March 2015 Video Tutorial -- Creating a Casino Poster Part 2

[Gare]

Okay, Rik, I can see that. How do you feel about the neon tubing slightly touching the headline within the roulette circle? THIS is where the finer points of decision-making with designs comes into play. How little is too little, and just touching the headline looks sloppy and annoying? Or too much obscures the legibility of the headline?

Believe me: I gave a lot fo though to where I put elements in my own version.

On the other hand, there has to be more than one design solution, right?

My Best,

Gary

[Rik]

The reason I went with my though, is that the roulette wheel does not have a shadow going to bottom right.
And the roulette wheel has an inset shadow onto the white area.

So, I thought that the poker ships and the playing cards should be above the roulette wheel.

Mind you. I might put a shadow onto the roulette wheel and then the poker chips and the playing cards would be behind.
Yes?!

[Rik]

Here's another try.
I've also removed my 3D poker chips.

As the view of the cards and the roulette wheel is from above, then the poker chip view would be from above as well.
Well, that's my thinking!

[Gare]

Wow! Sorry, Rik, but this one really bothers Me!

The "Casino Night"'s ligatures (the underscores) seem to be directing my eye off the pager at top right instead of letting the overall composition "point" you to the text.

Anyone else agree or disagree?

-g

[Rik]

I'm not sure what you mean, Gary.
I've not changed anything on the 'Casino Night' lettering.

Draw some arrows on my drawing, and let me know what you mean.

[Gare]

Okay, here's a markup, trying to show what I ffel is wrong about the design. Can we agree for a moment that warm colours attract, while cool(er) colours push away? And that large objects get more attention than small ones, except if there are several small shapes and only one large one?



Because your two blue chips and the red one at top are lined up vertically, I feel as though the blue ones are leading the eye away from the centre of the page—the "hot" red chip is in the corner and the blue chips "point" to the red one.

And see what I'm talkin', regarding the neon tubing. I realize you didn't touch it, but it now sticks out and leads my eye off the page, whereas with an element or two surrounding the underrscore tubing, you might be able to keep me (and others) focused on the important element of the poster, the where and when.

-g

[csehz]

Anyone else agree or disagree?

In my opinion the #7 post by Rik is the best version But also the others good ones of course

[Gare]

I don't know why it is that #7 directs my eye better than #13, Rik. Let me think about it, and let's all consider this: it's not the technical skills in this tutorial, it's the designer's eye—how the shapes are arranged on the page— that influences the visual communication.

-g

[mwenz]

I haven't done the tuts...

I think that the design and/or the color of the Casino Nights head will always lead the eyes to the upper right.

To me the proportions of the entire piece are off. Head too big. Design elements (cards, chips) too big. Which then makes the central roulette wheel too small. It's the message. It's what should draw the eyes first and foremost...or secondly after the head. As it is, the proportions of all the objects have ny eyes wandering altogether. The point of the poster, the verbiage in the roulette wheel, is the last thing I see.

Just a thought or two from an observer.

[Gare]

Why, thanks, Mike!



How about this?

Anyone can use any, all, or none of the elements I've provided in the Zip file, and design the Casino Night poster: Headline, who, what, where, and when are required, but take it from there and let's compare notes.

-g