Swordfish

[Ichy007]

Based on comments I received on my Meet Joe Black I've redesigned a couple of other covers. I'm much happier with them now but decided to post a couple of threads to get feedback on whether I'm going n the right direction or not.

This one is a before and after (maybe that should read After & Before) cover of SWORDFISH - and for the avoidance of doubt, the upper, greener cover is the rework and the other cluttered one is for reference.

[jcdesign]

I think you have much to learn. Start a WIP from scratch and then let us comment improvements. Now It Is to much of everything.

Start with the front or back, then spend some time to blend every images to match the background, levels and more...

[invisigoth]

Other than minor changes to the back those 2 are the same cover. Text over images doesn't work unless it's done right. And really there is no design element happening it's just images, text and icons. And to be honest that's the same front as the retail so you've basically got a retail front and a cluttered back that doesn't flow.

Another thing that whole icon area takes up to much of the back, I understand you're doing UK version template on your covers or something but for a custom in my opinion it's just ugly.

Listen to JC and start from scratch.. when you start a WIP with a full cover and the cover isn't very good you'll probably have folks telling you to change just about everything..

Also as a rule of thumb you should only do one WIP at a time until the cover is complete.. then start another.


..

[M0vieM0nster]

[Ichy007]

Come on JC, you can do better than that! You probably didn't intend it this way but it comes across a little like: -
You're not one of us! This isn't the way we like to mould you! Please do it our way! You don't know what you're doing! It's a bit rubbish; start again!

Before I go on I'd just like to say that I've just taken a look at your stuff and I think so far yours is the best gallery I've seen. Some really impressive stuff in there and you do covers just the way I want to see them. There's a handful in there I'll be downloading and putting in my collection, cheers. It would be most of them if I had all those titles but I only have a few.

Anyway, don't get me wrong; I'm not taking offence to your comments; if you think it's a bit rubbish you can say so. It's a bit frustrating when the comments aren't really that constructive but I'd rather have that comment than no comment, so thanks for putting something at least.

I'm not really trying to become a great cover designer, I'm just posting these to try and understand what you designers don't really like. Preferably I want to download good covers (and adapt them to UK spec for my own library). I only want to do my own covers when I don't much like what I find. Or find nothing at all - like my Meet Joe Black and Sliding Doors covers. You can't tell me those aren't the best ones here! :arms: feel the love!

That said, my uploads have nearly all been old designs I've put up to join in, so are no reflection on what else is in the gallery. Maybe posting this on a WIP thread was a bad idea. I want feedback on it for future work; I don't intend to do anything to this one unless it's super clever. So implying that there's just too much wrong to know where to start isn't really helping and hints that you've not looked my other stuff. I seem to get lots of downloads so my work can't be too dreadful can it? But you have made me chuckle a bit and you definitely aren't one of the designers I was sending up in my profile, yours are brilliant covers, really inspiring, take a bow sir!

I'll take this instead though, if it's OK with you? I'll assume you said "Take a look at my covers to see how it's done - look and learn laddie, LOOK - AND - LEARN". Just need to work out how to place you as my favourite cover designer. :chin: Your work warrants it, if not necessarily your constructiveness! :ner:

[Zungam]

The guys above me have some valid points, mate.

While I do like the layout of "Meet Joe Black", this cover is way to messy for my taste. Like invisigoth pointed out, text over colorful and detailed images doesn't work imo. The cover could also benefit from color adjustments to match the front and back

[Ichy007]

Investigoth, (don't worry JC, IVGoth has hit the button for you).

Sorry, you posted while I was writing. Yeah, that's what I want, cheers. Understood and much appreciated.

However, starting from scratch isn't what I'm after. What I want on my covers is the poster art if possible. If that's not what you guys want to see then I understand but it is what I want. This is most useful in that it tells me I'm going completely in the wrong direction to get you all on side. That's fine, and constructive, but I'm barking up a different tree. I'll do my own thing and post in the gallery and come back when I'm having problems. That's not at all meant to sound like I'm throwing teddy in the corner but see above for more.

Thanks for your time.


Zungam, yeah, even better. Not good enough, but said properly. Firm and fair and specific.

[sauron]

I agree with a lot of the points already made, try and avoid really big images on the back unless they work really well. The best thing to do is to look at other covers retail or custom and then copy some of the layouts you like and then adjust them from that.

[Arkflip]

QUOTE (Ichy007 @ Aug 5 2014, 08:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Come on JC, you can do better than that! You probably didn't intend it this way but it comes across a little like: -
You're not one of us! This isn't the way we like to mould you! Please do it our way! You don't know what you're doing! It's a bit rubbish; start again!

Are you trying to be funny?

QUOTE (Ichy007 @ Aug 5 2014, 08:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not really trying to become a great cover designer, I'm just posting these to try and understand what you designers don't really like. Preferably I want to download good covers (and adapt them to UK spec for my own library). I only want to do my own covers when I don't much like what I find. Or find nothing at all - like my Meet Joe Black and Sliding Doors covers. You can't tell me those aren't the best ones here!

If you are not trying to become a great cover designer why are your starting wips? I assume from your words that you are here just to grab what we did, then use our work, cut the parts you like and add the uk logos like you did with Bunny Dojo "Days of Thunder" cover. Am i wrong?

QUOTE (Ichy007 @ Aug 5 2014, 08:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll take this instead though, if it's OK with you? I'll assume you said "Take a look at my covers to see how it's done - look and learn laddie, LOOK - AND - LEARN". Just need to work out how to place you as my favourite cover designer. :chin: Your work warrants it, if not necessarily your constructiveness! :ner:

Wrong! I think you need first to understand why we all are members of this site and how we deal with each others. Then you need to stop and think if you belong here or not. If you decide to continue here, you need to refrain yourself and be humble to understand that your designs are bad but you can learn and improve with us. Otherwise i doubt you will get some friends here.

[M0vieM0nster]

We all start somewhere mate, none of us are critisising you for that lol, you should see the first cover i made lmao! Just make use of us who have been doing the hobby for a longer period of time than you have, that is all we are suggesting... to start a WIP and let us help you to improve yourself as none of us are perfect or all for each other's personal taste exactly... We have different styles etc. Nobody wants to mould you, it is a question of whether you wish to improve in many artists opinions as we have and did and as i have already stated been doing this hobby for a lot longer and can be of benefit to you we hope.