm a member of SEMA so basically, I just go through my SEMA directory and choose companies from there to mail to as well as through the phone book here locally as well as any other state I visit...I always sit and write down companies/contacts from phone books any time I'm on vacation or out of town.

I'm trying to promote my illustration skills for T-shirt design/logos/renderings mostly. I've got a whole other flyer that I'm working on to promote the 'custom paint design' aspect as it's a somewhat different 'car-crowd'.

More than anything...I want people to be intrigued enough to log on and check out my website. I figure even if they don't use my services, they may be around someone later that may mention needing some car artwork and my website will 'ring a bell' with them.

Thanks for the comments so far...I really appreciate everyones help!

Oh...and I love the sticker idea. I've got stickers that I give out to customers, but that would be a sweet idea.

CamarotaDesign

06-19-2007, 07:39 PM

and there you all have it!

I won't be surprised if you get a very high response from this card, excellent work.

steve2112

06-19-2007, 08:25 PM

carter the artist

06-19-2007, 08:39 PM

you know what might look cool on the front, going in the same vain as a sticker, is maybe spot varnish the yellow on the front and matte vanish the rest of the fron and the back or something. Make that bitch pop babe.

steve

We just made an eight page case study brochure and I was talking to the printer, he said everyone is just doing an aqueous coated stock on everything (i hope i spelled that correct), but what really makes it pop is when it's regular stock with a spot varnish of sorts... so if the sticker idea doesn't go thru (which i was actually serious, it'd be cool if they peeled that car off the front...) that might be a way to go. But once again, it's still great.

06-19-2007, 10:52 PM

I have to agree with broacher but, at the same time I believe the card as is addresses your target market well. Yeah… there isn't really a concept but, I don't that matters in the market your targeting. Thats not to say your market is attracted to poor design but, I think that a beautiful graphic will attract and be more memorable then anything else.

steve2112

06-20-2007, 06:43 PM

Your target market definetly likes the bling. My wife runs the finishing department, varnishing, foiling stamping, embossing, at an extremely large global printshop. They do about 85% of book covers in the major stores. She loves the fancy finishing and i believe it can really separate the men from the boys in business. Tastefully down die cutting, stamping, and other finishing techniques look greay. Aqueuous is good but everyone does that and its a bitch to inkjet and address or even write on it. the you have to put a label on and labels really look icky. What every you do I have one question? How do i get on you mailing list?

steve

YNOT

06-20-2007, 07:26 PM

Shoot me an e-mail and I'll gladly mail you one Steve. ;-)

Tea

06-20-2007, 08:02 PM

Add two. I believe broacher was saying that jokingly.

oh.
good.

I am seriously disheartened with the recent trend of degradation of "babes". I am not ready to write a dissertation on what's happening with the mindset of either sex of today's younger members of society.

But back to the postcard - I think the sticker idea is awesome. Be sure the web site is on the sticker part though ( I picture the car being able to be peeled off). The rest would probably be tossed.

Broacher

06-23-2007, 03:13 AM

Joking... sorta, in a sarcastic way. As I see it, every time I see a promotion or a televised clip of a major car show they STILL seem to feature a disproportionate emphasis on suspension systems of the bikini kind.

IF that's the reality for this market... do you risk anything by NOT including it in your own promotionals, or do you risk more BY including something?

And my apologies for not reading the full post message at the start and spotting the part about this NOT being a general business target. (I couldn't afford to finish my speed reading courses, see?)

But if that's the case, maybe you can update us on what you see as the characteristics of the target you're trying to reach?

CRHain88

06-23-2007, 05:29 PM

Great Postcard!

In my opinion, I would carry on this theme to your website.

YNOT

06-23-2007, 08:35 PM

...maybe you can update us on what you see as the characteristics of the target you're trying to reach?

More than anything, I'm just trying to bring more attention to my web site, my illustration/design skills and my name within the 'car community'. I figure that the more 'car' people that hear about me, the more of an opportunity for someone to say something about needing an artist to do a T-shirt...or that they need a paint scheme designed...or a logo. Then...hopefully...if my card works right, people will say "hey...I got this cool card from a guy that does that kind of thing".

I'm trying to target any kind of automotive related company...body shops, painters, custom fabrication shops...places like that. Basically any company that specializes in cars and would have a need for any kind of automotive artwork.

I know I'm not and never will be as good as 'Chip Foose' or 'Steve Stanford' but those guys produce 'car art' and people go crazy over it. That's what I aspire to be someday.

Most of my work continues to be word of mouth...people see my work and ask who did it and where can they reach me...so with any luck, this card will appeal to people and get me more work. My last card did a good job of it and I feel that this card is much better than the last one...so we shall see.

YNOT

06-23-2007, 08:45 PM

Okay...I've tweaked the back some...what do you think of this? I left the appropriate margins blank.

I started with my original design and dropped a car in the lower left corner, but it just kind of evolved into this...

http://www.satanclauz.com/mynot/post_card_red2_607.jpg

Thoughts? better?...or worse?

captain spanky

06-26-2007, 12:28 PM

that's got my vote just because it's got a bug on it! wooooo!

Tea

06-26-2007, 01:23 PM

that's got my vote just because it's got a bug on it! wooooo!

Me too!

Mitch Wood

06-26-2007, 01:56 PM

oh.
good.

I am seriously disheartened with the recent trend of degradation of "babes". I am not ready to write a dissertation on what's happening with the mindset of either sex of today's younger members of society.

But back to the postcard - I think the sticker idea is awesome. Be sure the web site is on the sticker part though ( I picture the car being able to be peeled off). The rest would probably be tossed.

