Coscards creation tutorial!
Cosplay business cards or ‘coscards’ are extremely handy for those who hate the awkward hassle of ‘take my cellphone and add me on FB’ thing. Also, easier to network and to get your name out there for both cosplayers and photographers!
These are some suggestions/templates for your coscards.
Just like any other business cards. DOs: - simple, clean - readable text; basic and simple ones are best like Century Gothic - state name/alias clearly - keep your info compact and straight to the point - use social media icons if you desire - (Photoshop specific): use stroke for letters - borders for flat bgs if desired - pastel/light colors are usually better - put your info in a corner if overlaying on an image
DON’Ts: - clutter; don’t have too many words or pictures - overly bright colors - curly/calligraphy text - overly large text - cover your image especially faces with text - put entire URLs/links (username on specified site is sufficient)
For the first example, here’s my sample:
For second example, I personally suggest photographers to use this format instead of the other two.
Here is my sample. I did write in the template above to use flat bg, but if you have one cosplay/photo you want more emphasis on, you can include your info on the side and overlap it slightly. This one is most susceptible to clutter, but also shows a range of your skills better too.
For the last example, here’s my sample.
These were all rendered on photoshop, but you can use online editing images if you wish. I personally prefer picmonkey or pixlr for anything.
But please understand that these are all at your own expense, and you will be handing these out for free. To get them printed at a company isn’t expensive and isn’t difficult (but Idk many besides visaprint so I can’t help you with that)
Hope that helped and good luck!
This is a pretty helpful guide for those making cosplayer cards for the first time!
I’d like to add a little to this, though. First, ask the photographer before using their image, and make sure to leave the image credit on the card. Second, take bleed into account when designing. Vistaprint helps warn you about this, but it’s still important to remember. Third, there are some things you can do if you are too cheap to buy double-sided cards.
(I’m too cheap to buy double-sided cards)
This is what my cosplayer cards look like. I’m thinking I’ll make more with different images before Fanimecon, but I think I’ll use a similar setup. I apologize for the quality — this is a screencap of Vistaprint’s mockup system, and they seem to really tone down the quality for the mockup to save space/loading times (but the finished cards look perfectly fine).
(The dotted line is the bleed.)
You can see, I used a vertical format, and managed to use the vertical space at the bottom with a greyed-out background in order to put my info. It’s all a bit condensed since there isn’t a lot of space, but it’s readable. Also, note the photog credit in the upper corner. The blank back can be used to write info like time, date, costume, etc., if needed.
If doing single-sided with a horizontal image, try to keep the info off to one side, depending on the composition of the photo.
Also, I know that Vistaprint has sales sometimes where you can get more cards or more features on your cards for a whole lot cheaper. Take advantage of these.
If you are springing for multiple sets, try to have a good variety of cosplays so that you can give one out that hopefully goes with the outfit you are wearing at the time (or similar in appearance, or from the same series, etc.). If only buying one set, try to find a singular photo that is iconic of your cosplay output and can be easily recognized as you. I chose this image not just because it’s my favorite, but because it’s my icon practically everywhere so I have “brand” recognition, and because my Lady Blackpearl cosplay is one of my really memorable ones that most people who have seen me multiple times at cons recognize as me (and remember from year to year, sometimes even when I’m in a totally different cosplay, because I apparently have a similar style and am most recognizable and memorable in this costume).
I would say that even if you have that one /really good/ photo that you love, but you may not be memorable or recognizable in it, and another photo that’s slightly less amazing (but still a good photo, don’t choose anything you aren’t proud of, of course) but something that you feel really captures who you are as a cosplayer, to go with the latter. Certainly, if you want to be remembered or recognized for your costume. These cards are for networking and showing yourself off a bit, and you want people to remember who you are. (Of course, you have to decide this for yourself, and a really stunning image that you might, say, be in body paint or a mask for, but the image itself is fantastic, that wow factor might trump being super recognizable, since the image itself would be memorable.)
I hope that helps someone trying to design their cards! :]
thank you for your insightful addition!! especially for putting in the note about photographers (and the 1/8 bleed); that completely slipped my mind and i totally agree with the brand recognition idea too~~
also to anyone who wishes to, feel free to reblog with your coscard designs!!
