Business card research

Business cards are important for any business/company to establish a public image with potential clients or customers, by providing an outreach that easily connects with people, in a physical, enticing and non-obtrusive way. Artists use business cards to advertise their own artwork or small business, and the design of these business cards often differs greatly from those used by professional companies. Even in the art industry, there is a vast array of business card designs that are unique to each artist, which helps in portraying their own individual image to potential clients.

One example of these types of business cards comes from Alteroy Design and is a business card that is in the form of a DIY sheet, complete with removeable elements that represent what the artist does.

I believe this design is effective because it subverts the expectations of a business card by retaining the shape but adapting it to the artist's practice. The card being made out of cardboard or wood further emphasises the homemade nature of this promotional item, and makes it stand out against more standard designs.


Production of more artistic business cards can be done through several ways. An example of a more unorthodox method of production is metal cutting. This can be seen in business cards from Cement Solutions, which are metal business cards that double as bottle openers.

I believe this design is effective because it incorporates promoting a company into a client's everyday life - the bottle opener will advertise the company every time it is used. Also, the logo is built into the opening in the metal, which is a clever way to present the design and further ensures the memorability of the company.


There are various sites that offer printing services for business card designs, which also cater to unique designs created by artists. While not handmade, these cards are printed with various factors in mind, that can be controlled by the artist to produce a more professional yet individual finished outcome.

MOO is an award-winning print and design company that specialises in premium promotional materials for any kind of business. It has an easy to navigate site that appeals to anyone who wants to design and print these materials quickly. MOO offers a range of business cards that vary in shape, paper thickness and finish quality, which can be ordered in quantities of up to 8,000 business cards. The site also has easy to follow design guidelines for creating your own designs and is very consumer-friendly.

This site is a strong option for my business cards because it balances the professionalism of their service with the welcoming colours and layout of the site itself. MOO can print and deliver business cards with Next-Day Delivery, which already puts it above the other sites, as it would mean more time for artists like me to promote themselves, rather than waiting around for the cards to arrive.


Vistaprint is an affordable and high quality printing company that focuses on customised designs for more than just promotional or business materials. Their expansive product range gives choice for those who are looking for specific products within their budget. In terms of business cards, Vistaprint offers card designs by industry and gives tips on how to make your cards more creative and attractive to potential clients, while having slightly more production and printing options than MOO.

This site is not a strong option for my business cards because there isn't a clear emphasis on them, and the site itself looks more bland and less friendly than other sites. Vistaprint seems to be more about simply ordering promotional materials than enjoying the experience on their site, and this can be a turn off to creatives, such as illustrators.


Instantprint is a smaller print company that uses the latest digital and lithographic print technology to produce professional promotional materials for any budget. They have an independent atmosphere with a clean and friendly site, which could be more inviting to people who are inexperienced with designing and printing their own promotional items. Instantprint offers business cards that have a variety of types and finishes, along with a substantial amount of tips for selecting and designing the correct type for the person's needs.

This site is also a strong option for my business cards because it achieves the same balance between professionalism and friendliness that MOO does, and is even more accessible with the offered help on the site itself. Instantprint ensures customers can order their business cards the way they want, but lacks the range of production and printing options that other sites have.


Overall, I have researched into the types of business cards and printing services that are available to me, and have concluded that the most relevant site to my practice is MOO. I will now finalise my designs and use the site to order my business cards. Conducting this research has helped me to discover the options there are for promotional printing, as well as understand the near-limitless potential of what a business card can be. This will assist me in my future career when I decide to promote myself outside of university.