First "real" banner

[James Burke]

I needed something quick for a trade show this weekend. It goes behind a 4' x 4' floor display and it will eventually hang in our booth at a craft mall. I've done a few things with Photoshop for our brochure, but this one was a little more fun...even throughout the initial learning curve of layer masks, etc... (I just downloaded CS5 this weekend).

Overall measurements 46" x 72". Our contact information is on some of our other marketing materials (and is also engraved on stones) on the floor display.


JB

 

[skyhigh]

Pretty sweet JB.

I've only done a couple pieces of stone, but would love to do more.

 

[James Burke]

I've only done a couple pieces of stone, but would love to do more.

Stone is all I do. That's why I tend to be a little handicapped when it comes to general sign layout and color theory.


JB

 

[Dentafrice]

Looks good for your first time with CS5 Really showcases what you do.

I'm not a fan of the placement of your text up the side.. I would have place it horizontal at the bottom.

Really nice though

 

[James Burke]

I'm not a fan of the placement of your text up the side.. I would have place it horizontal at the bottom. Really nice though

There will be stones on the floor display and would obscure text along the bottom. And I figured if I placed it across the top, it would only garner a quick glance.

So I went out on a limb and placed along the side in hopes that it would warrant a second look as the viewer's eye is lead down through the stones...and then back up the right side again.

I was also shooting for a little bit of an informal look since I'm in the top photo in jeans and a sweatshirt....you know....the workin' class type.


JB

 

[James Burke]

Here's the same photo with a black border around it to set it off from the web page background. Border will not appear on the banner.

Again, my intention is to lead the viewer's eye from top to bottom, and then back up again as they read the text...and then back down through the stones in a counter clockwise manner.


BTW...that new "Scrubby Zoom" in CS5 is way too cool.


JB

 

[zmatalucci]

I would have done the text in a reversed panel

 

[Mainframe]

Copy the text and paste it behind your text, then ad a white stroke to it to "punch" your text to give it a cleaner edge for better readability.

 

[James Burke]

Copy the text and paste it behind your text, then ad a white stroke to it to "punch" your text to give it a cleaner edge for better readability.

I had thought of that earlier, but don't know how to do it PS. I'll try it in Illy and post it to see what you think.

JB

 

[James Burke]

Here it is with the white outline around the text. It's definitely easier to read, for sure.

Mainframe, thank's for pushing the issue.


JB

 

[GAC05]

How about adding a filled background layer to tie all the floating objects together and eliminate the odd shaped white gaps.
Maybe a stone texture that has been partially desaturated or faded so as to not add clutter but still bring it all together.

Now if you really want to stand out - carve the banner out of a single slab of stone.
Would be a little hard to grommet and hang but the impact would be huge.....

wayne k
guam usa

 

[James Burke]

How about adding a filled background layer to tie all the floating objects together and eliminate the odd shaped white gaps.
Maybe a stone texture that has been partially desaturated or faded so as to not add clutter but still bring it all together.

Now if you really want to stand out - carve the banner out of a single slab of stone.
Would be a little hard to grommet and hang but the impact would be huge.....

wayne k
guam usa

That was also another thought....I'll try to figure that out. As for the real stone....no-can-do!

Thanks guys.

 

[ProWraps]

Stone is all I do. That's why I tend to be a little handicapped when it comes to general sign layout and color theory.


JB

heh, that must make for easy sales conversations:

"So our options for substrates are, rock and rock. And we offer two colors. Grey and grey".

 

[Dentafrice]

I think most people's view is going to follow the pink line I attached rather than all the way down the left side and up the right.

When their eyes finally get to the orange, they'll have to cock their head sideways to read up..

So you'e got a 50/50 chance of the user that read all the way down to the bottom exerting that last bit of effort in reading up.

just my $0.02. Def. looks better with the stroke! The white IS odd though like another said.

 

[James Burke]

Here it is with a 50% gray background with a canvas texture. The texture most likely won't show up in this photo, though...but its there. I'm going to tweak the opacity a little bit because it still seems way too dark.

JB

 

[James Burke]

heh, that must make for easy sales conversations:

"So our options for substrates are, rock and rock. And we offer two colors. Grey and grey".

Rock or rock...that's a given for most jobs. Gray isn't the only color as you can see. We also do fundraiser bricks, limestone address blocks and such.

We've seen an unusual interest in the natural boulder headstones, though.


JB

 

[ProWraps]

oh im sure theres alot more too it. i was just playin.

 

[James Burke]

I think most people's view is going to follow the pink line I attached rather than all the way down the left side and up the right.

When their eyes finally get to the orange, they'll have to cock their head sideways to read up.

Yep...by the left side, I meant the stones as opposed to the text. I kinda like the zig zag effect.

JB

 

[James Burke]

Whew...I'm lookin' to wrap this up...way too much time horsin' around, but I think it's about where I want it.

Wow...looking back at my first post...it really looked plain and crappy. Thank you for all the input.


JB

 

[Mainframe]

I like the stroke, maybe a burgundy background, otherwise it's done.