Designing a business card

[REGuy]

Hi all... post #1 so please be gentle. I've used paint.net for some VERY basic editing for a few months, that's about it. However, I've decided I want to design my new RE/MAX business card based on a couple different ones I've seen, with a couple ideas of my own swirled in.

The layout guidelines for the print company I'm using are at http://www.print100.com/global/cgi/design_spec_template.aspx under "Rounded Corners Business Card Templates"- these cards have a GREAT look & feel, btw. So how do I use these to start?

So the front of the card will primarily be white text on black background, as well as my WONDERFUL picture (see my note below). And the graphics I need to include are "the balloon" and a RE/MAX logo, like the examples linked below;

Balloon 1 http://filelibrary.myaasite.com/Content/36/36602/14681327.gif

or Balloon 2 http://www.remax-cahi.com/eSource/MarketingMaterials/images/previews_files/large/remax_balloon_drawn.gif

and RE/MAX logo http://arkansasdreaming.com/REMAX.gif

In my head, the design on the back of the card will be similar to a typical RE/MAX yard sign, like this one (with better color-matching), but with no picture of me/us and with the appropriate changes to content. The balloon is the same from the front, only resized, and I have the all-white RE/MAX text on my lappy.

Which brings me to my next question... how can I go about "cleaning up" my "headshot" picture a bit? All I really want to do is smooth out the skin tone a bit, that's all I suppose. I did a few searches but didn't find anything that fit- some stuff on coloring skin tone and the like... maybe my search terms were wrong.

All that said, does anyone have any suggestions for me? And how should I begin? Do I need to post anything else? Should I go jump in a lake?

Thanks in advance to all,

me.

[Ash]

Small skin touch up = Clone stamp tool

Big job = Surface blur or GREYCstoration Wrapper (BETA) + clone stamp.

Please search for how to use those tools.

[REGuy]

Small skin touch up = Clone stamp tool

Big job = Surface blur or GREYCstoration Wrapper (BETA) + clone stamp.

Please search for how to use those tools.

Thanks, Ash... I'll be doing those searches now to learn those techniques.

What about the layout of the card, setting up the cut borders & gutters, as well as some suggestions on how to do create the back?

Thanks, again, and in advance to all!

[Ash]

I would say, try a few ideas of you own and post in the The Pictorium

http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1072

And other will give you ideas.

Don't post your address or phone# as that may seem like spam

[REGuy]

I would say, try a few ideas of you own and post in the The Pictorium

http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1072

And other will give you ideas.

Don't post your address or phone# as that may seem like spam

Actually that's not my info... just pulled up the picture to use as an example...

As far as trying a few of my ideas & posting them, I'd love to. But I'm kinda stuck, the reason for my post. Those layout guidelines I've linked to are how I need to set up my "canvas" for the proper output for printing. But whenever I add these elements, it changes the size of my project based on the item I'm adding. So, you see, I'm stuck.

Does that make sense? I'm not asking anyone to do this project (again, the overall design is in my head), just asking for some direction to set this card up.

[Ash]

When Adding new items to your pic,

If the image you want to paste is larger then your canvas now.

Select the "do not change canvas size"

And resize the object after you paste