AnimeSuki Summer 2014 Banner Contest - Collaboration/Discussion Thread

[Rennir]

@Bila: No complaints really. Seems ready to be submitted. One technical detail is that while I think the typography is great from a graphics design standpoint, from a banner design standpoint "forums" might just be a little too blended into the bg. Being able to see "Animesuki Forums" clearly and quickly is arguably more important than any other part of the banner considering it's purpose. If it were just a tag, I'd say it doesn't need any tweaking.

@rikikai: Yup! I have nothing else to say.

[Bila]

@milan ~ In the second banner there is too much going on too many pictures if you get me.
I would try to lessen the amount of pictures.


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Thanks for the feedback everyone

Tried another font for the forums, i wanted a more "delicate" one but all resulted in the same result, difficult reading.

It's already with the right size, so if everything is alright i will submit later today.

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by rikikai

Is this better?

You need to work on both corners because it doesn't blend well with the background gradient. See here:

Beige / Blue

Once that is fixed, it's a very nice banner, it really improved if compared to the first version. Will you make another one once this is finished?

Originally Posted by milan kyuubi

Even tho I already submitted my first entry. I would like to hear opinion/s on it!



Beige / Blue

C&C?

I think it could have a better banner to background transition on the left side, particularly that blue-ish stain, and that blue element on the left should be faded out a bit because it stands out.

Originally Posted by Bila

Tried another font for the forums, i wanted a more "delicate" one but all resulted in the same result, difficult reading.

Very cute, it feels complete to me.

[rikikai]

Originally Posted by Bila

Very nice, just one thing but I think it's more a personal opinion, the border color of animesuki seems a little bit too pink maybe it would be better if it was more red like the flowers behind

Originally Posted by milan kyuubi

I like the green color of this one! Though the texte might be not visible enough.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I fixed the Menma one


Test page beige

And make another one for my second entry:



Source: Morgiana from Magi (image)
Test page beige

[Ryonea]

Both of them look very lovely, rikikai.

The gradient problem on your Menma is gone already but there's still a slight trace of chopped cloud on the right side of the "forums" word I mentioned in the previous page. You can look at it from the test page and by looking at your monitor from low angle so it'll be more visible. Fix that, and it's perfect.

[Auxilism]

Originally Posted by Rennir

It feels like the banner is just lacking in action/content. Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like you just use a stock + render, bubble effects and blended a bit? Maybe add some more effects, or find some way to make the bubbles seem more eye-catching? Also typography could use some world.

I don't know exactly what a stock is but it is true I didn't put a lot of things into it because I prefer it to be less flashy and I'm new at these kind of things.

Is this better?



Edit: I'm really sick now so either this or the previous version will be my entry.

[Frailty]

been trying to make a 2nd entry



here's what I have so far

EDIT:
v2 (more stuff)


png quality for now
and I'm gonna leave this textless for now as well

thoughts?

[RRW]

since everyone is making 2



any advice how to make prettier?

source


EDIT: version 2

[Bila]

@ rikikai ~ Yeah i tried red but it didn't look how i expected so i went do pink.
The new banner is lovely, i really like it

@ Frailty ~ Takane
I prefer the second version, nway good banner.

@ RRW ~ Just a ideia, why you don't try erasing the background on the sunflowers, like a render instead of making it blend with the gradient?
I would try put a little more details like brushes

[blaze0041]

Busy, busy... haven't had much time to make too many major changes, but since it's now two banners per person, I decided to try a few things with Banner #1:
DraftC r4b: BG enlarged.

Preview: Beige | Blue

DraftC r5: Different BG and fonts.

Preview: Beige | Blue

DraftC r6: Changed fonts (a little worried about readability here), squeezed a bit more room for the central area.

Preview: Beige | Blue

And Banner #2:
DraftB r1: Changed fonts and adjusted vibrance and saturation. Probably needs a little more decoration now.

Preview: Beige | Blue

I think I overdid the vibration and saturation a little... whoops.
Feedback is much appreciated!

[kirikirito334]

Originally Posted by blaze0041

Busy, busy... haven't had much time to make too many major changes, but since it's now two banners per person, I decided to try a few things with Banner #1:
DraftC r4b: BG enlarged.

Preview: Beige | Blue

DraftC r5: Different BG and fonts.

Preview: Beige | Blue

DraftC r6: Changed fonts (a little worried about readability here), squeezed a bit more room for the central area.

Preview: Beige | Blue

And Banner #2:
DraftB r1: Changed fonts and adjusted vibrance and saturation. Probably needs a little more decoration now.

Preview: Beige | Blue

I think I overdid the vibration and saturation a little... whoops.
Feedback is much appreciated!

