What makes a good business card?

Business cards are important for all freelance workers including illustrators. It’s good to know what makes a business card work, remember appearance is everything. I and my pears discussed this with the aid of some old provided business cards. By sorting them in to three piles “good, bad and ok” it made an analyses much more manigabul.  This led in to some therver dicotions which descueed the quality of print, use of colour, chose of paper and information provided.

I went and did some there investigations on my own. The image shows some business cards and promotional material I had acumyaleted in my own time. Thankfully I have a good mix which include clothing stores, artists, photographers and game stores. I dot find any of threes examples to be particularly bad although, some don’t uterlise the back of the card to well. Two of this cards came with small free gifts, being a smiley face pin and a hello kitty kea chain. I don’t think theas are necessary but they are nice and make these card more rememberabul. Intestinally I think theas two cards are the worst design of the bunch. The card in the top left is from a lookl artis. She is primeraly a watercolour paininter wich reflects in the card as its printed on to watercolour paper.

What is happening now in the north east?

The north east is a new hob of creatively in the UK.  Hartlepool in particular is one of the best places for upcoming illustrators in the country currently.

What national exhibitions are on in the area?

.BALTIC

The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead is constantly changing up its exhibits. Being a large gallery they tend to feature the work of well-known artists as well as some upcoming. Currently the work of contemporary artist Tony Swain is on show at the BALTIC. 

https://www.balticmill.com/

 

.Seven Stories

Seven Stories in Newcastle celebrates the world of children’s books and is the largest Centre for this in the UK. The Centre has many permanent expositions but also hosts short term expositions to particular children’s book characters or relevant movements. Some of their current expositions include, “Twists and Tails - the Story of Angelina Ballerina” and “Rainbow - A Michael Foreman Exhibition”. The expositions or often aimed at a younger audience due to the nature of the topic but professional creative can also gain form these exhibits.

http://www.sevenstories.org.uk/

 

Are there independent galleries in the north east?

.The biscuit factory

The biscuit factory in Newcastle is the largest art, craft & design gallery in the UK. They sell a mix of originals, prints and even jullry from loken and internashila artists. Four exobitions are hosted each year in the biscuit factory “one every season”.

http://www.thebiscuitfactory.com/

.Platform arts 

In the Middlesbrough train station there is a gallery called platform arts. They feather work from local but well renound artist and upcoming ones. The gallery is often unfortunately overlooked as it can only be entered by the train platform. Platform arts also offer studio space at the train station.

http://platformarts.net/

What Illustrators/ designers/collectives are based in the area?

.Bobzilla

Bobzilla is a Middlesbrough baced Illustrator and graphic designer. He often exhibits in Platform arts as one of their artists.  

http://www.tubbyphunk.com/boho-one-art-installation/

.Nicola Parkin

Nicola Parkin is a freelance visual artist and designer baced in the North East of England.  She works between illustration, design and print. 

http://nicolaparkin.blogspot.co.uk/p/links.html