ROCKY Collection

[WeakySneasel]

Hi,
I've not used this before, and looking at what some of you are producing I feel intimidated even daring to post my stuff up for comment if I'm honest. But, I'm going to brave it and then run for cover. There's a series for ROCKY already in the gallery, and although I quite liked it, I decided it wasn't quite what I was looking for so set work on my own - then ran dry...

You know how it is when you're even not sure you're going down the right path? I don't mind a plenty of criticism, providing it's constructive...
OK, here goes - Fire away!

(Oh, I'm not sure if it works at all, but the point of the stepped text on the spines is that it's supposed to be a nod to the iconic Philadelphia steps scene from the first movie)

[spelling edit]

[WeakySneasel]

...that would be these spines!

[Fidi]

Cool you're doing a WIP here!

I really like the idea you've had using the titles on the spines! That's looking very nice.

I'm not sure about all the grunge texture(s) you've used. But I've got no idea how good/bad resources are for these movies.
Maybe losing this stripe on the right on the front (where the title is in) and enlarge the picture and its frame might be worth a try. You'll still have your grunge in the background but so you can colour the picture and give it a more "classy" look. Room for the title and Silvester's name will be above and under the image.

[WeakySneasel]

QUOTE

I really like the idea you've had using the titles on the spines! That's looking very nice.

I'm not sure about all the grunge texture(s) you've used. But I've got no idea how good/bad resources are for these movies.

...and enlarge the picture...[/quote]
Thanks. Glad you like the spine idea. I'll stick with it then. I'm happy with the concept but am not at all sure about the lettering; I've something else in mind to try, and a tad smaller.

1976 first movie, so quality resources = slim pickings, especially colour ones. I found a series of OK B/Ws I thought I'd try - hence the whole B/W feel. I just hope the resolution is good enough to enlarge them (the stripe was, in part, a filler). I generally like to rework posters, to maintain the original movie feel, but what I've found so far is pretty dire!

I don't usually do 'grunge'. I think I've overdone it and need to calm it down. I was going for a B/W / stone feel (Rock-y) - not totally sure it's working.

[Fidi]

These could work I think:

B&W
B&W
Colour

# 1&2 would need some colouring, third is very similar to the image you've used. But they're
all in high resolution, quality might be good enough.

[WeakySneasel]

These links are really helpful, thank you.

I'm not sure how you work but I generally try to come up with a colour scheme for the whole cover from the start based on an image - usually a poster - I think I want to use. I'll always alter the poster, but usually, I want my cover to at least resemble it.

The poster approach isn't going to work this time around but I want to keep the set fairly simple with not much going on. Maybe I can throw some colour into the overall scheme but stick with monotone shots - for a simplistic theme.

Once I've settled on the scheme - and I'm not that far yet - I'll be somewhat confident I can bring the rest together OK. So meanwhile, here are some other ideas I've had, taking your previous comments into account. I'm now concerned the font is too plain, or am I just distracted by my previous one?

NB: Like the steps, the red stripes on the spines are also supposed to be a nod to the movie, i.e. Rocky's red striped shorts.
[and I know it's a II cover and III spine]

[BajeeZa]

II on font and III on the spine

[Fidi]

QUOTE (WeakySneasel @ Jan 24 2017, 02:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure how you work

I always have something in mind before I start and when I'm done, it looks completly different.

When you like a more monotonously colour sheme just use it. You can do whatever you're happy with.
But I'd still suggest some colour, at least on Silvester Stalone. I'm pretty sure this will improve the visual appearance of your front.
And it you're using images in B/W you can do some slight colouring on your own because this will be possible for the previous movie as well. I guess the available images for the following movies might be better quality?

Maybe enlarge the image even a bit more to the bottom and write his name in one line below. You also could move the image a bit more to the right and let stand out both of his elbows on the left and right of the frame.

[sauron]

The new direction is better than the previous maybe reduce the size of the numbers on the spine to give them a bit of breathing space?

I've never seen any of the Rocky films so can't be much help in terms of ideas relating to film.

[WeakySneasel]

QUOTE

maybe reduce the size of the numbers on the spine to give them a bit of breathing space?
I've never seen any of the Rocky films[/quote]Ouch! I just fell off my chair! Oh My Goodness - wow, really? You'll be telling us you've never seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! next. You must be very young Sarron! And, I think you're right about the numbers, but I think I've gone too small now.

QUOTE

you can do some slight colouring on your own[/quote]Thanks for the vote of confidence and I appreciate your input, but I only wish I could - sorry to disappoint you. I don't have any kind of software to colour anything - I just do all my stuff with a simple £6.99 word processor program. I can tint, crudely cut out, resize, border, remove bits, fade out and crudely draw things - that's about it. The rest is down to being creative or ingenious. It's why my stuff is generally clean and simple, it's all I can do. But then, I like it that way so it suits me just fine. I've done some relatively smart stuff when you consider this, but colouring... I can only do colouring with a pencil.

Before I arrived here, I thought my stuff was too cluttered, with too much going on. Now I see you guys at work and I just think mine look really clean and simple. Mine may not be technically very advanced but there are very few covers I've finished which I've not been really happy with. I guess, as long as I continue to like 'clean and simple' I'll remain content - it's just that my options are more limited as to what I can try to achieve.

I'll keep going though so please keep coming with the tips - I just might be forced to ignore some of it.


Note:
The pink may look a bit wierd but it's related to the spine picture and will stop short of the spine on alternate movies to give the planned stripes.

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