It is not a trend sweetpea, sex has always sold, it is the mechanics of human kind and rightly so!!! -----> ;) <------

In my humble opinion:

Babes = No no
Naked Babes = Yes YES!
Naked babes in mud = rrrraaaaaAAAAHHHHHH! Yes, yes, YES!

;) <------

Abyway – Tony, I like it mate, but it needs work.

The illy on the back is a lot tighter than the one on the front. Perspectives are all over the place (car on front), line weights don't have the same attention as your other illys.

I dont know, it may be the lack of a dynamic angle that makes the perspective seem off, it looks slumped in the middle and the wing mirror does need attention. It looks a little Blue Peter! ;)

Maybe let the car break the boundaries like you have the beetle?

The newer version deffo has more structure. Just sort out that car on the front. It doesn't do you any justice at all mate.

p.s. Also a little space under the red copy (above the illy) on the back will help it along.

p.s.s. Did you make the type? I thought it was just your signature?

YNOT

06-26-2007, 05:53 PM

The illy on the back is a lot tighter than the one on the front. Perspectives are all over the place (car on front), line weights don't have the same attention as your other illys.

I dont know, it may be the lack of a dynamic angle that makes the perspective seem off, it looks slumped in the middle and the wing mirror does need attention.

Honestly I did this intentionally...I wanted the illy on front to be a bit more 'caricatured' or 'cartoon-ish' while the back one was to have my more typical style. I was wanting people (potential customers) to see that I have a bit of versatility to my illustrations. Nowadays the 'cartoon' styled cars are becoming more popular, so I skewed the Corvette to simulate that 'style'.

I'm actually going back and adding some more detail to it to 'fancy' it up a bit...give it a bit more 'pop', but I'm still trying to keep it more 'cartoon-ish' overall.

p.s.s. Did you make the type? I thought it was just your signature?

Yeah...I hand lettered the alphabet on paper with a Sharpie in my typical handwritten style, then scanned it in and illustrated each letter in Illy. Then I just slide the letters together to use them on these pieces. It's not as easy as a 'font' but it sure personalizes it. I've had more compliments on my handwriting over the years so I thought this would be a nice distinguishing element to my work.

Thanks for the feedback.

06-26-2007, 09:11 PM

very nice- stop looking at it and send it to print.

urstwile

06-26-2007, 11:05 PM

There are places that would make a font out of your handwriting, YNOT. Just a thought, might be easier to work with in the future.

Tea

06-26-2007, 11:40 PM

It is not a trend sweetpea, sex has always sold, it is the mechanics of human kind and rightly so!!! -----> ;) <------

Sweetpea? A bit presumptuous on your part to use such a term of endearment.

Mitch Wood

06-27-2007, 09:54 AM

Tony, fair enough mate - I would take a serious look at your wing mirror though. It does look like an after thought, and would only take a few minutes to gel it with the rest.

As for cartoons, one of our customers has recently used illustrations from these guys www.koolart.co.uk (Have attached an image below)

Is this similar to the style you are seeing?

They looked OK in the final draft were a bit OTT with the exaggerations, but they seemed to suit the customer. They had a selection of their fleet of recovery trucks illustrated for some promotional items.

It is not a trend sweetpea, sex has always sold, it is the mechanics of human kind and rightly so!!! -----> ;) <------

Sweetpea? A bit presumptuous on your part to use such a term of endearment.

Ha, easy tiger! I was only joshing with you in that post Ms Tea hence the ----->. I am sure you are the sweetestpea of the highest calibre anyway.

p.s. You must admit though that more mud laden beauties need to be laundered through the media... ;) <--

Tea

06-27-2007, 12:48 PM

Ha, easy tiger! I was only joshing with you in that post Ms Tea hence the ----->. I am sure you are the sweetestpea of the highest calibre anyway.

Okay.

p.s. You must admit though that more mud laden beauties need to be laundered through the media... ;) <--

Now you're talking dirty to me!! ;)

(Sorry for the threadjack. I had a weak moment. I promise, I promise to stay on track.:))

YNOT

06-27-2007, 12:58 PM

Yeah...cool stuff Mitch...that's kinda what I was going after...only not quite so over-the-top exaggerated.

Actually, I just released these cards to print, so we'll see how they turn out. I adjusted the Corvette...added some more detail to it.

Can't wait to get them and mail them out! Hopefully they work as good...if not better than last time.

Mitch Wood

06-27-2007, 01:00 PM

Okay.

Now you're talking dirty to me!! ;)

(Sorry for the threadjack. I had a weak moment. I promise, I promise to stay on track.:))

Touché mon ami!

((I am also sorry for the threadjack. I too had a weak moment. I promise to 'try' and stay on track.:))

Mitch Wood

06-27-2007, 01:04 PM

Well Tony, I am sure they will be a success.

I have been checking out your threads here and on How for a few years and am sure a man of your calibre will keep pushing your illy skills as you have been doing.

Keep it up fella.

Samakimoto Graphics

06-28-2007, 10:04 AM

YNOT! that is absolutely fabulous. Great job!

YNOT

07-05-2007, 11:40 PM

YESSSSS!!!! I got my post cards today and they turned out even better than I had hoped!!!! The spot varnish on the car and the 'SEMA' logo really make her 'pop'! It's a little hard to see in the picture...

http://www.satanclauz.com/mynot/FINAL_postcard.jpg

I can't wait to start addressing these and mailin' them out.

If you're nice and send me a PM with your address, I might drop one in the mail to ya...well...if ya want one. ;)