The first is the best among them. I prefer simple things compared to detailed ones. Just an opinion

[RRW]

hmm still playing around with the font





I dont know. which one is better? or can anybody suggest better font?

[Arya]

Ok, I'm really late here, but here's my entry. I made two versions and not very sure which one to choose and if it fits the bill.
Any advice is welcomed.

Here the first one (something is missing imo):




then the second version:

[Ryonea]

@Auxilism: I see you added some swirls, but they're barely visible try playing with the layer blending mode and the opacity. The text is better left straight like in your previous drafts IMO.

@Frailty: I'd say the 1st one is better but it lacks the BG width for sure. Maybe try to extend the BG by putting some clouds from the edges of the 1st pic. You might also want to give a bit of warmer color too. Either from the clouds, the tone of the overall image, or maybe just from the texts.

@blaze0041: r5 looks good and generally no problem. I also see generally no problem with Ritsu, except maybe you need to nudge her upward a bit just enough to see her shoulders. For the beach BG, I'd go for r6 since it has more width but with simplified text.

Are the flowers on the text of r6 a part of the font or they're brushes? if they're brushes then I think it's best not to apply a stroke to them to match the fonts since it can ruin the soft edges, like the tiny sparkles especially around the "i" letter. They look rough. If you worry about the visibility, I think outer glow would work.

@RRW: The 3rd one seems best for me. Unfortunately I can't really name a specific font that would match yours so I suggest just try everything in your collection or maybe search the net for potential ones. Aside from the font, you can spice the text by varying the fonts between the words and also the colorizations.

The overall image also feels too blue-ish to me, so you might want to balance it by making it more yellowish.

@Arya: I assume you're using a render from a screenshot? I'd say find a better quality or change it, preferably from scans. The decorations around the text looks nice although I believe it should be placed near the center and the render, and the text should be larger too.

Probably base your placement from the 1st version, but shift the characters to the right a bit, and bring both the text and the fish close to the characters so they're packed in the center.

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Looks like the extended deadline really unleashed the inner master in everyone. So many great entries I'm already confused to choose.

[Auxilism]

@Ryonea
Is this better?

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by Ryonea

Looks like the extended deadline really unleashed the inner master in everyone. So many great entries I'm already confused to choose.

Regarding this, I'm pleased to announce that there's been a further extension of the deadline, now set to June 25, 00:00 (12:00 AM) UTC.

We're still short of entries and the new participants need some time to adjust their works. But be aware that this is the last extension, so be sure to submit your entries before the expiration date.

[Arya]

Originally Posted by Ryonea

@Arya: I assume you're using a render from a screenshot? I'd say find a better quality or change it, preferably from scans. The decorations around the text looks nice although I believe it should be placed near the center and the render, and the text should be larger too.

Probably base your placement from the 1st version, but shift the characters to the right a bit, and bring both the text and the fish close to the characters so they're packed in the center.

Thanks for your notes Ryonea, everything but the characters are from screenshots from the series, but now that I checked again I used a low quality image for the characters, from yande.re. By the way, I think this was an official art composition, but I'll post the link where I downloaded it from.
I'll work a bit more with the first one, it's just that I wanted to use all the space available, I was considering a 24" monitor's perspective.

In any case since I'll be away for holidays from tomorrow onward (only for a week ) I really need to speed up with my adjustments. But at work is really hard to do it

[blaze0041]

Originally Posted by Ryonea

@blaze0041: r5 looks good and generally no problem. I also see generally no problem with Ritsu, except maybe you need to nudge her upward a bit just enough to see her shoulders. For the beach BG, I'd go for r6 since it has more width but with simplified text.

Are the flowers on the text of r6 a part of the font or they're brushes? if they're brushes then I think it's best not to apply a stroke to them to match the fonts since it can ruin the soft edges, like the tiny sparkles especially around the "i" letter. They look rough. If you worry about the visibility, I think outer glow would work.

Hmm... the main font I used in DraftC r6 is called Hawaii Lover (and I really like the tropical vibe I get from that font), but I think I've figured out a way to get around that little problem.
DraftC r7: Splash of white paint behind the text. Character repositioning.

Preview: Beige | Blue

And an edit for #2 as well:
DraftB r2: Ritsu nudged upwards slightly, secondary font change, opacity of curves layer reduced and a few decorative changes.

Preview: Beige | Blue

It makes me wonder if it would look better if I had used DraftB r2's gradient transition on DraftC.

[Arya]

I've made some changes and used the high-res image for the characters.
This night I'll add the last adjustments and the submit one of the two.



Version 1:



Version 2:


Still I don't know which one to submit btw

[Krytonis]

Haven't touched Photoshop for a while

Draft: