Business Cards for HotelAficionado.com *Project Over*

[sophie]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 160300J)

I need business cards for a startup and I can’t think of a better place to get a great design. Our logo is attached and may be familiar if you’ve been to the logo forum recently!

The particulars are as follows:
Joe Blow, President
HotelAficionado.com Inc.
[EDIT: CONTACT INFO REMOVED]
www.hotelaficionado.com

I want to use the back of the card as well as the front. The back can just be a color, or something more imaginative if the mood strikes. Maybe the logo again?

I tend to like cards with one color on the left third of the card and another color on the right two-thirds. But not locked into that at all. I also really like screens. Perhaps for the back?

The prize is $75 and I'd like to end on August 1st. Thanks in advance....Sophie

[ElKootcho]

Are you looking for a print-ready file or will you be tweaking the final design to fit your printer's requirements?

[Raja]

Hey!

I didn't see your attachment, so I thought would attach a transparent PNG file for the fellow designers. It should drag right into your application.

[Michael]

Raja is there suppose to be 2 trade marks?


Michael

[sophie]

Print-ready would be great. Thanks Raja! Good eye, 2square, there should be only 1 TM above the '.com'. Thanks all.

[Raja]

Originally posted by 2square@Jul 25 2003, 04:31 AM
Raja is there suppose to be 2 trade marks?


Michael
I was told by the contest holder from the competition for this logo to include 2 trademark symbols, I'd imagine both names are trademarked?

[marengo]

wow: so nice colors overall look ! :tup:

[ElKootcho]

Originally posted by sophie@Jul 25 2003, 06:47 AM
Print-ready would be great.
Since you need print-ready, do you have specs you can give us? You know, stuff like trim size, bleed size, file format requirements. All the things your printer wants so he doesn't have to charge you extra to tweak.

[sophie]

OK tell you what...let's simplify and I'll get the printer to do the tweaking! :lol2:

[cre8or]

What sort of print-ready application would you be looking for?
(Translation) What software (or format) would you like the business cards in?

ie: Illustrator? QuarkXpress? Acrobat? TIFF? EPS? CorelDRAW?

Just need to know.
Thanks,
Kimber

[sophie]

Hi Kimber, I don't know about the format as I don't have a printer yet. I'll plan to use a printer with access to quite an assortment of tools, though, so I believe you can use whatever you wish. Hope this helps. If I need to back up, go find a printer, and then come back, please let me know and I'll be happy to do that. Thanks. Sophie

[sophie]

I have information from the printer for you all!

My printer accepts files from Quark, PageMaker through 7, Illustrator through 10, and Photoshop through 6. If using Illustrator, he needs an eps file. If using Photoshop, he needs a tif.

Everything should be converted to cmyk colors or pms colors.

Tifs should be at least 300 dpi and preferably 600 dpi.

Fonts: in Illustrator or Photoshop, fonts should be embedded or outlines created.

If there are bleeds, he needs at least 1/4" of color past the trim marks. Size is standard 2 x 3.5.

Hope this helps.....thanks...Sophie

[toniallen]

Wow, good work on getting the info from the printer, that makes things much easier :)

[platinum]

couple of ideas:

[platinum]

and another..

[sophie]

VERY interesting! Thanks, Platinum. I like them both. I like the curves. Could you try a light neutral instead of white for the background on the first one? Also, the phone numbers and email need to be added, which is going to make it more crowded. And have any ideas for the back? A screen of the logo perhaps?

[sophie]

I'd like to extend the contest deadline to August 8th!

[ElKootcho]

my first entry

[ElKootcho]

this layout would make great letterhead as well.

[sophie]

Both look great, El Kootcho! Feedback: I prefer a non-italicized font. I'd sort of like to stick with the 'key' look of the original logo, although I really really love the curve (and especially shadow) on the 2nd one. Also need website address added.

Excellent work, all. Thanks.

[ElKootcho]

Originally posted by sophie@Aug 4 2003, 06:23 AM
Both look great, El Kootcho! Feedback: I prefer a non-italicized font. I'd sort of like to stick with the 'key' look of the original logo, although I really really love the curve (and especially shadow) on the 2nd one. Also need website address added.

Excellent work, all. Thanks.
Hmmm, I didn't get the "key" reference until you just pointed it out. Also, I originally left out the web address since the company name is HotelAficionado.com, it seemed a little redundant but I'll go ahead and add it back in.

