This article is the second in a series in which I’ll use business cards to show how features in photographs can cue design decisions that more powerfully combine image with text. Don’t miss part 1.
Example #2: The meditation center
In this example, the business wants to convey a feeling of relaxation and calm. This photo of a forward-facing, very symmetric figure conveys a sense of stability and rest. The soft colors are soothing to the eye.
Again, the image can be cropped tightly, and positioned to the side. To create an underlying sense of balance (suited for this subject), the figure is placed at the center of the rectangle created when the page is divided in two.
As with the previous example, the face can be used as an invisible frame for important information.
Along with being very perceptive towards faces, our brains tend to notice hands. This area can likewise be used to frame some information; in this case a web address and a phone number.
With this figure, there is a phantom horizontal line—the neckline, already emphasized by the two lines of copy we’ve added for the business name and description. It creates a natural division, and we can place more information here, such as the business address.
For this business, it is more logical to highlight marketing information than contact information. Unlike in the dog-walking example used in part 1, it’s unlikely that someone will regularly need to refer to the phone number, web address, or street address. Instead, someone may not realize the array of offerings at this center. This band can spotlight that.
The final effect…
This article was last modified on April 13, 2023
This article was first published on May 14, 2018
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