Category Archives: Creativity

Inspiration, Motivation and jump-starts to inspire creativity.

Must-have business card sleeves for smart networkers

clear vinyl business card holderI’d been looking for an inexpensive giveaway to market my business at chamber and networking events, so when I ran across these clear vinyl business cards sleeves I realized that they are a ready-made promotional item for anyone who carries or collects business cards.

Not only will the holders help me promote my business, but they really are useful for the recipient, as well. I appreciate the fact that the card cases are inexpensive, and the more you buy, the less they cost. Because the vinyl is crystal clear, you can see easily see the card through the plastic so four faces are visible. The carrying case is sturdy, yet flexible enough to pack up to a couple of dozen cards, and folds to easily carry in a wallet, purse or pocket.

As it turned out, I wasn’t the only person who thought this was the best marketing tool for networking to come along since the calendar pen (I’ll save that one for another post). Now my fellow networkers are ordering these business card cases by the hundreds, so they can fill them with their cards to pass out to people they meet that might require their products or services. And, they especially love the fact that they can fill the case with any cards or message since no imprinting is required, making them extremely versatile when it comes to personalization. This card case is an inexpensive business marketing tool.

 

Fashion colors of 2011 highlighted

pantone fashion color report

“Designers take a painterly approach to fall 2011 by artfully combining bright colors with staple neutrals, reminiscent of how an artist would construct a stunning work of art,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Much like a painter’s masterpiece, there is a certain romance to this season’s palette.”

And because designing on paper and designing for fashion are so closely related, it’s worth taking a look at the fashion world’s color selection for 2011.

Photo mount bags put business cards in their place

photo mount sleeves

The business card-sized photo mount sleeve displays a business card or any other removable message. A card slides in easily and can be removed for safe keeping.

I’m always looking for inventive ways to attach and include a business card in business marketing and correspondence materials. As the designer for a local fitness training and dance studio, I was, once again, confronted with a problem.  I needed to design and print a door hanger on a limited budget. The specifications were precise: full color both sides, printed on 16 pt. card stock, include business card—no budget for a plastic bag, die cuts or perforated tear-off.

Peel the strips to reveal adhesive. Mount to door hangers, flyers, posters and more to include business card sized message.

Problem solved. This Business Card Crystal Clear Photo Mount stays securely mounted to paper and other surfaces. The sleeves are sealed on 3 sides and have an adhesive mounting strip on two ends. This is an inexpensive alternative to adding a custom die cut to the door hanger, folder, poster or flyer.

These tiny business card plastic bags turned out to be an elegant, yet inexpensive solution to another design problem.

Ireland’s Colors Drive Niamh Slack to Paint

I am a landscape artist, and I am particularly attracted to coastal and woodland scenes. I believe that there is much beauty and colour in the Irish landscape. It is that which I aim to capture in my paintings.

My art is primarily about capturing the essence of those places that speak to me on a personal level. Perhaps more importantly than this, my paintings are about my love of colour. When working in oils, I am continuously experimenting with the placing of heavy layers of colour on canvas, and I strive to see colour in the seemingly ‘mundane’ and ‘ordinary’ things around us.

I especially enjoy painting ‘en plein air’. When possible, I like to complete as much of the painting outside as possible, in all types of weather! The unpredictability of the Irish weather means that sometimes I can only spend short periods of time outside, completing quick sketches, and memorizing the scene before me.

My favourite stage in the painting process is that magical stage at the very beginning of a painting, once the design has been executed. I am then observed to work furiously and frantically!

Layers of paint are heavily placed with a palette knife, and I try to capture every part of the landscape before me. I work at this rapid pace for as long as my body will allow me. Eventually, I force myself to stand back and I continue to touch up and retouch the painting at a slower pace, before bringing it back indoors.

Once dried, even further layers of paint are added. This results in landscapes that have been described as vibrant, energetic and full of life. When depicting seascapes my interest often lies in the wealth of colours and tones that can be explored in rock formations by the sea. I am especially taken with exploring the tonal ranges that can be found in such formations. Woodland scenes have always and continue to strike a chord with me, and my work here focuses on the changing colours of the seasons, both on the foliage and the woodland floor.

My paintings are inspired and influenced by the work of Irish artist Jack Yeats and the contemporary art of Kenneth Webb. The colour, energy and movement in my brush and palette knife work have been greatly influenced by impressionists such as Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh.

Collage of Irish woodland scenes

www.niamhslack.com

5 Gifts Under $10 Artists Can Give for the Holidays

by Nancy Haberman

Once the excitement and frenzy of the new school season has calmed, artists know that it’s time to get going on holiday gift and card making. Regardless of the medium in which you work, you’ll get more satisfaction throughout the season if you begin early and put your energy into what you love to do, and that is to make art.

