Graphic Design Theory: Project 1

Hello again! Long time, no speak (haha). 

This week, we were tasked with creating a 3.5" x 2" business card in Adobe Photoshop, being mindful of our use of color, whitespace, typeface, and C.R.A.P. (Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity). 

I have some experience with Photoshop, and this still proved to be a challenging assignment - I couldn't stop picturing the business cards I had previously made, which go against many of the rules we were taught this week. I really wanted to start from scratch and learn the proper process, versus just editing an old design! 

I spent a solid 30 minutes getting reacquainted with the program before creating this. There was a lot of trial and error (mostly error) before I decided this was the route I wanted to take. I used my small business as a guideline, as it gave me a jumping-off point for the color palette.  My business colors are black, purple, and silver/white, and I have a tendency to use imagery that reflects the witchy/occult/gothic aesthetic. I make custom ravewear and cosplay, but recently started pivoting into more goth-couture costuming.

I chose to do the lines along the side because I feel like it gives direction to where I'd want someone to look - they can start at the top, or cut straight to the bottom and check out my website. I didn't mind sharing my actual information in this project because it's already available on the internet. I'm really happy with the font I chose, as I feel it reflects the whimsy that I want people to feel my business has, while also being clear and easy to read. I had a few other ideas, but remembered that "less is more." 

What would you have done differently? Feedback is always welcome. I'm still learning, and any constructive criticism is appreciated! 

Until next time! 

LATE EDIT: 

After reading the suggestions from my classmates, I decided to go in and rework the design I originally submitted. I made the purple area larger, thus also making the font sizes larger. The moon absolutely did look out of place, so I moved it further down and added some stars, keeping with the lines on the right side of the card. I can't decide if this looks too cluttered, like maybe I should've chosen between the lines OR the moon and stars, but I think it's a good starting point. I also changed some of the fonts to something more readable, highlighting my name and website with the whimsical font, but making the other information more legible. Again, any feedback is welcome! This has been a learning experience for sure.