07 October

Big Talk Betty Crock

My original business cards and tags I used to use that has the "flaming heart" which I loved but was always difficult to reproduce.
My latest business cards I ordered from Vistaprint. I'm using these mainly for handing out when I do art teacher sub work for the school district. They have my contact info and sub ID number on them (which I've blurred out).


More (older) business cards and tags I still sometimes use but will need to get switched out.


More (older) business cards and tags I also sometimes use that will get switched out.

My current package design for the Art Quilt Patterns


My current logo for my web site and gold foil labels I just ordered.
I think this is the logo will start appearing on everything, hopefully reflecting
more of my fabric and illustrative work. The typeface
is much easier to read than the older logo.
My (older) current printed banner for shows.
It has been visually effective but got a bit tired
and tattered from the Market usage this summer.
Time for a fresh look.
As many of my friends and family members know, it’s easy for me to hand out advice. Especially advice on graphic design, marketing and advertising. I preach the importance of branding, having a clear message about your work or services and more importantly to have a well designed logo. As the volunteer vendor coordinator for the Spenard Farmer's Market, all summer I encouraged vendors at the market for increased sales to have “professional looking, creative signage and business cards that clearly communicates to the customer who you are, what you are selling and how they can contact you.” I provided vendors with effective booth and business marketing ideas using my 20+ years of expertise as a marketing and design professional. With all of these “opinions” how can my own branding and design message be so convoluted?! While needing to create another wholesale price list for my sales rep for my new Alaska souvenir items, I realized that I do not have a consistent logo. I have several variations of my logo or graphics that I like to use. From artful tags that I use on my metal sculptures (that sometimes double as my business cards), graphic and bold postcard mailers, to a typeface that I use on the line of Art Quilt Pattern’s packaging and even another look that I’ve been using for my digital social media communications and web site. I recently added to this convoluted mix by ordering some “cute” business cards from Vistaprint!! What was I thinking?! My goal is to pull all of these “looks” together, honestly evaluate what works best for the broad spectrum of art making that I do and have one logo, and one look that best “brands” my artistic message. Taking a bit of my own advice, in my opinion, I’ve got a lot of work to do. A daily horoscope recently put it best, “Dear Virgo, try and have a day without an opinion and focus on the task at hand.”
These were postcards I handed out at the Market. I used a more graphic look to tie in with the Market logo.  At the time I was also trying to advertise for the Market but this look didn't tie into any of my "logos." I even had print ads that ran using this format.

3 comments:

cookingwithgas said...

boy- some of those are art work in themselves!
There is also a time to update your logo or your brand which we did several years ago.
With so much new software the possibilities are endless.

cindy shake said...

Isn't that the truth Meredith with all of the possibilities now?! PLUS, you can self print low quantities, (I print the cards from my laser printer) and no longer have to order 500 or 1,000 of something. I think what really started all of this was looking at all of the choices from Vistaprint... yeah, I'll blame them! :)

ang design said...

i think designing for yourself can sometimes be the hardest... 'just me' but i think your name with just the raven says it all with one the jewel over the i in design...
i too have been distracted by vista's endless choices... so you're not the only one :))