Let Me Entertain you design

[Emmanize]

I was asked to do a design by a friend of mine (thats her in the images). As normal I kinda knew what look she was after, and came up with the below:

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room24/631252/let_me_entertain_you_small.jpg

What do you think? There are some things I could tinker with but she likes it as it is so Ill leave it.

I am going to give logos a whirl soon, I reckon id be useless at them :D But Ill give it a whirl.

For yous that like "space" in your designs, you might not like mine lol. If i see a space I fill it in most cases ;)

[emmerse]

The masking work on her picture on the right is pretty rough, looks like you got it close then just blurred the edges so you didn't have to do the tedious detail work. And the white glow around her isn't working IMO. I see it all the time and I immediately think "lazy." On the contrary, the picture on the left looks pretty choppy. I like the soft glow of the one in the middle. If it were me, I'd leave that one and drop the other two. Do you really need three pics of the same girl? Or maybe one large one for maximum effect.

Definitely don't like the stripper font. Maybe if it was used on just one letter it'd be ok, but it looks pretty gimmicky as it is now. especially because of the b's next to eachother. They make it blatently apparent it's just a font and not custom work. Also, it gets pretty lost as it is. I would think about putting it in a better spot to let it have a bit more weight.

The "let me entertain you" part needs a little work. The curve it sits on looks a little awkward and the last part of it is blending into the fence.

ok, on the positive, I like the random pink shapes, and the chainlink background. The pink shapes are chaotic while the fence is very ordered and its a nice contrast. I think the colors work well too. Overall, it looks pretty good, but there a lot of minor details that need to be worked out to really tighten this thing up.

[Emmanize]

The masking work on her picture on the right is pretty rough, looks like you got it close then just blurred the edges so you didn't have to do the tedious detail work. And the white glow around her isn't working IMO. I see it all the time and I immediately think "lazy." On the contrary, the picture on the left looks pretty choppy. I like the soft glow of the one in the middle. If it were me, I'd leave that one and drop the other two. Do you really need three pics of the same girl? Or maybe one large one for maximum effect.

Definitely don't like the stripper font. Maybe if it was used on just one letter it'd be ok, but it looks pretty gimmicky as it is now. especially because of the b's next to eachother. They make it blatently apparent it's just a font and not custom work. Also, it gets pretty lost as it is. I would think about putting it in a better spot to let it have a bit more weight.

The "let me entertain you" part needs a little work. The curve it sits on looks a little awkward and the last part of it is blending into the fence.

ok, on the positive, I like the random pink shapes, and the chainlink background. The pink shapes are chaotic while the fence is very ordered and its a nice contrast. I think the colors work well too. Overall, it looks pretty good, but there a lot of minor details that need to be worked out to really tighten this thing up.


Here is the other version of this design (I have a few lol) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v123/Fashy/Designs/entertain5x.jpg



I respect your criticism emmerse. Thank you. I did say it needed tinkering with lol. However everything you said I am aware of. The thing is it’s supposed to look cropped, shaggy, lazy and thrown together hon, that’s how I work. I liked the white glow and that’s the look I was going for. Unless you understand what I was going for you wont like it lol. However I am glad you spoke your mind. If you feel its lazy work, then again fair enough. However what I think is lazy are designers that only use photos and blend them together and that’s it. However we all have different opinions. There was no soft glow, I enhanced and airbrushed the images if that’s what you meant? It’s a service I include before designing with photos. The girl asked me to use all three, so I did. However I did another version with just the two that I thought fit better. To be honest I didn’t like the font either so I changed it. But keep in mind that this image isn’t about the font or what it says. The font is supposed to just blend into the image, it’s not overly meant to stand out. To be honest when I do some designs I never have an aim, I just design until I get the look I want. It’s all about letting your mind do all the work and not get too bogged down with “Right this is what I want and this is what ill get”.

Oh and before you say something about the right side of her head... I am still working on that lol. Just thought id point that out.

Also on another note (and maybe I should have said this before. I am not being paid to do this. I do sometimes work for free for people I know because its good practise. Normally when I work for free I try out new skills. This is because I can never design for myself for practise.

[typographics]

jesus...your friend is HOT (drooling on keyboard) :)

as far as the design, its a bit too 80's for my taste. too much going on and not enough negative space for my eye to rest. plus, i have no earthly idea what the design is for. whats its purpose? is it a flyer? a self-mail thingy majobber? how is she going to entertain me? is she a stripper? personal shopper? model? is she in the oklahoma area? lol.

[Emmanize]

jesus...your friend is HOT (drooling on keyboard) :)

as far as the design, its a bit too 80's for my taste. too much going on and not enough negative space for my eye to rest. plus, i have no earthly idea what the design is for. whats its purpose? is it a flyer? a self-mail thingy majobber? how is she going to entertain me? is she a stripper? personal shopper? model? is she in the oklahoma area? lol.

