Earlier this year, I designed two business card sets, one for Microsoft’s MIX Online team, and another set for our agency, thingsthatarebrown. Despite it being months since these cards went to print, I thought it would be fun to show ‘em off.
Bold circles, FTW
For the MIX Online team cards, I wanted to extend the “blending circle” metaphor I’d developed for their website. The overlapping and blending colored circles played on the idea of ‘mixing’ and set up a visual motif I knew could work in print.
I cracked open Illustrator, pulled in a few shapes from the website PSD, and started working on an initial design. What immediately struck me was that I had this fixed, definite canvas to play with — 3 x 2.5 inches, front and back, no funny stuff. We lack the constraints of print on the web, which makes it difficult to create intricate designs that hinge on ratios, the grid and proportions.
With this in mind, I made my design ‘sync’ the front and the back side — the upper blue circle ‘bleeds’ over into the circle edge on the back. It’s a small detail, but one that’s impossible on the web, where you don’t have three dimensions to work with. I think it gives the printed card a sense of cohesiveness, even if you don’t notice the shapes lining up right away.
Donny, you’re out of your element
I’m almost a total novice in Illustrator — I can use it about as well as your cousin can use Word 2010 to design a webpage. So I called on the wonderful Chelsea Conboy to clean up my files and give me a few tips on how not to screw up again. Very helpful.
After that, I was off to the printer. I knew I wanted a thick, rough, recycled cardstock and wanted to use letterpress to give the colored shapes a rich, clean, organic look.
What I didn’t know was that print shops carry only a few common paper types—the paper I coveted was distributed by a small Swedish company that only sells in large quantities, with nearly a one-month turnaround time on delivery. No dice on the sweet paper.
To meet our deadline, we’d have to print an offset color down first, then letterpress on top of that.
Evolution to the rescue
It’s hard to overstate the importance of working with a good printer. Scott and Molly of Evolution Press helped me refine my production files and choose accurate PMS colors, and advised me on all the details of the letterpress process. They also let me drool over all their Heidelberg printers.
They found a way to source the recycled paper I wanted, too. Long story short, they bought back an old client’s excess card stock (who used it on an awesome card for Seattle’s Still Liquor). I owe a big thanks to Scott and Molly for all their hard work.
Here’s how cards came out:
Some love for our little company
Since I was knee-deep in bringing one set of business cards to life, I figured I may as well design a new version of our own thingsthatarebrown cards. I’m pleased with the result, especially the very big/bold treatment on our names (set in Century Gothic, tightly tracked) on the reverse side.
Check em out:
11 Comments
Design Informer
Jul 20th
Awesome! Now, quick question? How expensive is it for this type of treatment on your business cards?
Matt Brown
Jul 20th
@Design Informer: Good question. Of course ‘it depends’
Each variable in letterpress printing can have a potentially big impact on the final cost — size of the run, paper type, ink type, how many inks, how many runs, press checks, etc. It goes on and on…
In the end, both runs were short, so the cost per card was pretty high — our TTAB cards ended up being about $1.40 per card. If I had to do it again, I’d have focused on a simpler design / color treatment.
Geof Harries
Jul 20th
Has anyone made a comment about your new blog layout? I don’t think so, therefore, it’s awesome!
Grant
Jul 20th
Gorgeous - nicely done on both cards. I’ve always wanted to do some letterpress cards for myself, but not had a good enough excuse…
Amber Weinberg
Jul 20th
Wow both cards look awesome. I once used a similar brown recycled paper look for an identity design I did for a moving company. Love that paper
Thomas Lewis
Jul 20th
Thanks again for the work you did on our business cards. Whenever I give one out, there is always a compliment on the craftmanship of the card.
As always, I enjoy working with you and Tiffani!
Matt Brown
Jul 20th
@Geof — HA - you noticed! There are still a bunch of little bugs I need to fix on it, but glad you like the new look. Just wanted the text to be more readable.
@ALL — Thanks for all the great comments. Glad you like the cards.
Design Informer
Jul 20th
Hi Matt, thanks for the reply. That’s quite costly but I think it’s definitely worth it. Thanks for sharing the process!
Tim Aidlin
Jul 20th
Matt, everyone I hand a card to comments on it. They think it’s beautiful, readable, and remarkable in its tactile quality.
The only problem is I can only carry three at a time in my wallet as they’re so thick
These cards certainly make an “impression” (ha-ha. Get it, letterpress??) and I’m proud to hand them out.
Thanks for your great work.
Matt Brown
Jul 20th
@Tim + @Thomas — Thanks so much guys! Really glad to hear that everyone you’ve given them out to likes ‘em
Very cool.
Tiffani Jones Brown
Jul 20th
Tim + Thomas: What Matt said. We love working with you guys, too!