Criticism Needed Please

[RachelS.]

Hey, I'm making a new site and I needed a little help on making a title/banner/logo for it. If anyone could point out what I should make of it, let me know



Btw, this pic is just more of a rough draft. Thanks!

[krrc]

I like it. one thing though, do something with the bottom text to highlight it or set it apart in some way. dont know what but it needs something. maybe someone else can help you better.

[SaIiLdVaEnR]

I'd like to see maybe a background image or some sort of border. Overall very good, looks like some work was put into it.

[krrc]

AH! thats what you need! a two tone offset border under the bottom text. use two diffrent color rectangles and offset them so you can see both, then blend or leave it how it is. try it. it will only take 5 min. max. you are using photoshop right?

[RachelS.]

Ah I see... Kind of confusing, but I will figure it out! Thanks!!. Oh yes, and might I add this is on a black background. I wanted to make it look like just the words were there, if you get what I mean

[krrc]

hang on

[krrc]

like this

[RachelS.]

:O You changed my logo lol

I see what you mean!! I will have to try that and make it stand out a little. Thanks krrc!

[krrc]

you could outline the black text in white or something I just did it quick so you could se what I ment.

[Invictus]

The best thing to do with the text beneath the banner is to give it the SAME text color and the same ghostly border as the primary text. One of the rules of banner design is not to allow too many types of contrast or the image looks "broken"... like too many parts instead of multiple elements of one single part, ya know?

Because the text is smaller and wider, it has its own emphasis, but still, it's only one change - dimension. By making the text green with a red border, you're not "killing it with contrast", as I call it. You're changing one thing - dimension. Everything else is uniform and thus looks like an element rather than its own separate part.

The example provided by krrc is another example of killing it with contrast, but not because of the colors used - this actually gives it more uniform because it uses the same colors as the primary logo. (Good choice on that one, krrc). However, the pattern itself is too busy, so it kills with contrast. A more steady line would look fabulous in the example provided.

But, this is just my opinion. I've been doing graphic design for a long time, and there are some rules I've found that work for me. Other artists and viewers may have a different perspective.

[Emily-Fisher]

Something like this would be nice....
<img src="http://www.boomspeed.com/lunaluver/rachelbanner.gif">
Simple but sweet, I guess

When I look at this picture, the first thing that I see is the retic's head because it's in the middle and because it's very focussed. But when I look right at the retics head, I can still read the title a bit from the corner of my eye even though it's blurry.. however, you can't read the catch line thing but it sticks out. Like, out of the corner of my eye, i see a bunch of text that I can't read but that sticks out so right away, I turn my eyes to read it.

You know... the title shouldn't be the thing that stands out the most but it should be big. The sentance/motto thing should be the oposite... it should be very small but it should stand out. Then the rest of the banner should be one simple nice picture of what you specialize in. A lot of the focus should be on the picture too. You would think that well since you want to advertise your site, you would want the name and catch line to be really "out there" and that yuo should just have a small picture off to the side that is barely noticable. What I tend to do with my banners is I think of what would look cool and do the opposite. The opposite always seems to look nicer in the end, anyway!!

Well, tell me what you think..

[Jeff Hathaway]

Well, I think Ken's advice is right on the money, and I also think that Emily's is great, too! Emily, how long did it take you to do that?

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

[Invictus]

Thanks for proving me right again, Emily - you have a gift for graphic design.

[RachelS.]

Invictus, you're idea is golden! I might try a little of that in there, but also take the idea of Emily and mix it all together.

Emily, you DO have a gift!! That is awesome! I am so going with that. You totally rock!

Thanks everyone

[Tim and Julie B]

Geez, and I can't even figure out how to START making a banner logo! LMFAO

JULIE