Clients are always looking for ways to make themselves stand out above the rest. One way we creative folks like to accomplish this feat is by using new or different design methods to help make your materials pop.
From metallic, pearlized, and textured papers, dye-cutting, metallic inks, foiling, embossing, and varnishes—there is a lot of fun to be had. And thanks to all of the recent advancements within the printing industry, our options almost seem limitless.
Pictured below is a granite metallic paper, on top of a matte finish red treated with the word “creative” printed using a clear varnish. Even no color can be exciting!
However, for one client in particular, I went another route, and chose to use a…
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That’s right. Dr. Evil isn’t the only one with access to a laser. In fact, lasers in the printing/dye cutting world are becoming more and more popular. Laser cutting enables the dye cutters to cut some pretty intricate and dramatic patterns to make client pieces really have pizzazz!
Oasis Digital, a St. Louis-based software consulting firm, has a palm tree as part of their logo, and wanted to add some extra “oomph” to their business cards. Upon evaluating their request, I decided that laser cutting would be a great way to accomplish the cool effect. Traditional dye cuts are still very effective for creating folders, rounded edges, and larger simple shapes. But a laser cutter can go places no traditional dye cutter has been able to go before. So with the help of our trusted vendor Binding Solutions, we were off and running!
Here you see the laser at work as it cuts out the palm tree, which is LESS than 1” in size over all and the trunk cut alone is .1513”x.6564”… pretty small cut!
In the end, we designed a pretty neat card, which the client simply adored.
In fact, the client recently informed us that these cards have even helped to spark conversations with potential prospects. Think business cards aren’t important? Think again!
So the next time you reach for that ho-hum business card in your purse or wallet… ask yourself: “what could I be doing to stand out above the rest?”
