Door Hanger *Project Over*

[imageconstrux]

(Admin code added by Palmer - C0971208)

I saw these door hanger contests and they looked sooooo good! And I'm in need of something new to hang on people's doors, so I thought we'd give this a whirl. (I also had no idea it'd be so easy to order a qunatity of them from a source online...very slick :) ) I'm looking for a 2-sided, full color hanger, identical in form to the others recently posted.

This contest is to create a door hanger for our landscaping business, Stonehenge Brick Paving & Landscaping, Inc. (Kootch won that logo contest not too long ago)

We offer a pretty broad spectrum of services, including:

Landscape design
Perennial, shrub and tree plantings
Lawn sodding and seeding
Hardscaping (brick paver patios and driveways, retaining walls of stone and block)
Masonry
Water features
Landscape lighting
Arbors, pergolas, fences and decks

All of our work is guaranteed.

We are trying to appeal to the 40-60 crowd, as they have typically been around enough years to afford what we sell. We need to try to appeal to women a slight bit more than men.

For copy, you can visit http://www.stonehengebpl.com and poke around to see if there's something you'd like to steal from there to use in the piece.

Also, for me it's important that we only use photos of work we've done. To accomplish that I've created a temporary photo index of a few of our projects for you to pull from. It's located at http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/temp_pics. I've included the logo file there as well.

We'll set the deadline for a couple of weeks (Feb 24).

I don't recall where we ended up on the disclaimer, so here is mine. If you post an entry to this contest, you are also accepting these terms, in the event that you win this contest:

I can use this design on the 'Net,
I can put it on a jet.
I can print it from near and far,
I can even put it on my car.
I can use the design today,
and I can use the design in a time far away.
I can cut the design into little pieces,
and use each part just how I pleases.
You can use the design in your folio,
but derivative works are a no-no.
I'd like this design to be a one and only,
and I want it to belong to me solely.


Thanks in advance for your entries, and I wish all of you fantastic luck, as the skill is already there. :D

Jeff

[imageconstrux]

Hmmm..... For some reason the logo does not want to be displayed when I click it from within that index. If others are having that problem, send me an email and I'll email that file to you.

[Palmer]

<!--QuoteBegin-imageconstrux+Feb 10 2004, 09:38 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (imageconstrux @ Feb 10 2004, 09:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Hmmm..... For some reason the logo does not want to be displayed when I click it from within that index. If others are having that problem, send me an email and I'll email that file to you. [/b][/quote]
Not sure I understand this. I don't see a link to click in your post. Why don't you send it to me and I'll upload it.

Nice disclaimer btw, I think we might use that on Design Outpost Jr. :D

[Palmer]

Nevermind, I fixed it. You need to include the http:// before the www :)

[Lawn-Tek]

Jeff, I just ordered mine from http://www.postcardwarehouse.com/door_hang...gers/index.html (http://www.postcardwarehouse.com/door_hangers/index.html)

Also http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/splash/spl...sh_magnets.aspx (http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/splash/splash_magnets.aspx)? is having a special on Magnets. 500 for $75 you can't beat that.

Ken
aka soupy

[imageconstrux]

Thanks Ken.

And Palmer, thanks for adding the http://...I'm too used to my site automatically creating the link. :)

But I'm still baffled by why the logo file is a red X.

Let's try this:

Logo File (http://home.earthlink.net/~stonehengebpl/stonehenge_new_logo.jpg)

[imageconstrux]

Duh.... I think it was CMYK vs RGB that was causing the problem. IE must not recognize CMYK. The file in the index is in CMYK, so you should still be able to download it. Sorry for the confusion. :blush:

[VisualSense]

here's a design for your doorhanger to start with.... :)
-Diane

[Anne]

I would like to try to make something for this but I don't know what size to make it in. Can someone please tell me.

