Gig Flyers that promote. How do you make your own?

Juice writes:

I'm in need of a gig flyer that I can both post on the internet as well as Print and hang on walls.
Ink usage is of some importance when printing but eye catching is also a factor.

Not to be confused with Band Flyers although they are very similar. OK maybe they are pretty much the same.

But I need to make something that I can alter the information when need be.

What I'm looking for is Related Music Art Work but what wold be great is some templates that I could just change around the information. I have all of the office products Word, Powerpoint, etc...
Not interested in knowing about programs like Print Shop. They always seem to be cartoonish.

Got any examples of your own works?

2/15/2008 8:33:22 AM

Big Daddy writes:

I use(d) Photoshop with great results. I don't have any examples of my work here in the office, but for examples of style I managed to use in logos, you can check out:

lowellrocks.com/artist/jass
lowellrocks.com/artist/hat_tr...
lowellrocks.com/artist/gigolo
lowellrocks.com/artist/drinkm...

Hope this helps, but I can't really see how

2/15/2008 8:47:26 AM

solvocals writes:

When I promoted, I would use just about any photo program. I would then put a JPEG file onto a disc and bring it to Staples for printing. They always looked great and the prices were always reasoneble

2/15/2008 8:55:55 AM

solvocals writes:

Nice job on those BD, I especially like the "Drinkmore" one, hahahaha

Oh, and just a side note Juice, If you make the fliers, say 11X14. Leave a "blank" space down the bottom to write in show dates, times etc. That way you only need to make one flier as opposed to one for every gig.

2/15/2008 9:01:20 AM

Hundred $$ Demo writes:

Bruce,

I have a poster I did for the old PCDM shows, basically something done in Photoshop.

I left an area at the bottom as a "clear" area in a rectangle that I could write in with a magic marker.

Easier to print 100 of those and leave the area blank until you need to write the stuff in, rather than do each one and only print 20 or 30 at a time.

Cost wise, better to go to Staples and get it done there than try to do it on a home printer. The stuff we have at home just isn't designed to do 100's of flyers. The ink coverage and efficiency just isn't the same.

2/15/2008 9:04:56 AM

costalot writes:

Much like an arm-chair quarterback, I've always appreciated well-done band flyers that truly grab your attention and get all the pertinent info out with only 3 colors and a professional artistic look to them....as opposed to those clearly done in Paint with low-res images...not that I could do all that much better. I've found Photoshop to be powerful but not very user-friendly. It takes some time to learn how to effectively use it but once you do...well, Big Daddy's results clearly show how well it can be used. The only suggestion I can make is if you can't get the image you want to use at a decent resolution, don't use it. Nicely laid out fonts and logos sitting next to a low-res image just give you that "amateur" look. Maybe there are tricks to make a low-res image look "grainy" and "artsy" to make them work but as a stand-alone image on your flyer, it just looks crappy.

Great topic! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

2/15/2008 9:06:08 AM

Juice writes:

Those are Pretty Cool BD.
Hmm Photshop...

Well in my Case I don't need hundreds of them. Probably only like 12 to 24 per month. And each month will change only on date. I do own a high resolution color laser printer and I can get by without Thermal Tranfer High Gloss quality.

Eager to hear more.

2/15/2008 9:17:29 AM

swanee writes:

Juice, alot of your day-to-day applications (Word, Publisher) have templates and wizards that you can use that look very professional and you can customize them so they don't look so templately.

2/15/2008 9:18:38 AM

swanee writes:

I'd be reluctant to use glossy stock for flyers. One reason is cost (basic bond or matte paper is much cheaper) and two, ever tape a glossy flyer on the inside of a store window and then look at it from the outside? It throws off alot of glare in daylight...save the gloss stock for photographs only if possible.

2/15/2008 9:21:31 AM

Juice writes:

Thanks Swanee.
I wasn't going in that direction actually. And I agree. I do remember the flyers you made for Rockfish and recall it was a thermal transer print. Very Vivid. I don't recall if it was glossy at all. But I may have confused the term with Dye Sublimation which is what yours was. The ink rolls for them are much more cost and that is more to what I was getting at.

2/15/2008 9:52:43 AM

milhouse writes:

I have my flyers done on Cranes' parchment, leather bound, and gold leafed.

and i certainly don't hang them up for the unwashed public to see.

if you dont have photoshop, download the shareware GIMP and INKSPACE. 90% of the functionality of Photoshop (raster) (GIMP) and Illustrator (vector) (INKSPACE).

