Cover Design

[mattbing]

This is a cover for a series of Urban Maps for Toronto Neighbourhoods.
I already have approval on the cover it's more the "icon colours" in the corner, I'd like opinions on.

[blackmarker]

I don't like the icons in the corner. they look like a big jumbled mess.

Perhaps you could spread them out going along the top edge and down the right side, like a border of sorts.

You could alos have the icons "spill out" in the open space on the right side, making each one progressively larger.

[John G]

If the colors & icons in the corner are used throughout the book, I don't have a problem with it and I dig them, if they aren't used (with the same colors) I don't much see them being relavent.

the blue line on the left isn't part of the cover is it? If it is, it's really small and comes off as a "is that a mistake or is it supposed to be there?".

[Schmitty]

I agree. Your typography is strong enough for all the attention needed. Try tossing some white up there instead.

[Irine]

i think that the typography and the icons in the corner don`t really work together. choose 1 style.

[emucru]

I like it! I would throw in some more green or cool colours to balance it out. Unless you want the warm look then stick with it.

[tZ]

I think it needs more flying birds and big large blobs.

[mattbing]

I think it needs more flying birds and big large blobs.

Hmmmm, not wordy enough.

[tZ]

Well you said it yourself in another thread. Design is more then just raster effects and useless decoration. Isn't that what those large blobs and flying birds are?

[mattbing]

Raster effects... useless decoration? Care to explain? In your usual drawn out and dull way.

[cornfed]

mattbing, your response was really rude.

[martyng]

Yeah but it was also quite funny ;)

[mattbing]

It's funny cause it's true...

Anyways, it was a bit too much.

Here's the new cover that's been simplified, and is a little less blob like.

[Mynock]

There's nothing that ties anything together, besides the fact that it's on my monitor at the same time. You need more of composition.

[mattbing]

Yeah? How so? Are you talking about the Icons? I was kind of thinking there does seem to be a gap between the treebranch and the headphones etc.... maybe I'll change the colour. The teardrop shape is used within the map itself as markers.

[Mynock]

That's for you to figure out. I'm not going to do it for you. There are many different ways to tie things together like; color, location, space, style . . .

[Danger_Mouse]

Since your cover is approved, no need to comment much on it. But if it wasn't (or isn't too late) I would rethink your entire concept in a different direction (design, colors etc). But if approved and you are good with it, that will end that note.

Gotta agree with everyone on the blobby corners. Looks like a blucked up print job. Its composition and imagery seems totally unrelated to the rest of the cover (why the headphones and tree branches anyways?)... It is even poorly arranged on it's own (hence the blob comments).

No need to insult anyone personally either, has nothing to do with the design. But I would get smart with someone too if someone got condesending with me first as well.

anyways...I would play around with the corner composition to make imagery more clear. I would keep the corner different tints of the same color over the multi colored(that magenta pink is horrendous).

[cj2a]

I like your colors and typography, and I could even see the icons working if they were icons related to a map/city concept. Maybe there is a relation to the icons that I don't get...if so, that's cool, but it seems it would make more sense visually for the icons to be map-related somehow, IMO.