Doodles 12: Just like clockwork.

[LibertyCabbage]

Isn't "Online" redundant?

[Cope]

I figure he's going for a retro '90s feel.

[LibertyCabbage]

I figure he's going for a retro '90s feel.

O.K., I see how that could work.

[peterabnny]

Okay, then... Ditch the "Online" part of the name - check. Change the color scheme - check. Any preferences? Black on yellow? Yellow on purple? Should I pull out a color wheel and look for opposites? I got low marks originally when I tried to come up with a digitalized logo, so I went back to an analog paint-on-cardstock approach that you see here.

What about the tiled background? Lose it and just have a plain solid color background?

[Mastermind]

If you're aiming for a graffiti look, maybe replace the tiles with hand drawn bricks. I'd also place a bunny kilroy next to your name, might look cute.

[peterabnny]

I had an toonsmith pal pan the tiled BG and agreed with everything else you guys said. Do you think a hand-drawn brick wall would be better, or a pic of an actual brick wall (just thinking of things from a color standpoint)..?

[IVstudios]

I think the bricks would work well. The tile look brings to mind a shower and that + red drippy liquid on the wall = violent shower murder, ala Norman Bates and Scarface. A "spray paint" look instead of the brush look might help it read better as graffiti as well.

[Mastermind]

I imagined simple slightly crooked pen lines (Beavis & Butthead feel). Real brick pattern could work if it made the background for the entire page and in a neutral color like sand or gray with low contrast.

[peterabnny]

Okay, cool. Going back to the drawing table for a v3.0 of the logo but have a beta test of the redesigned website up and live now. Here's what I got so far: http://www.crittersonline.org.

Getting closer?

[peterabnny]

Okay, cool. Going back to the drawing table for a v3.0 of the logo, but have a beta test of the redesigned website up and live now. Be back soon!

[RobboAKAscooby]

Okay, cool. Going back to the drawing table for a v3.0 of the logo but have a beta test of the redesigned website up and live now. Here's what I got so far: http://www.crittersonline.org.

Getting closer?

Well it's certainly looking more modern. Still needs a background of course. Just try to tie everything together thematically.

Side note, try adjusting the levels in your comic - I did a quick go on your current page to show what I mean - this way the blacks are less washed out:

july2012.jpg

(245.19 KiB) Not downloaded yet

[peterabnny]

Okay, cool. Going back to the drawing table for a v3.0 of the logo but have a beta test of the redesigned website up and live now. Here's what I got so far: http://www.crittersonline.org.

Getting closer?

Well it's certainly looking more modern. Still needs a background of course. Just try to tie everything together thematically.

Side note, try adjusting the levels in your comic - I did a quick go on your current page to show what I mean - this way the blacks are less washed out:

july2012.jpg

Thanks! At first I couldn't see any difference, until I compared my original to your touched-up version. What'd you do to highlight the blacks?

TBH, at this point I haven't a clue as to what to use as a background. I was just going to have a plain, solid color background.

[RobboAKAscooby]

Thanks! At first I couldn't see any difference, until I compared my original to your touched-up version. What'd you do to highlight the blacks?

TBH, at this point I haven't a clue as to what to use as a background. I was just going to have a plain, solid color background.

Just used GIMP, go into Color > Levels then use the black eyedropper to pick a point that should be black (used the gray on the stairs) and then you can adjust a bit manually if you want.

Plain colour background can work but you might want a subtle texture, you'll figure it out when everything comes together.

[peterabnny]

Thanks! At first I couldn't see any difference, until I compared my original to your touched-up version. What'd you do to highlight the blacks?

TBH, at this point I haven't a clue as to what to use as a background. I was just going to have a plain, solid color background.

Just used GIMP, go into Color > Levels then use the black eyedropper to pick a point that should be black (used the gray on the stairs) and then you can adjust a bit manually if you want.
quote]

I don't have GIMP, but PS has something similar. I never would have thought about messing with the contrast levels, but there is a difference when you stand back and look at it. I'll try that on this next cartoon that I'll be releasing this weekend.

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

I might suggest using google fonts to either create your own font or choose an existing one, I think the use of plain old arial kind of takes away from the visual cohesiveness.

[RobboAKAscooby]

Some miscellaneous pics I'm using as I experiment with my own site redesign:

miscpics.jpg (66.84 KiB) Viewed 584 times

[peterabnny]

I might suggest using google fonts to either create your own font or choose an existing one, I think the use of plain old arial kind of takes away from the visual cohesiveness.

I'm wondering what I could use. I have another toonsmith friend of mine who's also a professional web designer also helping me, and he said I should drop the Times Roman that I had been using and use something simple like Ariel instead. But DO NOT use Comic Sans, as it's tired and way overused for comics. I should ask him what he thinks...

[VeryCuddlyCornpone]

I might suggest using google fonts to either create your own font or choose an existing one, I think the use of plain old arial kind of takes away from the visual cohesiveness.

I'm wondering what I could use. I have another toonsmith friend of mine who's also a professional web designer also helping me, and he said I should drop the Times Roman that I had been using and use something simple like Ariel instead. But DO NOT use Comic Sans, as it's tired and way overused for comics. I should ask him what he thinks...

I agree with not using comic sans or TNR, but I think making the lettering you use for your comic might be a possibly good idea. But your friend, being a pro, likely knows better than I do, so heed his advice over mine

[McDuffies]

Hey, the other day I wrote this:

Hi!

How do you like it? I think I'm really getting a hang of this writing thing.

[Ahaugen]

you're a hell of a writer for such a novice