Improving my banner?

Dburkhead · Post by **Dburkhead** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:53 pm

This is maybe a bit of an odd request. I'm looking for suggestions on improving my Cold Servings banner. The one I use now is something I threw together pretty quickly with a 3/4 view head shot of the main character, the title, and one of several different "catch phrases" I've been trying out for the comic.

I'll be wanting reviews/critiques of the comic when more of it comes out.

Hiye · Post by **Hiye** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 5:02 pm

The only thing I can suggest is change the text that says Cold Servings. The electric blue colours are rather bright and painful and clash with the rest of the banner, and the edges look jagged. If you're working with photoshop, you might want to change the font style to smooth or turn anti-alias on.. but the biggest thing would be the bright colours.

The font at the right looks good, though. You might also want to experiment with the background or insert a more dynamic picture of your character. An arresting angle or position, even if it is just for his face, would work nicely.

Also consider the background colours - grey usually doesn't attract much attention. You might want to consider a colour scheme or just experiment with some interesting combinations or filter effects.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 5:43 pm

Some tips here, but as for a critique...

The banner's quite flat and uninteresting, mainly due to the flat, uninteresting grey background but the headshot is also undramatic and dull. The title has aliased (jagged, pixelated) edges, too. That looks unprofessional.

Finally, the banner as a whole doesn't look like one thing. It looks like three things stuck together. Or, too put it another way, if you chop it up into title, headshot and tagline, each piece will stand by itself with no indication at all that it belongs to something bigger. Nothing overlaps, there's nothing dynamic about it and there's that grey background again, which, thanks to the battleship grey colour scheme of the early Windows operating systems, looks like a default colour rather than a choice.

The background is the main thing. Do something more interesting with the background and it'll be quite good.

- Joel Fagin

Dburkhead · Post by **Dburkhead** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:05 pm

New banner. How's this one?

A number of points here:
- The background is now a "skyline" view of Indianapolis, where the series takes place.
- I've added a second character (not introduced in the series yet, so it may actually be a "spoiler").
- I've changed the logo. The colors are intended to go with the "cold" theme.

Bass Master Fei · Post by **Bass Master Fei** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:19 pm

The picture is kind of bad quality, and the composition doesn't really catch the eye, either. I'd recommend getting those two out of their current place smack in the middle, and moving them to the left to de-emphasize the somewhat fuzzy woman, then moving "Cold Servings" to the right, above or under the slogan-thing.

Just in general, move things out of the middle. Of course, I've always had a strong bias towards leaning to one side

. *walks sideways*

Whatever you do, keep the guy with the blue; he's the best part of the picture.

Dburkhead · Post by **Dburkhead** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 11:36 am

Yet another new one:

in GIF:

in JPG:

I've re-rendered Teresa and moved her, along with Tom, over to the left. I've darkened the background to "fit" more the rather dark nature of the comic. I've put the logo and the "tagline" one atop the other with the tagline in a lighter color and both in a larger font. I've introduced yet another supporting cast member (Justin King) on the right to balance the composition.

What I'm hoping for is something "good enough for now" so I can get back to concentrating on writing/drawing the comic until I have at least the introductory story arc done.

Gengar003 · Post by **Gengar003** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 3:07 pm

I much prefer the .gif. You are compressing your .jpg way too much... ease up a bit or just use the gif. No point in stressing over a nice banner if you're gonna compress the bejeezus out of it.

That said, I like it.... though I do agree that the characters don't quite mesh with the background.

Maybe draw a banner like you would a comic? So that everyone is definitely a part of the whole thing?

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 10:07 am

If you can, try blending the white halos around the two figures on the left with the background. Other than that, I think you have a winner.

SpiritofEowyn · Post by **SpiritofEowyn** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 10:41 pm

How do you guys come up with good catchphrases?
I'm working on one of my first banners and can't think how to sum up the plot in a catchphrase.
Dburkhead asked eariler so I figured it was fair game.

::sorry if I'm committing a faux pas on this forum, but this is my first post::
>_<

(example- I like the layout, but I can't think of anything fittingly witty that fits the plot)
Feel free to tell me you think the layout sucks too, I can take it.
Does the girl completely not fit the rest of it?

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 9:05 pm

A catch phrase is something short and to the point that describes your comic. I have yet to come up with a good one too.

Post by **Mercury Hat** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 9:14 pm

My catchphrase doesn't have anything to do with my comic at all

.

SpiritofEowyn · Post by **SpiritofEowyn** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:01 am

Well thats heartening. *o* Here I thought I was the only one.
So you guys don't think it has to have anything to do with the comic, just witty? probably random.

" Calastra: gurenteed one sweat drop per page! "

It will make you do the wacky.

If sheep were money- I'd still be dirt poor.

"Calastra: the comic with more issues than you!"

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:18 am

I've got about twenty taglines for my comic, I'm afraid.* Some aren't so hot, mind you, but I seem to have the right dramatic turn of mind for them. However, I don't really know any rules for it - just what works and what doesn't. - except, that is, for the rule of three. That one is simply that three sentences is dramatic. For example, "Log on. Hack in. Steal everything." or "Trapped in Time, Surrounded by Evil, Low on Gas".

Edit: Try looking up "movie taglines" in google for ideas, or browse IMDB.com.

- Joel Fagin

* I'll probably rotate them.