Visual Culture, Perception

Business Card Self-portraits

VDL Categories: Art and Design

Project type

Take-home assignment
In-class partial group critique

Source

Spalter

_______________________________________________________

Relevant materials

[Williams 2003] pages 89-93
Business cards online
- Visual ideas
  - Try Google image search on creative business cards
- Design Online
  - Examples, plus design cards online (free to view, $1.99 for pdf, more $$ for real printing). http://www.vistaprint.com/
  - Lots of ideas and online design .http://www.business-cards.com/business-cards.html
  - Google business cards to get more such sites
Type faces
- You can't install new fonts onto Brown's machines but you can on your won. Many sites offer free or low-cost type. (Google free fonts for sites like http://www.1001freefonts.com/)
General note: before downloading anything (business card templates, free fonts, etc from random Web sites onto your personal machine, be sure to have both antivirus and antispyware software installed.

Skill set being developed

Learn the basics of typography.
Become aware of design characteristics of business cards (and some aspects of branding and identity in general).
Learn usage of relevant software.
Think about how graphics can be used to present one's "image", in a way similar to clothes or a haircut.
Representing complex ideas through graphic design
Use of typography
Design layout

Relevance to VDL

Personal graphic representation is becoming increasingly important, whether in letters, presentations, or, as in this exercise, through business cards. Just as a textually literate person would not submit a letter with typos and bad grammar for a job application or even in more casual communication, so a VDL person must vet graphical communications. A poorly formatted letter, a business card with inappropriate type faces, and other such visual blunders are increasingly unacceptable.

Interactive multimedia software

none.

Materials Needed

Example business cards (See Web sites in Background Material above)
Traditional design supplies (e.g., paper, colored pencil, tracing paper, ruler). It's often easier to test out initial ideas with paper and pencil than in programs like Illustrator, especially if you are not completely comfortable with the software. Tracing paper can help you repeat elements and save time.
2D geometric-based graphics software, such as Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand.

Examples of relevant applications of the module content

none provided

Activity

Create two business cards, each representing you in a particular role you play
- There is a long art tradition of the self-portrait. Usually this involves creating an image of one's face. In this exercise, the self-portraits will be developed as business cards. Each of the two cards will represent you in a particular role in your life--e.g., student, friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, child, member of club, sports team, role in pursuing a hobby, or more abstract if you like, role as human being, citizen of a country, etc. You can be creative in how you define the roles you play in your lives.
- If applicable, where would you hand out this card? to whom?
Technical details
- The cards must be standard size (2" x 3.5").
- Cards must be submitted as .pdf files.
- Submit them to me via email.
Due: Next Thursday (March 10).
We will print them out for you on card stock.
Be sure to consider all the aspects discussed in the Williams book: Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, Contrast, as well as choice of type.
Add graphics (beyond type) only if they will make your self-representation more effective (i.e., don't just add eye candy).

Assessment

Does card communicates role effectively as understood by creator?
Is typography effective?
Are any additional graphics adding to the impact and clarity of the card?
Does use of text and graphics demonstrate knowledge of underlying CG concepts? (E.g., choice of which elements to make in what type of program make sense in terms of aesthetic goals.)