Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two)

by Guest December 24th 2015, 4:50 pm

#Graphic_Challenge Two: Christmas Banner Critiques

This thread is reserved for the Christmas Banner contest, where the designer team will be writing about the participant's artwork and doing what we can to help them improve. Feel free to respond to your feedback in this thread, but do be patient and respectful to the designers if we don't reply right away!

After all, we do have to critique a lot of different submissions, which is a lot of work, so please wait and don't worry if we haven't gotten to you, yet! We will get there!

Thank you!

by Ellianna17 December 25th 2015, 2:16 am

@Anzo

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@Anzo

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) 333hflw

Challenge Completion

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) 281ep12

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) 2ztbxh2

Font & Text Legibility

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) 2ujilo4

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) 2uyrmec

Movement

Theme Integration

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) 2cne735

My Critique

Your forum was really great! It doesn't hurt my eyes, the elements are harmonious, and the elements are spread evenly on the banner. However, as you might observe in the picture above, the banner doesn't blend in with the theme.

The background of your banner is very different from the background of the header. It makes the banner and the header have a gap between one another; they look like their from different themes. As a designer, your main goal is to provide excellent graphics to match the client's delight. You however did provide an excellent banner, however it doesn't match the theme and makes the theme look bazaar.

The theme of this forum is modern, yet the banner you provided is not quite modern. Modern themes are flat, and the banner that you designed was 3-dimensional. It creates another gap between the banner and the theme, and makes the viewers feel uncomfortable. When creating a banner, make sure that that it blends in with the theme and doesn't stand out against the banner that much. If the banner did stand out that much, the banner will create a gap between the theme and the banner. The intensity of the banner should match the theme. When creating a banner, make sure that you match the style of not only the theme, but the forum itself.

The banner you provided was quite cloudy and dark, making it look mysterious. Yet, the forum you created the banner for was not focusing on mysterious subjects but focused more on helping others with forums. It didn't match the forum.

When creating a banner, make sure that it's not only beautiful but it blends in with the forum subject and theme. This way, the banner appears to be more beautiful and the banner stands out with the theme, not against it.

Favorite Features

The banner you created is an example of harmony. The colors fit nicely together and don't contrast. The dark and mysterious aura was surrounded by clouds, making the banner look harmonious and mysterious at the same time. The big moon in the night sky, shining an even lighter shade of white, boost up the curiosity of the viewers. Santa in black made it even mysterious. Entirely, the banner you made was in harmony.

The elements of the banner were evenly spread out on the banner. This makes it look balanced. If your banner is balanced, it means that neither one of the sides of the banner gets left out. Each side has elements, making the viewer doesn't only focus on the center but the sides as well.

The banner you made has a slow rhythm, and the slower the rhythm the more relaxed and mysterious the banner becomes. Santa's movement was slowed down by the big moon. With Santa heading towards the text, it transfers the attention of the viewers to the text as well. The slow rhythm is perfect for the mysterious aura of your banner.

The text is readable and the colors match each other, making the banner effective.

Recommended Improvements

The banner you created was beautiful. However there are some areas you need to work on.

Make sure that the banner blends in with the theme and the forum subject. The banner is the head of the forum, and as the head, it must be connected with the body and the feet. The body of the forum is connected to the feet, but the head was left. The head will determine the first impression of the forum--that's why every designer has to know the forum first before making a banner.

Like previously said, the banner has a slow rhythm. This might be good for a mysterious theme, but take note that it's holiday and the greeting is "Happy Holidays." Since the rhythm is slow, it also signifies loneliness. Most of the people celebrates Christmas happily, and you might wanna consider that before making a Christmas banner. In short, the rhythm of the banner has to match the theme of the banner.

Indeed, your banner is balanced. However there was this little red banner that was a bit off. There was no other red color visible on the banner, making the red to stand out against the banner and be so sudden to the eyes. When you put another color on a banner that's not visible on any part of it, make sure that it blends well with the main color of the banner. The red did not however contrast with blue because of you put a glow around it, which is a smart move.

When creating a banner, make sure that the forum title is the center of attention. Though on your banner the moon was the center of the attention, the movement brought the attention to the text, which is fine.

Your banner, all in all, was great. The only problem we had with it is that it doesn't match the theme. Still, you did a nice job on it.

by Ellianna17 December 26th 2015, 3:25 am

@Bones!

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@Bones!
Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) Bones10

Challenge Completion

Font & Text Legibility

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Movement

Theme Integration

My Critique

Upon seeing your submission, I thought "cute!" Your banner really is cute and flat. It's great!
I love the way how you modernized Christmas banners. In addition to that, it matches the theme well! I recognized that in making holiday-themed banners as submission for the graphic challenges, you tend to base your submissions on the official banner of Forumotion. It's a pretty smart move, for the official banner is modern and mixing it with holiday makes a modern holiday-themed banner, which is what we're looking for.
Instead of using 3-dimensional images, you used flat images which is a nice move if you wanted to make a modern banner. The icons on the left are attractive to my eyes, not only are they quite modern but holiday-themed as well!
The speech bubbles are just stunning! By adding these speech bubbles, you've added a reminder regarding the forum subject. Adding a glimpse of the forum subject and body to the banner is a nice job, not only does it connects with the whole forum but the banner looks professional as well.
The text is readable and the colors fit each other nicely. Well done!

