Hello AGSers
This is a first draft of the poster/box art for TSP.
First I wanted to go for something more alternative and artsy, but I ended up with this rather conventional.
Any C&C before I send this one off to Screen7?
(http://www.esseb.com/andail/samaritanposter.png)
The image is cool looking and very artsy. I see that you don't want the logos on the painting but how they are placed at the moment looks unbalanced. The excessive empty black space at the bottom left is just totally strange, like a black hole sucking in all energy and dynamics from the nice painting. I somehow think that's why you ask for critiques... well, if there are more logos to come that's pretty fine though (once you have all the IGF and AGS trophys you can put these on the black space but atm it looks too emtpy), if these are indeed the only logos involved you might either go and take that step and place them onto the image (with some slight transparency maybe). Or just put them above the title (Faravid interactive and screen 7 present). Or put this line right below the title, that's totally edgy and artsy.
speaking of the title, i love typewriterfonts and it is very fitting for samaritian paradox but the mintcolor of the word paradox doesn't stand out from the cloudy background. I'd put an outline around the title or better some dark dropshadow with 0 distance or just a slight glow (play around with a bright orange-yellow on burn blending mode (at least I think that's the english name for that blending mode in PS) and different opacitys). For the color of the word paradox I'd either colorpick a color from within the painting to make it fit or invert the colors of the painting and colorpick one cool color from that (as it is a paradox alright). Or use a different typewriterfont for the word paradox. Or both. Or even more...
what could also look nice is a bolder outline in black or one of the darker cloudcolors around the whole thing.
I agree that the black bar at the bottom looks a bit off, but I also understand why it's there. Perhaps if the bar was slightly transparent, showing the painting through (assuming there is more there), it would look more integrated. Either that, or an edge to the top of it could help. How about inverting the Screen 7 logo? That might look a bit better, too.
I'd also increase the size of the title font to draw more attention to it, along with the color change to Paradox as suggested.
Here's a quick edit:
(http://oi58.tinypic.com/ok4tjd.jpg)
Maybe move the faravid logo to the left corner.
I agree with much of what has been said above regarding layout, here is a complete rubbish 1 minute edit:
(http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/607/75sa.png) (https://imageshack.com/i/gv75sap)
The only other comment I would make would be whether to strengthen the contrast between Ord's dreary city on the right and the fantasy world on the left by making it more colourful/saturated on the left?
I agree with the others that the painting itself is fine (though personally I'd turn down the amount of pink in those skin tones), but you really should play around with the title and logos.
First of all, the text is pretty small, to the point where it doesn't really look like a title. It would be one thing to present the title in an un-title-like way, but with the positioning and stylized typeface so conventional, it just seems like it's accidentally underemphasized (it's probably the most important part of the composition, after all). Dactylopolus's edit is better, but I'd almost want to make it even bigger and more imposing (e.g. by outlining it). Also, I think the way you've distressed the font is not entirely successful: it looks a little "pixelly" and aliased to me, like something pasted in with Paint (which in turn reads to me like a fake edit rather than a "real" title).
I feel like I should be able to look at the picture and just know what the title is without consciously making an effort to read it, and that isn't the case at the moment.
The left side with the village is blocky and pixely compared to the very nicely detailed right side.
I think the main problem with the font is that you're trying to make it look worn and weathered but that sort of makes it hard to read. I'd just go with straight Courier New without any edits. And definitely move it a little lower like in Intense Degree's edit.
Something like this.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5479044/%21ech2.jpg)
Added a sort of tumbler text scroll/Matrix number fall that was inspired by the opening of the demo. It sort of gives it a more cerebral vibe I think even though it's not executed perfectly. I also shortened it as a test but doesn't really work. It just seems too wide to fit on one line and still be big and noticeable. Maybe consider a more condensed font or splitting it into more lines.
okay, I also made a version :)
(http://selmiak.bplaced.net/stuff/samar.jpg)
I also added an outline and made the tower on the right cut out from it, but my execution of it sucks, but you get the idea and with the painting source it might be easier to get this in.
The drop shadow doesn't look good. And the blue stands above the tan so it reads like The Paradox Samaritan.
And why do you need the Faravid Interactive and Screen 7 Presents when you already have their logos at the bottom. Also why is Faravid Interactive capitalized? :P The solid/bolder font looks a lot better though.
I like the dropshadow. The thing I did with the title is called typography or so, combined with the believe in the ability to read of the viewer.
FARAVID INT is capitalized as it is like that in the logo, but yeah, the bottom still looks empty, could also be left out when you have the names in the pic or shortened like in your version.
selmiak's edit is cool, although I'd remove the "presents" stuff from the top and move the word "the" to the left to avoid it looking jumbled. I actually like the drop shadow to separate the title a bit from the background, and Armageddon was right about lowering the text. Moving the Faravid logo to the left is better, more balanced, but maybe a Windows PC logo could go in that spot?
