Need some Graphic design help, (also you can talk about my stuff)

BlindPsychic · July 2009

Hey guys. So I'm working on these postcards as mailers, and I need some opinions on the designs.

This one here is the new design, I think it looks a little too business-cardy. I want to use this image but I'm not sure how best it will work.

This is the front of a different set that I made, I like how this one came out, but at the same time, I wanted to use this picture without the opacity cranked down.

www.glennonart.com is my site, if someone wants to pull in some other images they think will make a better pair.

NibCrom · July 2009

Who is your target audience? Who are you mailing these to?

BlindPsychic · July 2009

Going to be sending them to art directors. Although you have a good point, they're mostly going to go to editorial people. I don't really feel like I have anything that screams news illustration right now, but that's my problem.

Poj · July 2009

Firstly: If you want to use the image without the opacity cranked down (which I think would definitely be better), why don't you just make the text white?

Secondly: I also think you should really consider using a different typeface. That strong, san-serif font is really not playing well with the image you paired it with.

Thirdly: Since these postcards are going to have a back, why can't you just put all of your contact information back there somewhere? I'm not really a graphic designer so I may not be the best person to make that suggestion, but I feel like if your artwork is the thing you really want them to look at, A) DON'T make it transparent and

really make sure it hits them with the fullest impact possible. If they are intrigued by the graphic on the front, the very least they'll do is turn the postcard over.

Belruel · July 2009

for the second one you could always just put a box/space behind the text where the opacity is turned down, and the rest is normal? worth trying out

BlindPsychic · July 2009

Appreciated guys, I will fool around a little bit more.

Rankenphile · July 2009

first of all, I'm getting a big fat X when I hit etchings in your gallery

fix that pronto, this is your portfolio we're talking about here

second of all, get some page titles on your site

third, just a sec, looking at your gallery

BlindPsychic · July 2009

you're getting an x since there's nothing there, just a place holder right now. Adding stuff there now though.

Whats the html to add the title? Is it just <title></title> ? I'm doing it by hand

Rankenphile · July 2009

also what about something more along these lines?

you don't need a www at the beginning of a url. This isn't 1998. And is your twitter really that big of a sales tool? Especially one titled "Anxiousmofo"?

For that matter, get a gmail address of john.glennon@gmail or something along those lines and have it autoforward to your normal gmail. It is a lot more professional looking than telling someone "Yeah, my name's john glennon, and I'm a professional artist who wants to work for you, so call me 'blind psychic', k?"

not trying to be rude, by any means. But its simple things like that, when you're trying to sell your services, that'll make a difference in your appearance.

Rankenphile · July 2009

BlindPsychic wrote: »

you're getting an x since there's nothing there, just a place holder right now. Adding stuff there now though.

Whats the html to add the title? Is it just <title></title> ? I'm doing it by hand

in the <head>, put it in <title> tags, yeah

BlindPsychic · July 2009

The www. is actually necessary, I haven't bought whatever the extra stuff is for it to forward to that. (edit: nm, it seems my host has fixed that. So I'll change it)
The twitter thing I set out as a promotional tool, I don't know if I'll use it though.
Yeah, new account set up on gmail. I think I might have camped john.glennon ages ago, but either way someone has it. Gonna use glennonart like the website.

I appreciate your time on the post card, but its not really what I'm shooting for. For me the etchings and that train one are two separate things and I really don't want to project two different directions for my stuff. I feel like the b+w pic in the op tied with the lion one or something similar in mood would be better. The black background just makes me think of like, one of those bar or party promo cards more than anything.

And dude, I've taken far worse critiques, its no prob.

edit again: It seems I do have the title tags in there set up, but they're not displaying correctly.

MagicToaster · July 2009

This is a good idea, but it's poorly excecuted. If I got this in the mail at work, I'd probably look at it and then throw it away because nothing is jumping out at me. If you really want to make this work and get noticed, you have to take an extra step (an extra difficult step!) and call the places you want to send them to and find out the names of people you think should receive them: The HR lady, the art director, the marketing director. Those kind of people.

When you have their names, create a custom postcard for them that says "Robert, isn't it time you got a new illustrator?" Then at the back I'd write something like "Why don't we meet for coffee to talk about it?" Add your number.

This is a lot of work, but it gets REALLY good results. But all elements have to be working together, even the images must be relevant to the message, because if you just put a random stone lion or 18th century England, it kinda doesn't go with the message.

Edit: I can't really say because it's not the original size, but I think the aspect ratio is off on your cards.

BlindPsychic · July 2009

Well I was thinking about sending these in envelopes rather than just as the postcard. Making it look like personal mail rather than just advertising material. I actually have the names for a bunch of people (like 30-40 or so) that I got together already.

The cards are slightly larger I think, I designed them with the bleed in mind, and was using the measurements the site I'm using gave me.

How do you think I should unify my message better?

MagicToaster · July 2009

Well, what do you want to say?

Visti · July 2009

The font is really, really clashing in the last one. If you don't want to design one, there are tons of free fonts out there.

Toaster's idea is really good. I'm gonna do that the next time I look for work

BlindPsychic · July 2009

Well the majority of my stuff is story illustrations, I guess I could expand on that front. Like have the titles and authors on the pieces or something. Chris Buzelli's postcard (the one I have anyway) has a piece on the front with the title and explanation on the back with contact info, I might try that.

And yeah Visti, thats why I ask, I know nothing about fonts except that I like Futura and Verdana.

Penny Arcade

Quick Links

Need some Graphic design help, (also you can talk about my stuff)

Posts