Thanks
/Anne

[imageconstrux]

Oooohhhh... Diane, that's really nice! :D I like how you gave the logo a bit of a halo to help it stand out from the images it's in front of. Very nice. :tup: I don't really have any advice for you to make it better - I thought my images lacked a little green, and you added that with the 'swoops', and I love the use of the photo for the back side. If your design is chosen I may have some minor text things the change, but they'll be tiny. Thanks!!


Anne, I think if you look at a previous contest in this section, you'll see another called 'door hanger' that lists the dimensions. I believe it's 4.25 inches by 8.5 inches for each side (but don't quote me).

Jeff

[VisualSense]

ImageConstrux, The size of the door hanger will really depend on where you are getting them printed. Different companies have different "standard" sizes.


The postcardwarehouse Lawn-Tek linked to has a size of 4.25 x 11. The one I've designed is that size.

Do you have a company chosen for printing these. It might be good to have the specs before going too far : )

-Diane

[Anne]

Here I go.

Just finished this one. Since this is my first time in making a doorhanger I would like your feedback before I start on the other side. (should be appealing to women :D )

/Anne

[imageconstrux]

Diane - That's where I plan to have them printed, so I'll defer to you about the size. Come to think of it, that size makes a little more sense. :rip:

Anne - I think the use of the flower as part of the doorknob cutout is a creative idea. I like how the divisions of pictures are asymmetrical, but I'm not sure I love how divided they are. Hmm...Let me see if I can explain better by using Diane's design to compare against....Even though the separation between pics is much larger in her design, it seems silkier because of the shape of the lines, where the lines on this design feel a bit more rigid. Does that makes sense? As a side note I noticed that the tree colors in the logo seem a little off. Was this just because of some filtering you may have done? So I think this is a great design, but could use some 'contouring'. I'd also like to get across some kind of message on the front beyond the company logo and name (then we'll back it up w/ more on the back).

I hope that helps, and sorry for any confusion about the hanger size - thanks for the catch Diane. :)


Jeff

[imageconstrux]

This reminds me - we didn't talk about file format....

Looking at the postcardwarehouse site, it appears they prefer files in .psd format, or .pdf, with a res of 300 dpi minimum.

As for bleeds, I'll leave that to you (if you intend to take color to the very edge, please use a bleed).

They also accept QuarkXpress, if any of you use that. I have it, but have honestly never worked with it.

If there are any file format issues you have, let me know; I can probably remedy some of them myself.

Jeez, I haven't hosted a contest in awhile....I'd forgotten how much fun this is. Just like Christmas! :D

[Liz]

lol - Love your disclaimer Jeff!! :tup:

[imageconstrux]

:lol: I was hoping it'd get a few yucks.

Hey, you have any ideas for this? I'd love to see 'em. :tup:

[imageconstrux]

*taps microphone* Is this thing on?

[imageconstrux]

Folks, I don't mean to be a pest, but our construction season is quickly approaching. With that, we have to begin our marketing efforts at the end of February through mid-late March. We'd like to get the winning design to the printer asap so we can get them in our hands, and deliver them throughout our market. If the timing of this stuff is off by a couple weeks, a good chunk of our potential business will be lost, because we won't have delivered these goodies, and the spring rush will result in clients rushing to someone else.

You don't need to worry that this contest will receive design after design only to have dead air from me for 3 weeks. I'm ready to move - I just need to see a few designs to choose from.

Thanks for listening and I look forward to a few more entries. :)


Jeff

[Liz]

I'll do one tomorrow night Jeff - I'm waaay to tired to be creative tonight!

[MOZ]

MOZ will be sending one!

[imageconstrux]

Excellent! :tup:

[Elemeno^P]

I will be working something up for this shortly

-Josh

[MOZ]

OK! Here's one from MOZ. First Thank you for posting soooooo many photos to choose from!
My design is totally open for change, I prefer that you choose the pictures that you feel that represents your business. I went with a coupon idea???? Could maybe work for you??