2/15/2008 10:03:53 AM

La Soule Fontaine writes:

I use Print shop and convert to jpeg....... Then I got work to buy me a color laser printer.....cause you know, I just needed one (running a garage and all).........

2/15/2008 12:25:54 PM

One Louder writes:

This is a great topic. Something I've always forgotten to ask. I was using some default program (PhotoImpression) which looked pretty cool...neat FX and what not. But I'm stuck with flyers that look one way. And in order to get the image to fit an entire page, it comes at the expense of resolution, which does look kinda crappy.

2/15/2008 3:29:11 PM

Juice writes:

You know I do have Photoshop and always have actually.
But everytime I open it up it's like I just stepped into and airplane cockpit and I have know idea what anything means or what any of the buttons do.
And it's usually at a time when I don't have time to take any courses. I usually end up jumping out and calling a cab. :-)

In fact almost every Adobe program I have ever tried to use was the same thing. I always resort to something simpler that doesn't have the capacity to change the world as we know it today. :-)

I'm actually starting to put around in MS Publisher. If I can find some templates I may be off to a good starting point.

2/15/2008 4:06:42 PM

Hundred $$ Demo writes:

Bruce,

Here are two examples of something all done in Photoshop

stuntmusic.com/artwork/8_11_p...

stuntmusic.com/artwork/pcdm_p...

All of the elements were created in Photoshop, with the exception of the color image, which was a separate image.

The beauty of Photoshop is the ability to work in layers, so weach element can have it's own effects and ability to be modified. Drag it around, apply blending or shading, use plug ins or cool "actions" on text and images

Seriously, Photoshop may look intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, you will just doodle and come up with stuff for hours on end, sorta like when you find a new sound or patch to play with... you wind up playing and writing because of the 'inspiration'

2/15/2008 10:34:26 PM

Juice writes:

Stunt Those are Awsome.
I'll have to fine some video tutorials or something becasue I really feel totally st at Photoshop.

2/16/2008 7:18:39 AM

Hundred $$ Demo writes:

Bruce

I can email you a couple simple things that will get you started on doing stuff in Photoshop.

2/16/2008 8:19:11 AM

Juice writes:

Thanks Stunt. I'm only going to focus on making the songpull flyers right now. I'm looking for for vieos also.
But sure if you got something I may some time today to mess around with it.
I need to get something together bythis weekend.

2/16/2008 8:56:00 AM

Rick WebGuy writes:

Here are some excellent Photoshop tutorials (online videos, in HD):

vimeo.com/tutorials/page:2 (newer tutorials)

jeradtv.com/podcast/index.php (older, non-HD)

This dude is a web/graphic designer from my area, these tutorials are very well done - easy to follow and reveal some great tricks.

Here's one tutorial that shows how to add that "grungy/distressed" effect on a photo/graphic:

vimeo.com/283998

Enjoy!

2/16/2008 4:59:29 PM

Juice writes:

Thanks Rick. I'm definatley going to go get those.

In the meantine I had to throw something up quick for now.
76.162.215.108/flyer.html

I need to place it better online and make it clearer to read.
But it's at least it's something. I did it in Word.

2/16/2008 5:39:51 PM

Big Daddy writes:

myspace.com/lowellrocks

I also did our Local Music Matters logo in Photoshop. And yeah, it can feel like a really daunting task when you start working in PS, but Google for tutorials--there are a billion of them out there and they give some great shortcuts.

Even a complete hack like me can make some decent stuff ;-)

2/16/2008 9:45:39 PM

missdiane41 writes:

My 2 cents ...
I too went to Staples when I printed up copies of the KPM fliers. I emailed them the pdf tbass sent to me and told them what I wanted (and told them I'd be in to go over it with them). After we discussed the whole thing I picked them up the next day. They did a great job on them :-)

2/16/2008 10:12:53 PM

JustDuckyDesigns writes:

The very best tutorials I have found are at lynda.com. They are not free, but it's only $25.00 per month and for that you have unlimited 24/7 access to all of the tutorials and they have TONS! For all the Adobe products and many others. I recently got the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection and it was really overwhelming at first. I have spend hours with lynda.com and have really learned a lot about Dreamweaver, Photoshop, After Effects, Fireworks, and Illustrator so far. I highly recommend them. You can go there and see quite a few of the beginner titles for free.

2/20/2008 3:01:24 PM

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