Thanks everyone!
I'm strangely illiterate when it comes to logos and typography and stuff.
I took all your collected wisdom and made this:
(http://www.esseb.com/andail/samaritanposter2.png)
* Lowered, enlarged titled and made it bolder. Also chose a better font, hopefully less ms paint imported looking
* Added a little text with company names and present
* Kept the lower black bar (it might come in handy if I want to tack on more logos and crap, but spread the two current logos to balance it out a bit
* Increased definition on fantasy village to make it less blurry/pixely
* Reduced pink tones in girl's face
* Added hair definition and details on girl
I like the cover-style of Intense Degree - it somehow has the most "commercial vibe" :cool:
I'd skip the "Faravid Interactive and Screen 7 present". The logos are shown at the bottom anyway and I think the font doesn't fit. Apart from that, I think it looks great!
I agree with Cat. Or if you're going to keep that, make all of "Faravid Interactive and Screen 7 present" the same font size. Preferably a smaller one. Right now you've got four different font styles all going on in a very small piece of real estate and it looks too messy.
Personally, I don't see the need for the 'Faravid Interactive and Screen 7 Present'. The logos are already on the same image, so there's no need to repeat them. I reckon you could get away with replacing that text with your own name ;-D.
I like Intense Degree's and Armageddon's versions having the Faravid logo in the middle, but having said that I'm not quite as keen what either of them have done with the Screen7 logo.
First of all: Great poster/box art.
I agree with Cat as well.
Don't know if Stupot was joking but imo, adding your own name kind of makes sense. It's more a question of humility :-D
I think it looked more stylish without the border but maybe it's needed for readability.
(http://selmiak.bplaced.net/stuff/sama2.jpg) :-D
I'd consider still making the title bigger. Consider what information you want the viewer to see first, to give the most importance to, to prioritize, etc. You probably want them to be intrigued by the image, but to remember the name of the title. Boost that importance with scale.
I've done a quick example using American Typewriter bold and splitting the words across multiple lines. I've also given a little extra room to the Screen 7 logo. Instead of making that a completely separate section at the bottom with a border, I'd consider using a mask or a gradient to slowly fade the main image into black and place your logos against that.
(http://i.imgur.com/MgfQAde.png)
Selmiak, I see where you're coming from, but I fear your version would take away from the serious, sombre atmosphere I'm going for here. I hope you don't object if I choose not to use your ideas in any future versions :)
Okay, so I'm probably ditching the "bla bla present" text, but I'm too modest to include my own name there, because imho putting names along with titles should be reserved for people like Sid Meier or Daryl F Gates and the likes.
So what I basically need is some kind of tagline or subheader or something... like "can you read between the lines?" but much less corny and sucky
Quote from: Andail on Wed 12/02/2014 10:06:48
Okay, so I'm probably ditching the "bla bla present" text...
I'd say that's a good decision. It's looking much nicer now, though. And I didn't say it before, but great job with the art!
I feel eric is on the right track title wise, but personally dislike the logos on each side like that. I think the faravid interactive logo looks great centered, but I got no idea how the screen7 logo could be placed nicely in there too like that.. Great cover art btw! :). Looking forward to the game release!
Quote from: Peder Johnsen+ on Wed 12/02/2014 15:13:54dislike the logos on each side like that
I almost changed this too, but doubted my feeling! I think it's that there's too much empty space between them and our eye is drawn to the middle of that space instead of the logos within it. I think they might look good together (with appropriate padding) on the right side. EDIT: Oh!
As it is in the original. Sorry. I made mine by compositing yours and a later edit to take as much logo out of the sky as I could.
Ugh! And one more thing I meant to mention earlier. I don't know if you're open to any suggestions that involve redrawing parts of the picture, but in terms of visual appeal and creating interest, it might work better to have Freja's sword be held more vertically. Right now, it's something you notice, as opposed to something you see right away. That's where the best appeal lies in your image, I think, the mix of, "Hey, that modern-looking guy's got a book. Whoa, she has a sword! What's going on here?"
Here's another go. Her hand is, of course, all crazy and anatomically unsound now:
(http://i.imgur.com/4wHmQSF.png)
Her looking at a gleam in the sword would be much more interesting than just looking off into pixel medieval town. :)
Oh shit. I didn't even notice she was holding the sword. My eye glazed over it. I read it as a guard rail or something she was holding onto or leaning against.
Changing the angle of the sword to make it more visible might be a good idea.
And I'm not sure it needs a tagline. They always sound cheesy to me. Unless you come up with a really good one, my opinion would be to leave it be.
I really like the look of the (first) title size that Selmiak made. The title size felt good and the font was nice too. Big difference from the original. This edit I mentioned still looks the best IMO, except for the typo.
I'd recommend maybe drawing up an original title--something that you could use for branding and future artwork.