[sophie]

Hmmm....I see your point: it IS redundant. How about instead, you add the full legal name with the 'Inc' at the end. Not sure where...will leave that to your eye! :P

I'm also QUITE intrigued with your 2nd design even though it's not 'key' shaped. Seems clean but with interesting elements.

[ElKootcho]

changes as requested.

[ElKootcho]

same look, key style

[sophie]

ElKootcho, could you try the purple 'key' on your first entry, and make the white a light neutral? I may want to steer away from too much 'mustard'. THANKS. Sophie

[ElKootcho]

Is this what you had in mind? A couple of possible hurdles: 1> using a very light grey as the base color will slightly change the way the yellow looks (look at how the yellow appears on the previous posts as you can see how it "changes" when placed on white, purple or grey) 2> The light grey may also take on a purpleish(?) hue when next to the dark purple.

[ElKootcho]

here's a sample of how the color shifts. (Keeping in mind that your looking at an RGB image and the printed CMYK will appear different still)

[sophie]

Yes I see exactly what you mean. What if you use the purple 'key'? And maybe change the grey to a sort of very pale gold/yellow?

Thanks for your attention.

[ElKootcho]

Here's a very light tint of the yellow. (It has to remain really light or we start to lose the yellow "aficionado". Gets very tough to read.)

[sophie]

ElKootcho, Could you use the purple 'key'...the purple background for the letters as in the original logo? Thanks...Sophie

[ElKootcho]

Ok, now I getcha. :bash: Will post tonight

[sophie]

Coolness! :tup:

[ElKootcho]

another look

[ElKootcho]

something different

[platinum]

'nother one :)

[sophie]

VERY cool, Platinum. Love it, but think I'll stick with El Kootcho's design from last night with the purple on the side (altho I did very much like the other design). My partners all appear to love the one with the purple on the side. Couple of changes: HotelAficionado.com Inc., delete the tollfree number, and spell out Texas. Could you also come up with a screen of the logo for the back? Many thanks...Sophie

[sophie]

Oh yeah! would you change the phones to the following format: (214) 827-3787. Thanks.

[ElKootcho]

Here's the changes you requested. I'll post a back soon. Do you want it to be 1 color for reduced printing costs? Is this something you already worked out with your printer?

[sophie]

Great...thanks. No to 1 color. In fact, speaking of color, would you tint the background very lightly with a yellow or gold...something like the background at the test site at www.hotelaficionado.com. Also, 'Inc.' should be capitalized.

Would you also change the font at the top to the same one you used at the bottom, but keep the color the same.

And the screen of the logo for the back of the card? If you could tint the back with the same shade you use for the background for the front, that would be great.

Many thanks for your help and hard work in getting this perfected!

[Palmer]

Is this a win then for ElKootcho? :huh:

[ElKootcho]

Made the changes to the front and created a very simple, subtle back. Let me know if you have any ideas for the backside.

[sophie]

Yes, Palmer, a win for El Kootcho! :D

EK, would you make a couple more changes....go back to white (sorry). We all like the white background better. Also, would you move the email address to the bottom part of the card, just above the address.

Re the back, what I have in mind is a very light screen of the logo, just so it's barely visible, probably in a 1 color monochromatic scheme.

Speaking of logo, is there any way you could add a small 'TM' at the end of the '.com' inside the logo?

Think that's it for now. Thanks again. Sophie

[sophie]

PS. I'll also have an address change for you tomorrow.

[ElKootcho]

something like this?

[sophie]

Sort of....yes. If you could just pick up the whole logo, make it monochromatic and very light, then just drop it onto the white background, then that would get it. I'll see if I can find an example.

[sophie]

I couldn't find an example, but the best way to describe it is kind of like a watermark...a very subtle 1 color stamp. I also thought of something that might look better than a screen: a purple background with the logo dropped on top (with 'hotel' and '.com' in white so they'll show up). I'm off to nail down the address for you...and THANKS for your help!

[sophie]

OK here's a clarification. For the back of the card, let's drop the screen and go with a purple background with the logo dropped on top. It will look sort of like Platinum's 2nd post, only without the mustard and white.

I nailed down the address: 3109 Knox St. Suite 715

That's it for now!

[ElKootcho]

new address

[sophie]

Yes that's exactly it. I'll check with my printer to see if he can change the names & email addresses (we need 3 sets), and if not I'll see if you can send me 3 files. THANKS. Sophie

[sophie]

The printer can change the names and email addresses, so the file is fine as is. If you could send me the file as soon as possible, I'll get it to him so that he can price it. He had some concerns about the cost of printing the back, which means so do I.