Suggestions on my business card?

[invisible]

I am working on creating a business card for myself.  I am wondering if you can help me by giving me some feedback on what I already have.

I chose the hand because of the pianistic implications, as well as it being something that almost everybody can relate to.  It also appears to be "hand picking" my name.

Do you like it?  Does it work for you?

I want it to read (something like this):

invisible name
- pianist-
phone #
email


In the bottom LH portion of the card, I am taking out the word "accompanist" altogether.

I want it to read :

Performer
Instructor


What do you think? 

Suggestions are more than welcome.

sincerely,
invisible

[pianonut]

wow.  if you did the hand sketch yourself, that's really good.  i don't like the three fingers sticking up, tho.  it makes me think that all you can play is one note at a time.  is it possible that they could be lowered?

when will i have a business card again?  i just finished a 5000 word research paper and am exhausted.  all the effort just to get ready for business is killing me.  will i be functional in the business world after paying a university to prepare me? or, am i paying for sudden death by too much typing, precise grammar, punctuation and the like.

it's sort of like the business card.  once it's printed, you can't really change it unless you reprint it.  i am turning in my paper on tuesday and hoping it's at least presentable (and that the prof. reads it with some kind of interest).   what if...what if professors go and have a party after the semester and don't even read the stuff.  what if they burn it?  will i get a good grade from doing all this hard work, or will i just get an 'impression' grade by how hard i tried in class?

[invisible]

Thanks for your response pianonut.  Those fingers were definitely something that I was not sure about, so I appreciate your honesty.

I did actually sketch that hand, so I will see what I can do.  Sometimes I get what I want, sometimes I don't.

I wanted something that still "felt open" as far as the overall feel of the card goes.  I think it might be better to bring down those fingers though, as you suggested.

sincerely,
invisible

[Bob]

It just doesn't have the right look to me.  No offense.  It's not good enough for the drawing and the white lines look weird.  It's not quite business-like enough.

You may want to have it totally black and white so it can be copied or scanned.  That would impact the sketch though. 

Careful with the paper color too if it might be copied or scanned.

So I guess I would suggest white paper or a very light colored paper with black ink.  More ink colors costs more money.

You might want to have "Pianist and music teacher" instead, and all on one line.  That way you can use it for more things.  If you list Performer first, it may not make as good of an impression on a student.  I like "musician" instead of "performer," but "pianist" makes it a little more concise.

A plain keyboard or simple music note would jazz it up a little. 

You or the company that creates them has to be able to mass produce them.  I would do it myself nowadays.  Simple is good.  It has to look clean and professional. 

And it really only has to get across a few points -- the idea that you are a musician who plays the piano and teaches, that you are professional and take this seriously, and your contact information.

Don't put too much effort into it.  You could always hire an artist if you want more visual impact.  You probably have better things to do.  And realize that many people will discard these.  I keep track of important contact information on my own planner.  I don't keep anyone's business card.  If people are impressed with you, they will remember and make a point of remembering your contact information.

I like the idea of hand picked, but I don't think it's totally working here.  The hand looks like bad technique and the white things.... I think of other things.  Maybe it's not finished yet. 

I don't mean to bash your artwork.  I've heard hands are very difficult.  Making them reproducible for a business card must be even more so.  I've seen music notes, a staff, and drawn instruments that looked good.

Keep in mind too that you can make your name and information large on the card.  The artwork is somewhat less important and can off to the side.  You are the most important thing on the card.  The card is you.  It is your representative when you're not there.


I don't mean to offend or be negative.  Just my thoughts.  Good luck with teaching and the card.

[invisible]

Yes, I really appreciate your thoughts.

It's not good enough for the drawing and the white lines look weird.

Do you mean the drawing is not good enough in your opinion?

The white lines are just white out over my name so I do not have to reveal my name to the world (yet  ).  They will not stay, but I agree it looks really bad.

So I guess I would suggest white paper or a very light colored paper with black ink.

I am not sure about white and black, although it is pianistic and formal.  But is it eye-catching?

You might want to have "Pianist and music teacher" instead, and all on one line.  That way you can use it for more things.  If you list Performer first, it may not make as good of an impression on a student.  I like "musician" instead of "performer," but "pianist" makes it a little more concise.

This is quite unclear to me.

A plain keyboard or simple music note would jazz it up a little.

This is a bit cliche in my mind, though representative so I will reconsider it.

The hand looks like bad technique

Good point.

I don't mean to bash your artwork.  I've heard hands are very difficult.  Making them reproducible for a business card must be even more so.

The quality can be sufficiently remedied, however, this does not really matter as you do not care for the hand anyway, correct?

I don't mean to offend or be negative.  Just my thoughts.

This is exactly what I want.  Just plain old honest, constructive criticism. 

sincerely,
invisible

[pianonut]

ps  is that your hand or liszt's hand?  i just found a pic of a plastic mold of his hand on page247 of 'A History of the Concerto' by Michael Thomas Roeder.  liszt's hand looks just like your pic.

[Tash]

i agree with bob about the drawing and colours etc. personally i think if you had a plain white background, and use pencil rather than charcoal cos it'll look much neater and you can get more detail in. i once made my own business card as a joke for a friend who was moving to england so she had my details, but i did what i just mentioned above
https://tinypic.com/4puvxx

like sure it probably doesn't look like a full professional business card but i just think the white and pencil drawing looks neat and classy (other feel free to disagree!)
i think the overall design may have a few issues too. but don't ask me how to fix that that's my weak spot in art!
hope that helps

[invisible]

Thanks, these are helpful suggestions.  Yes, it is my hand.  Tash, you having posted your card is quite helpful, thank you.

sincerely,
invisible

[Bob]

The drawning is not good enough.

I thought the white lines where supposed to be piano keys.  I wasn't sure.

Not necessarily eye catching, but inexpensive and still professional.  It's just a business card.  It's main purpose is to give information.  It's not high art.  You need nice looking information at a glance.


You hand your card to a prospective student.  They see performer listed on top.  They assume you are a performer just teaching to make some money.  That could be a problem.  Also, I interpret the word performer more as entertainer.  I think musician is better.  However, pianist works because it implies musician and keeps the number of words down on the card -- less words, less ink, less expensive.

Whatever is listed on top and to the left will be read the most and be seen as the most important I would think. 

You could also do one of these in some way...


   Musician

Teacher




Cliche sure.  But you don't have to reinvent the wheel.  Why spend your time that way when someone else has already done it?  You could copy someone else's card, the format.  Just change the artwork.

I'm not sure about the sketch idea.  Maybe there is a different style of artwork that would come across better.  I think it's the grey color or the pencil or ink and the lines not having a definite edge.  Maybe it's just me.


Original art is always good.  You don't want to get hit with some copyright infringement.

[pytis]

You should draw a few more piano keysboth black and white and lower the fingers.

[fred smalls]

You should draw a few more piano keysboth black and white and lower the fingers.

Well, not to disagree with everyone, but I really drawing on the card! The hand may not have perfect technique, which I guess would be a bad thing since it is advertising a piano teacher, but I think the hand looks as if it is a hand playing piano. It might look wierd if you changed it (I don't know where I'm going). Also, there could be more keys but truthfully, I like it the way is and wouldn't change a thing. Oh, except put Pianist, Music Teacher like Bob said.

Peace
Fred Smalls

[SDL]

I can't see it invisible.  Its invisible!