You probably can’t give everyone an original, especially if you’re in the business of selling your art, but whether you sell your art, give it away, or fill every nook and cranny of your home with it, you can still share your art. These are gifts you can make at home with your computer, printer, and professional packaging. Our resource guide may also be helpful. Create a high resolution digital image of your art and then try any of the following five ideas for artists who want to give gifts under $10.

1.Greeting card – a2, a6, a7

Note Card

For resource information on card sizes, image sizing, envelope sizes and protective bag sizes click here.

2. Enlarge, crop and and print your art on bookmarks in two different sizes. Enclose in bookmark sleeve and add a tassel.

note card image  cropped

3. Mat cut to order with 1/8″ foam core back and crystal clear bag, ready display or frame

4. 28-page Journal with your art on the cover

5. CD Calendar

Guide to Greeting Card Sizing

Preparing handmade greeting cards or note cards can be tricky, especially if you want them to fit in standard sized envelopes. Here is a chart that will help you as you prepare your card stock and artwork. Protective sleeves are also a nice packaging touch, and can be purchased to fit only one card and envelope, or up to 8 cards and envelopes. Note that the A6-8 sleeve only holds about four A6 greeting cards and envelopes.

Use the charts below indicated standard U.S. sizes to assist in sizing when creating your own greeting cards.

The sample below shows how to position your artwork on 8 1/2″ x 11″ cardstock. If you are using electronic files, and you want the image to print right to the edge of the card (called a “bleed”), the image needs to be larger than the size of the card. The red lines below indicate the bleed position on an A7 vertical card. The bleed must hang over on three sides by a minimum of .125″.  Then, after you print your card you can trim it to the right size.

Cardmaking: Creating depth with cutouts

by Nancy Haberman

Recently I assisted a colleague who was learning the finer points of Adobe Illustrator’s pen tool. Our goal was to create images that would adorn products related to the sea. The resulting artwork of a seahorse was intricate and stunning, and a discussion followed about using it on a greeting card.

Commercial greeting card publishers have forever pushed the envelope when it comes to greeting card presentation techniques, relying heavily on high end print and print finishing processes. While holographic and lenticular printing are too pricey for the average working artist and crafter, other finishes like die cutting, embossing and engraving are now within reach of those willing to invest in new desktop equipment and take the time to learn how to use it.

The desktop publishing revolution turned artists and crafters into self-publishers. Fast forward 25 years later, and a trip to Border’s, Target or any greeting card store reveals that it takes more to excite the eye of a card buyer in 2010 than cheap two-dimensional Photoshop effects, long ago passé. Continue reading

Body of Art Contest: Win up to $2500!

Aaron Brothers is currently having an art contest called Body of Art! Using pens, paint and markers, artists get to let their creativity loose on clothing including t-shirts, jeans, shoes, and hats. Get involved, get creative, and take a 4 x 6 or 5 x 7 photograph of your original, one-of-a-kind wearable art to your local Aaron Brothers for a chance to win a $2500 Gift Certificate! Entries are due by September 25, 2010. Click here for more details.

Bookmark Genius: Recipes for Success

by Georgia Lange

Two of my favorite things to do this summer have been reading and cooking, which I rarely have time for during the rest of the year. Something about feeding both my body and my brain makes me feel at ease with everything, as though I am on vacation from life even when I am home. As I was sitting around the other day, munching on a delicious Moroccan salad that I had prepared and reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (a fabulous book that everyone in America seems to be reading this summer), my mind started to wander a bit. I remembered that I needed to write down the recipe of the savory dish Continue reading

Personalized Calendars – Easy to make, perfect for gifts

by Mackenzie Billing

Making a 16-month personalized calendar for friends and relatives is a really creative, fun way to say “thinking about you!”  They make such perfect gifts, and summer is really a great time to get started so that the calendars will be ready as the school year begins.

I recently wanted to make a calendar for my older brother, a photographer, with the wonderful pictures he had taken over the years.  First, I did a full-sized 16 month calendar, starting in September of this year and running through December of 2011. That way there was room for more of his pictures and he could start to use it sooner.

Later, I experimented with calendars in a variety of sizes and formats. During the calendar-making project, I discovered a way to use a special, clear plastic stand the size of a CD jewel case to create a fun little desk calendar. This can be done without using a commercial printer or binding of any kind. It stands upright and has a little slot to put all the pages in. A calendar this small is more for just checking off the days as they go by and doesn’t really leave much room to write.  I think it’s a handy little calendar just to sit on a desk with pictures of the family, nature, pets, animals, or whatever is meaningful to the recipient of the gift. It can be anything you want! It’s almost like a miniature photo frame that you change every month!  What a great gift. Continue reading