YOBC. BASES OF DESIGN. Logotype. Font. Composition.

BASES OF DESIGN
OF BUSINESS CARD

As any qualitative product, card requires the careful attitude to all details, which compound it. There are no small points. Do not be too lazy and handwrite the text, marking all important groups and subgroups in it. Each group is a new block of the text, subgroup - new line. The clear understanding of structure of the text, its division according to the contents and importance bring us to clearness of the composite decision of BC. The creation doesn't end on the text. It is desirable to proceed from details to the whole and to offer some basic decisions in the draft of BC as a whole. As you can see, the main thing in the printing works is to think well. Take advantage of capacity of your writing device and compound not one, but several (no more than 5-7) composite decisions of BC, changing fonts and order of lines of the text. The visualization of your offers will simplify a problem of choosing the best variant.
Do not be afraid to study other's works, Penetrating into the components of BC - size, form, colour, texture and font, finding principles of their combination - unity, balance, contrast and detailing.
Let's begin with fonts.

FONT DEVICES

We have mentioned this subject in INTRODUCTION rather in detail... Be careful - try not to use fonts with cuts in the text, which is typed in small size (4-5). If, under the general composite decision, you can't do without a font with cuts, use the increased width of symbols and semibold outline.

One of the principles of composition is a contrast. Do not use it, applying a font. Uniformity and only uniformity of the whole font decision of BC. If you choose the cut font, then everything, up to a point, type by the cut font. Believe - BC will only win with it. Though, variants are possible. The sense of proportion in such nuances will come to you only with experience.

NON FONT DEVICES. VISUALS

They are rulers, frames, dies - actually that of the graphics, which is carried out by means of program drawing. They are very much limited, but allow to achieve the simple and interesting decisions. But. One shouldn't rush at once for concrete work, at first it is necessary "to play" with graphic tools, to check up their design potential at printing. A simple example: halftone background within the limits of 10 - 20 % at the resolution of 300 dpi looks a good grid.
The good combination of the letter and picture on one sheet gives good result. They often forget, that the white colour or unfilled space between the text and picture ("air") is also a method of design.
On the size of a gap between parts of the text depends their readability. The minimal gap for the given text is equal to its point. The order of gaps to lines protects from breaking a rhythm of the text.

LOGOTYPE

One of the main components of a card - a logotype. The whole composition depends on it. The principles of combination of elements of a logo ought to be in unity with BC's components.
Sometimes, it is the most difficult part of work - to put a logo into the composition. Therefore begin with a logo and, having studied carefully its form, non font elements, proceed to a general composition of BC. But not vice versa.
The card, as a matter of fact, is the extended logo of Firm or Person.

COMPOSITION

We have reached most difficult part already. How to achieve simplicity and readability of the card? How to inspire respect for yourself? What will it tell about the Person's respectability? Everything that is said above is nothing in comparison with the composition of the card. No matter how long you exercise yourself in graphics and literacy, if everything is just thrown out on the BC's field, the effect is zero.
Composition is a capacious notion. For us it is a font design of the text, its place in combination with Firm's elements.
The whole action takes place in a form of BC and responds to the requirement of its owner: to give the information in the fine form. Such dual approach implies the presence of both information and art rules.
Struggle between inspiration and geometry. The materials of BC can be placed according to the feelings or by calculation. To be free from geometry is most difficult. The sense of proportion, skill to find balance between color and weight, centre and periphery is required, the experience of draughtsman and artist is desirable. Personal advice: rely on the rationalism of geometry and mathematics and work on a grid. The small format requires large divisions of space, where the blocks of the text and diagrams will be located. The elementary action - the division of a format on average horizontal and vertical lines - gives many opportunities. To choose a position.
Modern printing works includes set of fonts and outlines, with a colored printing, it is not a direct struggle between black and white, but their visual ratings, as loud or quiet, active or passive, contrast or detailed. Take some position and achieve clear general impression of BC. The light decision is achieved by the light outline of a font of a small size, or by the light tones of a colored printing.
Quiet lines of the text and superbold logo, combination of points 6 and 30.

Follow the law of attraction.

The basic task of a composition - to find a zone of attraction or pushing away the graphics of BC. Four variants of align are known: center, right, left, justify. The same principles are used for BC as a whole.

The centered composition in the pure state occurs, but rarely. By its simplicity and openness of fields it produces the special requirements to choosing a font and level of printing. The openness of white space demands special attention to the BC - a thing, which is pleasant not only to examine, but also to take in hands. The most important place of the central composition - a bit higher than the center of BC.
The basic information settles down here. If the owner of BC does not try to fill the white space with the text, the special consideration should be given to a font of the first line. The very good results can be achieved by elegant italics or "aristocratic" antiqua , especially in combination with gray printing.
In many BC the central composition is based on a combination of separate lines and blocks of the text. Technically such decision is achieved simply: due to the appropriate align. However to make several blocks harmonized in format, size, outline and without internal holes - is not an easy task. But the attempt costs efforts, 'cause the successfully solved blocks organize BC in modern style.

Streamer composition means one side align, as a rule, left. Right align for the fine texts is used as exception. It is not surprising since to read lines each time from a new initial place is not so simple.
Another thing, when words are long and they not many: the person and its post is quite possible to place on the right vertical, that emphasizes its individuality. The simplest decision - BC is divided half-and-half and all textual information is aligned on this line. The logo or trademark is placed on the left half considering the fields. Depending on length of lines the align can be displaced from the center to this or that side.
Simultaneously with change of space of the text the space of other BC's elements changes.
The set of the text by blocks at streamer composition practically is not used. The combination of central and streamer composition is used more often for division of the information about firm and person. But unfortunately we shall note, that a good result is sooner an exception, than a rule. The block composition of BC as a whole is a rare thing. The reasons, probably, are that dissimilarity of the texts for the different persons of one firm makes such decision hardly accessible.

And now it is high time to begin working.
Follow our brief advices.
Invent and experiment! Good luck to you!