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LeviG

macrumors 65816
Nov 6, 2006
1,277
3
Norfolk, UK
first thing - do a spell check :) - arn't has an e in it and justify the text (just looks nicer), might be worth slinging the text in word and letting it check all the grammer and spelling for you. And don't think you have to use full sentences either, posters are meant to be punchy and to the point, think about what you would actually read, would you stand around and read all the text you have added.

Now personally I would want a bit more impact in it and maybe try to either make the 2 top logos blend in more or add some sort of title (ie something to make people stop and look) thing in between and make the images smaller.

I would also loose the pink block at the bottom and make the "brought to you by ....." bit into a smaller text and make it centred at the bottom of the page. The "pictured to the left" is not really needed, if you want to say what it is add a small text under/to the side of it and possibly put the picture in a border.

Appologies if you think I'm being harsh but if you can add some of the above into your design then it will be a better poster. What you have done is ok but you can make it look better.
It also looks like you're still in high school which means youre under 16.
 

redeye be

macrumors 65816
Jan 27, 2005
1,138
0
BXL
600 € ! :eek:

anyway. my 0.2 €

Make the text more catchy. Maybe use a headline (as the first replier mentioned)
"Three Day Splash" or something.
Put essential info together.

Downsize the graphics.
There is not enough contrast between the tekst and the background. Try out some other colours.

And maybe use another program (indesign is made for this, or alternatively use illustrator - if you have access to the full CS2 suite).

Good luck.

And enjoy your 3 day splash ;)

EDIT---

had another look
have some more constructive criticism

check your spelling
think about rewriting the entire text you used
maybe try another font
think about how big this poster is going to be printed
...

You'll get there, maybe start with paper and pencil to try out some designs. If this poster doesn't have to be made on computer, maybe try a collage or stick to the paper/pencil/marker thing.

Designing posters isn't the easiest thing to do, so be prepared to ditch some ideas, concepts or entire versions. You'll learn from every one of them.

Cheers
 

the Western zoo

macrumors 6502
May 16, 2006
379
3
Aarhus C, Denmark
I pretty much agree with the others...

Also I would add that I find that there is something wrong with the balance in my opinion... I.e. there's too much content in the right side of the poster...
 

vectormasked

macrumors member
Sep 3, 2006
77
0
Somewhere in Canada
:eek: Two hours???? Damn!!! I would've done something better in 2 minutes (no offense)

So what can I say about that. i don't like the background nor the typeface nor the layout or grid (if there's is any in this one)

Play with the text. Use different point sizes, weights and colours for different chunks of information.
People should scan your info, not actually read it since it is not a book. They should be able to see information like the price immediately without having to read the whole thing. Play with the leading cause there's letters that are overlapping others, or even better....do not use that typeface. That typeface is very cheap looking typeface that shouldn't have been created in the first place. Use something that can be read easier.
Just so you know...Those free fonts you download from the web and the fonts that come preinstalled with your system are NOT used by actual graphic designers.

Text is usually more important than pretty pictures. In this case the text is doing the job of the pictures which is to complement the design. Instead on having those two images at the top use text there, like a header or something so that people know what your are talking about.

Get rid of the blur you applied to the image of the swimming pool. The edges look kinda bad.
And redesign and make smaller that pink thing you have at the bottom.

Hope my advise helps ya. Good luck with it!
 

TJIrwin

macrumors member
Oct 2, 2006
41
0
London, UK
Come on people give the guy a break. He's only 15/16 for goodness sake and learning how to use the programmes, and prior to berating him about poor spelling and grammar it would be best to check your own! ;)

Anyway, my critique. Whilst overly harsh, a lot of the points covered above still stand true under scrutiny. I can see what you're trying to do but you haven't quite hit the nail on the head yet. The text is key. It's very dry and boring at the moment. Add some emphasis to the key messages you're trying to convey, and consider using a cleaner font which will read much better. I presume you don't want to be going out and spending vast amounts of cash of fonts, so consider looking at somewhere like http://www.dafont.com which has lots of free fonts which will give you more options to play with.

Have a hunt for some high res images to use instead of the logos you have at the top of the poster. If theyr were cleaner they would look a lot better. You may find that if you email Tussauds Group they will provide you with the Alton Towers logo seeing as it's GCSE coursework. I'd hope your school secretary would be able to provide you with a vector image of the school crest too.

Try and get more contrast between your text and the background so as to help the text stand out. If you're aiming for a poster it needs to be readable at distance. Currently what you have is more akin to a leaflet.

Ultimately just play around with it all and see what you can come up with. There's a lot of trial and error needed till you get something that works nicely. Keep making printouts and look at them away from your computer screen and see if they work.


Good luck with it all.
 

Mookamoo

macrumors member
Aug 7, 2006
72
0
Stay away from photoshop filters - just because they are there, doesn't mean you have to use them.

All posters need a focal point - something to draw the eye. You need to decide what this going to be and make that part as in your face as you can make it.

I suggest doing something with the headline, and possibly the £400 special offer. The rest is just the fluff they will read if they're attention if drawn.
 

shecky

Guest
May 24, 2003
2,580
5
Obviously you're not a golfer.
:eek: Two hours???? Damn!!! I would've done something better in 2 minutes (no offense)!

there is a difference between being pointed and critical and being a disrespectful jerk. you are being the latter with this comment.

and prior to berating him about poor spelling and grammar it would be best to check your own! ;)

there is huge, light-years of difference for bad spelling + grammar on a piece of work versus a forum post. on a piece of work it is inexcusable (unless its a draft; even then its a bad idea); in a forum post it is almost irrelevant.
 

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Mmm, there are several things I would consider more carefully:

1) Suppose a person looks at this for <20 seconds (which is realistic). How are they going to get any idea what this poster is about, what they should do, and how they can get in on whatever you're trying to get them to do? There's soooo much text. Think about how to make the point pop out of it all.

2) Think more carefully about placement. It seems right now as if you just threw the logos on in a haphazard fashion. They don't seem to particularly belong where they are.... Consider perhaps, for instance, taking the photograph, making it much bigger, and putting it top / center. And then put the Alton Landings + splash whatever text with it, bigger than everything else. At the very least that text should be seen by your viewers, and right now it's buried. The two logos at the top could probably be minimalized at the bottom. The last logo at the bottom is also sort of too big and too randomly placed.

3) I don't exactly hate the background or the font. But I don't think they belong together. If you use that background, get a modern-looking font. Otherwise, choose a different background to go with this font. If you're going to use that font and background... I think you need to alias the text.

And, of course, I have to echo all the comments re: use a spell checker, etc, etc, etc.

Good luck!
 

MagicWok

macrumors 6502a
Mar 2, 2006
820
82
London
If you have access to Illustrator/InDesign, in future use those programs for any sort of page layout. Page layout meaning posters/flyers/cards/brochures...

Using photoshop for any sort of type is akin to using a jackhammer for fine sculpting. Photoshop is powerfull, but just too clumsy and overweight when it comes to the intricicies of typography.

Most of the points have been raised, some too harsly given the context of it all. But in future, think of typography and it's relation to the design with as much importance as how you would go about taking a photograph. ;)
 
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