LMAO!!!!
Shes making the same mistake I once made and that is being a model haha.
The design isnt really for anything importent, she just wanted "a design" so I did one. Yeah I dont like to much space in my designs, it annoys me and looks to clear and empty. I am not one to follow the trends :rolleyes: . But then if we all liked the same thing wouldnt it be boring :D

80s is cool lol. Not really what I was going for but yeah i can see what you mean with the wire and her look on the images lol.

[emmerse]

I liked the white glow and that’s the look I was going for. Unless you understand what I was going for you wont like it lol. However I am glad you spoke your mind. If you feel its lazy work, then again fair enough. However what I think is lazy are designers that only use photos and blend them together and that’s it.

I guess if you have a reason for the look then its just as good as a perfect mask. I guess generally speaking, when I see white around a picture, I just think someone didn't want to take the time to remove the background proper-like. I guess my main problem with the photos is that they're all different styles. One's choppy, one has the airbrush, the other has the white around. I think they'd gel a bit better if there were all had the same basic look. Doesn't mean it can't look slapped together, just that it should ALL look slapped together. know what I mean?

There was no soft glow, I enhanced and airbrushed the images if that’s what you meant?

yep.

[Emmanize]

I know that the two images with the sunglasses are professional shots so they did enhanced better then the other. The one that was on the bottom right was just done by a cheaper camera so that didn't come out as good. So everything comes out slightly differently. There wasn't any background left in after the lasso tooling, but is want slightly jagged because of the image quality. I wasn't being paid for this so didn't want to spend hours smoothing the edges out. But yeah that image didn't fit but I was just following orders. ;)

[tZ]

it really looks like your resorting to gimmicks rather then design to hold this piece together… poor in my opinion.

Gimmicks as in crap that covers the entirity of the picture plan- decor if it may. Decor can be good and all but, not when the piece is based on it.

You said earlier you hate white space thats fine and dandy but, there needs to be some… thats just called good design- giving a place the viewer can rest. Other wise there is chaos and confussion. It doesn't even hyave to be "white" or "negative" but, an area that is not as active as the rest of the composition would be nice to see.

This piece looks really "gimmickicly" not like it was "designed"- with intent.

- start over- show me(the viewer) what is important through emphasis and less important through lower amounts… not just covering the composition with decor… as you so have.

[Emmanize]

it really looks like your resorting to gimmicks rather then design to hold this piece together… poor in my opinion.

Gimmicks as in crap that covers the entirity of the picture plan- decor if it may. Decor can be good and all but, not when the piece is based on it.

You said earlier you hate white space thats fine and dandy but, there needs to be some… thats just called good design- giving a place the viewer can rest. Other wise there is chaos and confussion. It doesn't even hyave to be "white" or "negative" but, an area that is not as active as the rest of the composition would be nice to see.

This piece looks really "gimmickicly" not like it was "designed"- with intent.

- start over- show me(the viewer) what is important through emphasis and less important through lower amounts… not just covering the composition with decor… as you so have.

To be honest, I did expect this kind of reply from you judging on how you have replied to other designers here. I didn’t find your reply very constructive either, in fact I found it to be p*ss taking. Why am I going to start over to show you? The person I designed it for is happy, I am happy and I have had a lot of great comments from this peace as I have most of my art work. So what do I have to prove to you? If you don’t like this style then that is fine. Not everyone is going to like the same thing. Life would be boring as so would the design industry if we all liked the same style and look. As for “gimmickicly”, I wouldn’t use this word at all. All my work is OTT and in your face, that is how it is suppose to be, that’s my style and for the past 10 years I have had great comments. However saying that I can tone it down also. Before I even went into my design programmes I knew what look I was going to give this design, and I achived it.

This is not your style of work so I think stating its “crap & poor” is VERY low from a designer. I have seen some of your work, it’s not my cup of tea and I find it some what boring to be honest. But I am not going to say its POOR or CRAP because I have respect for other designers. I would offer advise if I had any.

[reuber1]

SNAP!!!

TZ, pointing out that there's CRAP all over the piece is not constructive in any way. If you can't say something nice, well, you know.

Personally Emm, if your friend is happy with it, I'd leave it as is and maybe tweak it on the side until you're happy with it, kind of a side piece.

[Emmanize]

The thing is I know I sound like I can't take the comments, and that’s how some people might read it. But thats not the case. If they just said "It’s not my mug of tea" then fine. If they "Offered suggestions" being up to me to use that or not, then fine. But when they say it’s poor and crap when myself and the client KNOW its not, then that makes my blood boil BIG TIME! Because its not respectful and its not at all professional. The fact that I did this as a favour and wasn’t getting paid means I didn’t see it as a project in the first place, more as a practise run. It’s not like I spent many hours on it. That whole design took me 1 hour as she wanted something quick and simple, and she was happy with it. Had I have spent many more hours or days on it I would have given it more depth. I am not an expert and i don’t create masterpieces. I am just a junior designer, and still willing to say that after 10 years because you never stop learning.

