cover for phone directory

[biosensor]

hello good morning, well im kinda new around here posted some of my stuff before, but anyways ive done mostly just personal stuff,im a intern for our local telecommunications company, well this is the first time i have attempted any of this type of design work and i know its a little plain but i would like your crits... i want to fill the white apce but im not to sure of what to put in there, i was thinking since the place is out here on the indian rez i could put maybe a stock photo of some of our indeginious pottery....

http://www.afreeimagehost.com/upload/517/cover.jpg

[Birdie1483]

Maybe put a photo (with proper license and permission of course) of the butes and other landscape in the area. I'm not sure what part of Arizona you're from, but I know the land is very beauitful. A verticle image of a rock formation jutting out of the earth would be nice. If you do so, you'll need to tweak the color combincation to compliment your image. Try some muted browns, pinks, oranges, yellows, ect that would be go along with the theme.

Also, if you use a background image, make sure the type is still readable. Maybe try using a typeface that is not bold for the bottom text. Gills Sans is always a favorite, but play around and see what you come up with. Right now it seems too cramped together.

[Mynock]

I would horizontally flip the second photo and move it to the last shot. Draw the eye back into the center. I dunno. The pictures just don't work for me.

[mar1300]

The text a bottom doesn't look right to me...it's seems unbalanced to me. Maybe try to keep it align with the text on top

[balou]

Right now it's just promoting the phone company and not the area. I like the pottery idea or scenery. Check with a local artists or photographers. They may be willing to submit slides or photos in exchange for a mention on inside page - "About the Cover:". Would be great publicity for them having their work showcased in everyones home.

[Mynock]

Good point mar I would left justify it to the vertical bar.

[biosensor]

thanx everyone for your input i really appreciate it, yea im working on all things you all mentiond right now i was working on it and i changed the bottom of it and put it in the white area aligned with the blue part..im going to go take pictures in a little while so i can fill the area.

honestly this is tottally different than anything they have had before all the previous stuff was totally different...they are kinda firm believers in filters...

[Navian]

I like the layout, the images, but i dont like the large orange gaps, maybe shrink those up a bit? They are overpowered

I agree you could align the area codes and locations to the blue vertical part. align them with the top text (use a guide and place it on the rouned backside of the "G" in Gila, and the "2" in 2006.)

Becareful on filling that white space. While white space is a powerful additional element, it can also be destructive if used wrong. In your case I believe its fine, if you align the area codes up and maybe stack them?

[Mynock]

What if you put the text below the photos instead of above?

[Navian]

Oh, get rid of the drop shadow, or shrink it up.

I agree Mynock, the heading could fit under the pictures, BUT it leaves you with that large amount of white space at the top.

[biosensor]

here is some of there old ads and such...
http://www.afreeimagehost.com/upload/517/1ad.jpg
http://www.afreeimagehost.com/upload/517/ad3.jpg
http://www.afreeimagehost.com/upload/517/Untitled-2.jpg

[biosensor]

ok so here we go again, this is what i got so far i had to move th bottom to the left because it wasnt showing through the image, i also have to add a image also in the open spot.

tell me what you think, does it suck? i tried to change the stuff you were all talking about....
im thinking i put the area codes in the left corner? im not sure any help?
http://www.afreeimagehost.com/upload/8461/wdfghfgh.jpg

[balou]

I'm scrolling back & forth from this one to first one. I'm favoring the white space when looking at them together. Maybe try the scenery shot in the open space? I know, I know, I was the one said "put a big picture in there!" :rolleyes: Sometimes just need to see it. Fun to see the progress.

[biosensor]

i went out to the desert for nothing!!!!
lol...just kidding....

[danedawg99]

hey, the man in the maze!! god, we put that thing on enough shirts over here... :D

I like this last one. Too bad we can't get any rain so there could be some green in that pic (I work in a shirt shop in Mesa). There seems to be a too much awkward blue space in the lower left corner. and the piece in kinda top heavy.
hope this helps.

[emmerse]

I think the pictures are a bit redundant. Its a phone book... people know there are operators, service crews and key pads involved when they use a phone.

I would work out a concept that highlights this particular service directory's features. Why does your end user need to use this book when 3 others are avaible? what makes yours the better one? right now, all your cover says is "we hire people to make phones work"

[biosensor]

thanx guys i appreciate it yeah i know what you mean by the pictures as for the man in the maze i work out here on the gila river rezervation, so its part of our heritige, and gets used in everything but honestly im tired of using the same images...its hard to actualy get stuff to use out here, because of religious significence. all the stuff i took myself excempt for the phone numbers.
yeah honestly the phone diretory is just aimed at the rezervation, we have to do our own services because we so rural when it comes to the other companies and us, they charge us a arm and a leg for services, hell maybe as of a year or 2 ago the company i work for recently just got dsl, we were having a metting today and my boss says that half the people are still using dialup and the other half dsl...

so the marketing program im working in isnt that old they have had the same designs for years and the stuff i posted before was some of there best stuff i was trying to change it up a bit....

[emmerse]

hmmm, now that you mentioned that, maybe focus on the "for the people, by the people" aspect of the company. Really play up the local appeal.

[biosensor]

thanx again for input ill make a copuple of different ones and show you all....
leslie i think your idea is a good idea and to be honest it has had sucess here before from what i understand, they have done that before for there quaterly reports and we are in the process of open art contests for the community.
this has to be done so there is no way it could be a contest, but the idea has been done like i said.

well i really do appreciate all your help you have given me alot of things to take into consideration, like i said i have mostly just done personal stuff nothing really like this and to be honest the person im working with doesnt really know how to really do this stuff she knows the programs but she believes in filters. she always wants a outer glow on the logo.. it drives me crazy so i kinda want to get it done so she doesnt have to bother me :)

[D-Frag]

Hey Bio, my only concern with your latest comp is that the main photo lacks alot. I live in AZ too, and have an extensive selection of photography from around the state. Don't know how complex your guidelines are when using stock photography, but I would be happy to help you out with some photography as long as I can get a copy for my portfolio. Let me know in PM. Good luck!

[Kool]

OK this thread has been split. Let's see if we can get this phonebook cover finalized. :D

If you wish to argue about contests go HERE (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14398)

[D-Frag]

thank you thank you thank you!!!

Kool, and his magic wand and beanstalks, you rock!

[Mr.Red]

I have to say I like the overall layout, but would recommend moving the first two lines of copy along with the "bar" of photos down a bit. All of your elements seem to be competing with each other along the top. I just prefer a some "air" flowing between elements on a page.

[LancasterJohn]

My two cents worth... everything is fighting for attention at the top. The cactus is getting way too much attention. The type on the side (area codes and towns) does not need to be so bold/big. The orange band spacing is uneven. I do like the layout, just needs refining. What about super-imposing the dial pad image over the left hand blue bar at 15-25% -- a little Photoshop magic? Just a thought. Best of luck!