This is just a quick idea...if you like it...LET'S TWEAK IT :tup:
PLMK what you think

MOZ

[imageconstrux]

MOZ,

Thanks for the entry. I do like the use of the association logos - that was a nice catch. Shows me you did a little digging to pull those. :D

But I'm not a big proponent of coupons for our service - we like charging full price for our stuff. ;) So I'd have to say that I think there are some businesses in this industry that would likely use a design like that with great success, it's not right for what we're after.

Do you have other ideas for the direction of this project?


Jeff

[MOZ]

Hello
I really didn't think that coupons were for you, but I had to throw it out there. Your work is beautiful and looks very high end! IMHO I would suggest that you go in that direction, very hi-brow. Testimonials can work well. If you like any of these ideas PLMK and if there's time would you like me to submit another idea following these leads?

MOZ

[imageconstrux]

Thanks for the compliments!

I believe that testimonials are a great thing - I've posted several on our site. But over the last few years we've hit the PR jackpot, so people are getting to know what we're about. Maybe pick the best 1 or 2 from those on the site and use them on the back. I want the front to be about grabbing the attention of 40-55 your old females (males, too...just less emphasis on them), who are likely college educated and have some $$. The back can give more detail.

Thanks for your interest!


Jeff

[VisualSense]

here's another option for the back of the card :) Fairly female friendly....
-Diane

[imageconstrux]

Not being a woman makes some of this hard.... My wife is a chemical engineer, and with some of the hardwiring that comes with that kind of brain precludes some of the 'touchy-feely' my target market has more of. So I can't ask her. I say that because I want to ask Diane - what makes design #2 more female friendly than #1? Is it the script text? Being a woman and I would imagine more sensitive to some of the design things I want to get across, you must have a feel for it.

I'm interested to hear your answer. :)


Jeff

[VisualSense]

I guess to me, yeah it was the script text... and the entire phrase in general :)
I'm not saying that men don't view landscaping as an art, I'm sure you do, but you're average male might not... but saying that "the yard is just a canvas waiting for an artist" just strikes me as something a woman would relate to (I so don't know if this is coming out right):D
Plus the statue of the angelic child seems geared more toward a female... Do many male customers in your experience opt for the angel in the yard? :lol: (I don't know, maybe they do)...

-Diane

[imageconstrux]

Every once in awhile the man is the sensitive one, but that's pretty rare. That being said, between the clients and me, I tend to be the most design-sensitive of all, and tend to relate to the women pretty well. Men just want to know if we can do the work we say we can do, and if it'll be on time and on budget. After that, their eyes glaze over. When we talk about color, texture and scent, the man either leaves the room or tries to fall asleep with his eyes open.

[imageconstrux]

Liz, LMNOP, MOZ, Anne? Got some love for me?

[Elemeno^P]

Now that my daughters, Birthday Weekend of Madness© has come to a close, I should be able to get something posted this evening.

-Josh

[Anne]

I'll work on a new one tonight :)

-Anne

[MOZ]

MOZ will send you some big love too :o

[Anne]

Oh sorry, multiple post.

Can someone delete this post?

[Anne]

Hw is this for the fron side?

(I'm working on the back and will post it realy soon)

- Anne

[imageconstrux]

I like the lines of that one a lot. :D

Looking forward to the back! :D

[Anne]

The back side

[MOZ]

MOZ is so sorry :(
But I got more ads in today than expected, I won't be sending anything more.

However an idea for you....

On front I was going to use some fancy touchy feely words

such as

Your hidden treasures...revealed!

What dreams this may come (you know like the movie...GREAT MOVIE!!!!!)

Something to that effect, all flowery & colorful (give me a moment..all choked up :) )

Hope that helps

MOZ

[imageconstrux]

Well, we only had 4 entries, but they were pretty darned good. My two favs were from Anne and Diane. I printed them off and talked about them with others for awhile. It was a tough choice between these two. I'd be proud to have either one represent our interests on the doorknobs of people in Northeast Wisconsin. But we have to choose one, so the one we chose is the first design from Diane. Congrats Diane!

There are some modifications I'd like to have made, so Palmer, please move this over to that forum.

In specific Diane, here are the things I want to address:

On the front, I'd like to reduce the width of the green ribbons quite a bit. In the added space that provides, I want to add a bit more color. The hardscapes you included look great, but I think we need some of the feminine softness color can provide. You can achieve that either by expanding the current bloom pics at top and bottom, or change the pic order... I'll leave that to you. Phone number needs to change to 830-4550 (we have a new #). And our moniker has been "The Science of Art" for a few years, and we want to keep that going. Use that to either replace the text on the front, or the back. But I love Anne's use of the script in her design, possibly use that or something like it when replacing the text.

I also like MOZ's use of the logos of the associations we belong to - I'll post up the images for those 3 logos for your use - please fit them into a logical spot on front or back.

For the back, let's remove the info in parenthesis, change the phone #...Is there a way we can either tweak that pic, or add something else to it to bring a bit more color? Maybe make the text background a green instead of the reddish color it is now? Or maybe add a pic there or something. Then the 'best a yard can get' - address as I mention in previosu paragraph.

Congrats! And thank you to everyone who participated.

Jeff

[imageconstrux]

Here's the first logo:

[imageconstrux]

Here's the second:

[imageconstrux]

Here's the third:

[MOZ]

Congrats Jeff for getting your door hanger finished, I'm glad to see that you decided to use the org tags IMHO people tend to like that
MOZ

[Palmer]

As this is a project for print material and we do not have a full staff that specialize in that format, 4 entries is pretty typical in this type of contest. As we get more request for print work we are adding to that area to fill the need.

Moving to the revisions forum... Congrats Diane :clap:

[VisualSense]

Thanks! :D
I'm working on the changes now and should have something for you shortly.
-Diane

[VisualSense]

I've downloaded the association logos and they are a bit low res for printing....

Print files need to be at least 300 dpi at the size they are to be printed.
I can put these in there, and since they are not going to be too large, the resolution shouldn't be too noticable. I just wanted to make you aware that when they are printed they will appear a bit "softer", the text in the logos will look a bit jagged, etc.

-Diane

[imageconstrux]

Diane, then I want you to make the call on those. Without me re-scanning and 'shopping them, that's as hi-res as we get. If you think they will detract from the look of the hanger, we'll just forget about them.

[VisualSense]

I think they'll be fine... at the small size it won't really be noticable, I sharpened them up some in photoshop.... :)

So let me know what you think of these... I've added a flower pic to the back and changed the layout a little to give it more color, etc.

-Diane

[imageconstrux]

Diane, I'm impressed with how you blended the images on the back. The pink bloom looks fab. :) Let me consult with a couple people and tell you if we need to do anything else.


Quick question for you - it looks like the green ribbon is the same size as it was - I'm thinking there's a reason you didn't change it. Can you tell me a bit about your thinking on that issue?

[VisualSense]

I did actually make it a little smaller (guess not enough?) : )
I can make them thinner... I guess I just liked the bold swoops, and the pictures are all very visable and separated by them well...
-Diane

[imageconstrux]

I'm not necessarily asking for them to be smaller...yet. I just want to get into your head to see what you think.

For the back, I do have one more request - I love the structure of the retaining wall as the backdrop for the list of services - the two come together very well, making a cohesive element. I also love the flower. With the addition of those two items, the original image as backdrop I find myself liking less. Could you make a second suggestion for that top image? Do that and the back is done. For the front, I just want to converse a bit more about the ribbons - we may leave them as is.

[VisualSense]

ok, how do you feel about autumn leaves for the top?? :)
-Diane

[MOZ]

Hey Diane
Thanks for using that wall!
I had it ready to go, but couldn't get my vision straight

YOU DID!!!!

thanks it was driving me nuts
Great Job!!!
MOZ

[imageconstrux]

Love it. The back is done. :)

And I think we'll leave the green ribbons on front the way they are. Front is done, too. :)

Looks like we have a winner. Palmer, if you could do your thing, and Diane, if you could do yours as well, that would be great.

Thanks for making the changes.