[tZ]

THERE IS NO CONSIDERATION OF SPACE

regardless of style… design is design

I didn't mean your work is crap- I meant gimmicks as in "stuff" that covers the entirity without purpose or an active focal point, areas of emphasis etc- not that your work is CRAP. So sorry about that.

My suggestion would be using varying degrees of emphasis to creat areas of importance. Since, currently the compositions only support is how active it is… not a very sucessful approach. Rather then just putting a bunch og stuff on the design how about an… idea. Perhaps sell the club through one idea rather then combining a million of them in one compositin without an area of emphsis. What I mean is… ok the girls are hot so rather then a million of them on the compositiuon maybe just… one. However, make it your area of interest. Some thing more so then just throwing a bunch on thier. Unless of cpourse you want to cominicate the idea of "alot" of girls. Then maybe a better approach would be to set up a "visual" hierachy. So that certain girls become the area of interest and other are not as dominate but still there. This way the compsoition will not seemed over whelmed but, the activity will remain high within the picture plan.

Also think about your text… or perhaps how the images interact with the type- or do they or should they? Maybe have the text itself interact with the girls as if they were the customers. Hopefully you get what I am saying… sell the club on an idea rather then just posting information- anyone can do that. However, to communicate an idea- thats a different story.

good luck

[Stever]

What do you think?
I just need to point out that when you ask this question expect people to give you an answer. I don't see anyone here disrespecting you. I see people telling you what they think. Another point. If you're client is happy with the piece why do you need input? That is why I didn't give input. Seems irrelevant at this point.

BTW..I think tz is giving you some very valuable suggestions.

[reuber1]

Let's remember that rockem sockem also gave valuable suggestions...unfortunately he was an ass.

Just sayin'.

[Stever]

Let's remember that rockem sockem also gave valuable suggestions...unfortunately he was an ass.

Just sayin'.
I see what you're saying and I certainly do not support abuse...ever! Just don't see it in this case. For example; TZ explains what he meant by "crap" in his first post. He then gives suggestions, therefore his comments were constructive. I didn't get any indication he was being abusive.

[Emmanize]

That’s fair enough. But there wasn't meant to be space in the design. If there was I would have left some space. Ill be the first to admit that I can get carried away, but Debbie is a very OTT person and wanted a very OTT design. I specialise in this style and did it. The thing is, you looked at my design with what you like (i.e your style) rather then looking at it from a designers point of view. Why do all designs have to look the same? Why should all designs have space? and why even should all designs tell a story? If you like fresh, clear designs then you won’t like mine, fair enough. You can’t please everyone. But I design based on emotion and feeling, I also concentrate on what kind of person the client is as to what look I am reaching for.

A comment someone made to me about this was:

"Their designs are just very different to yours. They have judged your designs by their own taste rather than from a design point of view, in my opinion anyway.

Your designs are fun, bright and "make a big statement". Their designs are simple and to the point. That’s what I think anyway."

I agree with this statement. There is nothing wrong with simple designs, but I dont do simple designs. That design means nothing to you, but says something to the client. If I made you a design say, it may mean something to you and nothing to anyone else. I also use Material for the look I am going for. The barbwire helped achieve that look. If I had the room id slap some graffiti on there as well LOL.

Stever – I had made this post before I have shown Debbie my design. Yes I am aware I would get answers after asking a question. But Ill state again, I never expected INSULTS. There is a difference. I was quite offended by the first post tZ made and I had every right to be. Had tZ made his second post the first then I could had maybe asked him to explain it again and then I would have thought about his statement – none of this would have happened.

tZ – That is the same girl on that design, and she sent me the images she wanted me to use. I couldn’t really say “No I wont use all photos” because I knew I could work around it. There are LOADS of different ways I could do this design, and normally I would. I probably will as I am doing a load to put on my portfolio at the minute. To be honest I don’t normally think when I design, like I said earlier I just let my mind wonder and do all the work. The thing is there is an idea in my designs, just that you don’t understand it because it’s not made for you. My designs are designed FOR the client or company….personal to them. I haven’t just thrown a lot of things on there….its only looks like I have. But that look is what Debbie is trying to say about herself. I am a designer not a poet, I make things look good but I will take your thoughts into consideration.


Update:
Just got a comment back from the client:

"May i just say that this hot Chikka is the raddest badest designer in the world. Thankyou so much hunny for the poster. Its beyond perfection! muv u sooooo much!!!!
Doobs" - http://www.myspace.com/graffiti_my_mind

I achieved my aim and that’s all I care about that I made the client happy. But I will keep your comments in mind for next time. :)

[Samakimoto Graphics]

Emmaniez, it doesn't matter what the forum members suggest, if the client/friend is happy that's what counts most. The suggestions on here though are very informed. You could give them a go for variety in your portfolio:)