This is one of my selfmotions, mailout to introduce myself. Combination of digital and freehand illustration. Actual size: 11" x 17" 300 dpi.

Very Asian in style and design. Beautiful work in my opinion. I wouldn't change a thing.

Talent is God's gift to you. Using it is your gift to God.

i'm with bone. Great Job! except there is one (well actually it's both sides...) small issue i have.

I really like the "organic"/"mechanical" figures and the "freeform"/"geometric" shapes, but i had a problem with the "joiner" area. it seems like it should either be better defined or eliminated all together. it seems like a "random" element in an otherwise tight composition...

see attached image for area in question ;)

BUT this said, it's still just my 2c and you can tell me to "piss-off" itz "fine the way it is"...

i'm thick skinned
:)
retrocity

Thank you kindly for your responses. Please allow me to introduce my real name is Wing Ho, located in Oakville Ontario Canada. Long time freelance graphic and commercial artist. Been laid low for the last 2 years and now I'm thinking of coming back into the Graphic Design field. I never have any formal computer graphic training, mainly learning from my work, books, internet and almost 8-10hrs daily use of Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark Express, and many other graphic related applications. I am interested in simple graphics, logos, typefaces, freehand and digital illustraions, photo retouch etc. Even though I am well experienced but I am still learning everyday. Please keep in touch and throw me any comment that you can think of, I'll take note on all of your comments.

I like a man that knows graphics is a continual learning process. Demonstrates wisdom.

Talent is God's gift to you. Using it is your gift to God.

Welcome to the forum Wing. If you ask me, "informal" training on CG is the way to go. You'll learn a least a dozen ways to accomplish the same results but also decide for your self the method that works for you.

also your weapons of choice (Photoshop, Illustrator, and Quark) are excellent progs to get well versed in. This, backed with talent will make you a desireable asset in the design field.

Keep up the mental attitude that it's a constant learning process and continue to pop in often and ask any question you might have. We're open 24-7/365 (though i do try and sleep a few hours a day ;))

:)
retrocity

ps. is that your business card?

Yes, that's my bus.card. I just worked on it for last few days. Been changed the compositions couple of times. I am still looking at it before it's final printing and in-corporate a new piece of selfpromo for mailout. Any comments?

Well i am also a graphic designer. Actually i can be considered a multimedia artist. I will agree with the above for the software, well except that more desktop publishers are leaning towards Adobe InDesign now instead of Quark. Now for your image. Well i kind of like it. But may i ask what the person is holding in their right hand? Is it a camera. The placement is a bit odd. And your second image. White text on grey, well it should be avoided. I am not saying that you cannot or should not do it i am just saying it does not contrast very well. Also for your number having the gradient you have used does not go very well, mainly because of the white background. A simple black stroke applied around the numbers would help that problem. I am not trying to say bad things, i am only stating my opinion and trying to help. -LeFrog http://www.dragonfrostgraphics.com

Hey LeFrog ;) you're right about the pull towards InDesign, but for me, Adobe already has a BIG chunck of my money (but rightly-so, i've made a lot of it FROM adobe progs...). I've used Quark and PageMaker for many years now and have invested too much to switch to InDesign... maybe if i worked for a place that used it i'd take a shot at it... but you're right it's probably going to be the "layout" of choice soon...

;)
retrocity

ohhhh... and if i'm right the object in the mech's hand is an airbrush (am i right Wing???? - - ummm, that sounds weird, am i "rightwing"? - - - maybe i should have said "am i correct Wing"?)

;)
retrocity

I'm still trying to learn Quark lol. I find it extremely confusing. Perhaps, being used to photoshop, InDesign might be easier for me. But frankly, I use Photoshop for nearly everything. Even a two page ad I'm working on now. I haven't actually yet found ANYTHING I couldn't do in Photoshop.

Talent is God's gift to you. Using it is your gift to God.

aaaaaa bone, it can't make a Good Cupa' Joe! but it does make a rather beliveable facsimile ;)

retrocity

Well i myself may not ever go to inDesign. I have Quark and have been using it over 3 years. (well when i needed to use it). InDesign is very easy to learn and has a Photoshop familiarity, but Quark is also very simple. Both programs are of course great. Well i also use Photoshop a great deal, but i would never use it for brochures or manuals, etc. Well designing the graphics is fine but the main layout and the text is best done in Quark or inDesign. Well maybe even that other one ... Pagemaker now i remember the name ;) -LeFrog

aaaaw but do you remember when it came on "a" floppy disk (the second disk carried the samples and templates). i think then it was by Aldus...

yikes thats been a while

:)
retrocity

Yes the floppy days... memories -LeFrog

Wingdude, one thing you may want to consider is creating an online portfolio. The mailer idea is certainly not a bad one but the returns on a printed promo investment these days isn't what it used to be. In the past, a 'leave behind' piece was crucial. Still is in theory but the 'leave behind' piece these days is largely a 'link' since a web presence can display a lot more than a single printed piece. Plus the 'leave behind' pieces in the past, if the Art Director liked the work, would get filed for future reference. Well the filing cabinets are gone and the likelihood of your mailer ending up in the circular file, unless it's the most awesome thing they've ever seen, are astronomically high. On the other hand, if they have a link to your site, it's relatively painless for them to bookmark it.
As for your work, I pretty much agree with everything that's been said. The clouds or mountains(?) in the distant look like dirty clouds. I'd either get rid of them or turn them into puffy, white cumulus clouds. Either see them or don't. The"I can kind of see them" doesn't help this particular image much IMO.
I agree with TheFrogMan regarding the type in your card. I like your logo but I'd give the gradient below some real thought. I'd also reconsider the font used. You can make it out but it's not the most quickly legible font out there. At a glance the letters and numbers look amazingly similar.
I have an issue with the content itself but that's obviously subjective. The headliner says "INTOUCH". After reading that, the only thing I can see from then on is a pencil being driven into the nude's back. I don't understand the relevance of the swirl in the background but more because there is a radiating element (the cone coming out of the artist pallet) but it doesn't radiate from the center of the swirl. Or perhaps the airbrush could be shooting out from it's center or maybe the camera eye would be at it's center or even place that sphere thing above the nude at it's center (what is that anyway?).
I like the overall color scheme and there are definitely things that work about this image so please don't take my comments as a 'general trashing'. I'm only pointing out the parts I'd do different.
Anyway, design is fickle and ultimately it comes down to what works for you,.... and the guy payin' for it.

Below is a link to my site. Feel free to trash away. I'm an equal opportunity critiquer. (critiquer?)

http://www.curtthurston.com

peace, love & all that rot.....

Thanks guys, I still have a lot to learn. I'll go back to drawing board or monitor and come up something better.

I still like it. I think it would make a great poster. There are elements of Asian design in it, as well as some anime and some of the style of desighn from the 1930s, re Metropolis

Talent is God's gift to you. Using it is your gift to God.