In response to the new Ad banner and @Dr. Bob Doom for bringing it up. I made a thread so that graphic design students, people who want to make ad banners, and those who want more users reading their quest/art/fanfic/etc. can post their banner prototypes
Here's a thread for you to post your banner to be critique and approved upon.
In response to the new Ad banner and @Dr. Bob Doom for bringing it up. I made a thread so that graphic design students, people who want to make ad banners, and those who want more users reading their quest/art/fanfic/etc. can post their banner prototypes
Here's a thread for you to post your banner to be critique and approved upon.
I only have two criticisms of it. First, it doesn't actually tell me much about the story it's advertising, just a name "another multiverse SI" and lots of yellow. You're relying almost entirely on the warning signs and the line "get in the fucking van" to make people click on it. Second, it's possible the directors/mods might take issue with the "fucking" in the middle of it. It's not like there's a problem with that kind of language in the average post, but I'd personally think the site advertisement would be held to a higher standard than that (they probably should be, whatever the actual stance is).
I only have two criticisms of it. First, it doesn't actually tell me much about the story it's advertising, just a name "another multiverse SI" and lots of yellow. You're relying almost entirely on the warning signs and the line "get in the fucking van" to make people click on it. Second, it's possible the directors/mods might take issue with the "fucking" in the middle of it. It's not like there's a problem with that kind of language in the average post, but I'd personally think the site advertisement would be held to a higher standard than that (they probably should be, whatever the actual stance is).
Yeah the lines really mess with the look of it. Mostly it's the colour scheme; yellow on black (and the inverse) is extremely high contrast and draws the eye to it immediately. It's the reason warning and hazard signs use it, but it means that it detracts from the text and you can't really fix that without changing the colour or dropping the lines entirely.
Besides that, the three line description really does improve it a lot, and you even manage to keep the... let's call it 'attitude' of the ad with that "Goddamnit Poe". Interestingly enough the blocks made by that vertical line is pretty close the golden ratio that graphic designers like so much. Was that deliberate?
Yeah the lines really mess with the look of it. Mostly it's the colour scheme; yellow on black (and the inverse) is extremely high contrast and draws the eye to it immediately. It's the reason warning and hazard signs use it, but it means that it detracts from the text and you can't really fix that without changing the colour or dropping the lines entirely.
Please point out any issues, things you think are ugly, don't work, or look dumb.
Also, I'm worried my banners are a little too samey? Do you think so?
If you changed the black to a nice CYMK Dark grey I think it would look better, but I love the idea.
Actually, I remember when I first saw it I thought that actually having the wheels and lower part of a van, and a person standing behind it would be pretty cool. Then you could move the ! onto the side of the van. I'm not sure it would fit though.
If you changed the black to a nice CYMK Dark grey I think it would look better, but I love the idea.
Actually, I remember when I first saw it I thought that actually having the wheels and lower part of a van, and a person standing behind it would be pretty cool. Then you could move the ! onto the side of the van. I'm not sure it would fit though.
A couple of things could be done.
A good first step would be to make the logo on the right centered within its little box. Everything after this is pretty much optional, but my OCD demands a centered logobug.
If you change the font size of the first line so that it matches up with the horizontal width of the second line it might look a little better.
Changeing the gradient to a free stock metal texture might look better, not sure about that though. I have a dislike for gradients generally, so that might just be my bias showing.
Stargate font by Shrine of Isis - FontSpace is the "stargate" font and is free for use, so you could change the text in the banner to be in that and see if it looks any good.
The other option would be to change the font to Century Gothic, which is the font of the X-com logo. If you own a version of MS-WORD 2012 or higher, I'm pretty sure you should have it installed. Not sure about 2010.
XCOM Badge.svg is a vector of the X-com logo I've used before, not sure what program you are using but if you are able to take advantage of vector images it behoves you to do so.
... While I'm sure this sounds overly critical, please just view this as advice rather than me tearing into your design. I didn't actully mean to write as much as I have, it just sort of happened
A couple of things could be done.
A good first step would be to make the logo on the right centered within its little box. Everything after this is pretty much optional, but my OCD demands a centered logobug.
XCOM Badge.svg is a vector of the X-com logo I've used before, not sure what program you are using but if you are able to take advantage of vector images it behoves you to do so.
The only problem is that this isn't supposed to be an x-com badge, but rather the X-COM : SGO badge. It does not have the planet nor motto at the top and it's supposed to have a stargate chevron superimposed over the X.
I made a pretty nice gif of it but I' m having a hard time re-doing it in a low enough resolution to go on the banner.
The only problem is that this isn't supposed to be an x-com badge, but rather the X-COM : SGO badge. It does not have the planet nor motto at the top and it's supposed to have a stargate chevron superimposed over the X.
I made a pretty nice gif of it but I' m having a hard time re-doing it in a low enough resolution to go on the banner.
I just made this in illustrator. It's based off one of the frames of the gif so it may not be perfect, but hopefully it helps.
EDIT: wow that was bigger than I though...
I just did two more, both have a few changes made, but one has the original gradient background and the other has a metal texture I found online. Personally, I prefer the gradient.
I just did two more, both have a few changes made, but one has the original gradient background and the other has a metal texture I found online. Personally, I prefer the gradient.
The gradient looks better, but that doesn't mean it looks good. There's got to be something better but for the life of me I can't think of what.
More importantly, that logo isn't going to work. The detail is too fine, too small without enough contrast to really give shape to the inner details. I can only barely see it on my 1080p monitor; on my phone I'd have no chance. Even then I can only really make it out because I know what's there (I've seen the big version). The multicoloured version you used at first got around that by being, well, multicoloured.
I just did two more, both have a few changes made, but one has the original gradient background and the other has a metal texture I found online. Personally, I prefer the gradient.
A good thing to learn about graphic design is that sometimes you need to give up on an idea. In this case, I feel the tiny logo is pretty much not going to work. You would be better served trying to find another way to show a logo than spending too much time trying to find a way to make it work.
I just threw these together, you are welcome to use them or take inspiration from them. I'll provide you with the assets if you want.
As you can see, I've not used a logo but rather tried to work the stargate into the design. Neither is anything special, but some love and attention could make either something pretty great.
