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Part 1
Developing a range:
The canvas:
The
first thing you need to do is decide what size card
blank you are going to use, the most common size of
card blank with envelope easily available is C6 card
blank which when folded is 6 inches by 4 inches.
It
is advisable to go with this in the beginning as it
is easy to find in the shops or on-line and again
price-wise it is very competitive.
Try
and find a textured card blank as this is a very attractive
finish and having a textured card blank enhances your
artwork.
Textures
to look out for are : Linen, Hammered, Dimpled
When
choosing a card blank or mount ask to know the GSM
which is the thickness of the board, I recommend nothing
less than 260 gsm as under this weight your mount
will be flimsy and paper like, it will almost certainly
buckle under the slightest weight, I myself recommend
between 280 and 305 gsm this is a very good quality
board and when making handmade cards it is a shame
to skimp on weight as the weight makes the card seem
of good quality. It is better to pay more for your
blanks/mounts and get quality than to skimp and end
up with a cheap looking card.
Colour:
While there are all colours available it is advisable
to go with a nice shade of cream or white card blank
and stick to the same matching envelope. This is quite
crucial to achieve a professional look and stops colour
clash with the artwork, if you can imagine a picture
with a mount, normally you will find the mount is
cream or white or pastel, this is the same for card
designing using a coloured card blank and envelope
will make your design too busy, the card blank and
envelope should be used to enhance your design not
distract from it.
Positioning your design:
As
most cards are displayed in display racks it's important
that your card is not too small, 6x4 is the minimum
you should consider.
Try to position your design more towards the upper
half of the card, when greetings cards are in racks
this is the part of the card a browsing customer will
notice.
If
you have a greeting or occasion position this near
the top also.
Add
a label:
Always
add a label or include your logo and contact details
on the rear of your card, not the poly bag, you'll
be surprised how many people phone saying 'I've got
one of your cards here and would like to stock them
in my shop'!
Always,
always finish your work using a polypropylene protective
bag.
Main
points:
Card mount size. 6x4
Colour & matching envelope, Best choice Cream
or white.
Keep it consistent.
Quality card no less than 260 gsm.
Always use Poly Bags to finish. |
| A
Craft workers Tale |
|
Amy
worked full time as a secretary in a bank,
she longed to be able to give up her job,
for the last six months she had been attending
craft fairs, where she sold her work that
she made in her spare time......
Click
Here to read all the tale
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Part
2
Inspiration and time:
Finding
inspirations for card making I am told by so
many of my customers is very difficult.
A
good idea to try is to visit as many card shops
and gift shops and take a look at what other
people do, although this can sometimes lead
to you being influenced too much by someone
else's work which results in your cards looking
like a replica of someone else's idea.
Try
to avoid this scenario, yes by all means take
inspiration from what you see maybe a small
part of a design that you can build on.
Generally
try to keep in mind that less is best, keep
things simple and don't use too many techniques
on one card.
Try to keep in mind popular topics such as;
Sport
(football. Golf, etc.)
Fairies, very popular
Teddy bears
Bugs, Kids love creepy crawly cards
Marriage, Engagements and very popular, Anniversary
Moving house
Then
design your cards relevant to your chosen topic,
i.e. a pearl anniversary card would have a pearl
coloured theme.
Major occasions in order of market share:
| Birthdays
|
60% |
| Anniversary |
8% |
| Get
Well |
7% |
| Friendship
|
6% |
| Sympathy |
6% |
Christmas
not included due to the fact most people buy
boxed sets
Try
to keep the time of making your cards down,
it is futile to spends hours making one card
as in the best case you will only get four or
five pounds for it.
So
we work here on the two minutes is too long
basis. Joking aside you should not be spending
any more that 10 minutes per card, preferably
less.
Main
points:
Less is best.
Keep things simple.
Not too many techniques.
Make it relevant.
10 minutes maximum from start to finish.
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The
next Newsletter continues with designing a range and
will examine the evolution of a range over a three
year period, showing the pitfalls and what to avoid.
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