Favorite Features

The way you've hidden the image is absolutely unbelievable! It blends in with speech bubbles! It's very creative and unique. In addition to that, your banner is flat everywhere. Since flat is modern, your banner match what the graphic challenge is looking for.
The banner you have is balanced. The elements are evenly spread. Like I said in another critique, balanced means each side doesn't get left out. The balanced banner has a fast rhythm, which makes the viewers feel energized. The falling snowflakes brings attention from the top to the bottom. The text is centered, which makes it catch the attention easily. The snow at the bottom drives the attention to the tree, and since the tree is pointing upwards, it drives the attention back to the text!
The banner you've created is modern, crisp, and professional, matching the theme of the forum.

Recommended Improvements

The text is outlined, making it look old styled. I discourage you, if you're making a modern banner, to add an outline to the text. I also discourage you to add too much shadow to the elements of the banner. These two lessen the modernization of the banner, which is not what we're aiming for.

All in all, the banner you did was far more than great. Just a little more spark and it would be extremely stunning!

by Bones! December 26th 2015, 4:47 am

Thank you! I hope I can continue to improve for next time. XD

by Ellianna17 December 27th 2015, 5:38 am

You're welcome, @Bones! Wink

@MissPeachie

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@MissPeachie
Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) Misspe10

Challenge Completion

Font & Text Legibility

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Movement

Theme Intergration

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) S6u6c8

My Critique

Your banner is gorgeous! However, the only problem with it is the fact that it doesn't match the theme.

The gradient looks cut because the background is flat. When creating a modern banner, you should take note of the background too. The gradient has depth, and if you take a look at the whole theme of this forum, you would notice that it's flat and barely use gradient. In order to make a successful and effective banner, you would have to look at the design of the theme first.
Matching the theme is an excellent and smart move, not only it match the expectations of the client but it connects with the theme as well.

Instead of using 3D-like images for the design of your banner, I encourage you to use flat images. Flat is the new modern, and modern is what you want your banner to look like since you created it for a forum with a modern design.

Favorite Features

Your banner has a radial motion; from the center (which is the forum title), the attention is brought to the sees. The banner is pretty much balanced, because every side has the same amount of elements. I love the way you included what Forumotion offers and the three icons, this makes the banner of yours modern. The text is readable and simple, which is a nice feature of your banner. Keep it up!

Recommended Improvements

Try matching the theme of the forum you are making the banner for. Connect the banner with the theme so the banner won't be left out. If you're to make a modern banner, keep in mind that flat is the new modern.

When you're using blue, avoid mixing it with red. Blue and red contrast with each other and hurts the viewers' eyes if mixed. The red text is barely readable on blue. If you zoom the screen, you'll notice that there' some black spots surrounding red on blue, causing it to appear blurry and hurt the eyes. This lessens the harmony of the graphics.

All in all, the banner you submitted is really gorgeous. Though, you have to keep in mind that the banner has to blend in with the background and has to connect with the theme.

by Guest January 5th 2016, 1:46 am

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@Rhino.Freak
Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) Rhino_10

Challenge Completion

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) R6wqid

Font & Text Legibility

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Movement

Theme Integration

My Critique

Hey there--so happy to see a submission from you! Welcome to your first Challenge. Let's get started: You have some excellent theme integration going on here. You made some smart choices and made sure to get something on top of that blue, which is fantastic. It fits with the forum perfectly, your text is super clear and easy to read, great color choices, and overall excellent balance. Everything is well rounded out with just the right amount of decoration on both sides of your central text, so there's no focus being taken away from the forum's title while also giving it a bit of that winter feel.

However, I did take a little away from your balance and your harmony. Your image really doesn't have any harmony, overall. Although they all fit well within the image as a whole, they don't blend well with each other and they all sort of sit about randomly with no focus or connection with the others, in any way. This makes the piece look a bit random and aloof. Still, the piece looks great, albeit mildly empty and spacious.

I took a point from your balance for the same reason I took from the challenge completion category--your challenge image. It's the only part in this entire piece that is colored black, so it sticks out quite a lot and it doesn't really look like it belongs. It throws off your color balance and adds more focus to the challenge image than to some of your text, so it can be a little distracting. Additionally, the challenge image is just there, sitting about randomly, with no connection or blending into the rest of your banner, at all.

There are so many ways to use a challenge image: An added pattern, a texture, a blending effect, and more. You don't just have to set it on there and leave it as it is. Check out the varied uses of the challenge image from other submissions and see if that inspires you more for future challenges. I know you can do better.

The last thing that I marked on was your movement, which is quite low. This is due to the fact that your piece is still, motionless. There is no sense of movement or connection between your text or renders in any way, which goes back to having no real blend or harmony to your creation. I recommend connecting your renders together with a texture or a pattern that gives you some movement in the future.

Still, you created a very beautiful banner. I would have liked to see more Christmas themes in it, but you kept it blue, kept to the theme ideals, and made it super easy to read with the simplistic style that we asked for, so that is really great work. You did a good job; thank you so much for participating in our Graphic Challenge! We hope to see your work in the future challenges.

Favorite Features

My favorite features are the really great transition into the forum's theme and the very beautiful snowflakes!

Recommended Improvements

Movement, Harmony, Added Features, & Challenge Image Use

by Rhino.Freak January 5th 2016, 8:59 am

@Leah7 thanks for a review! Smile

I do understand all the points! Smile

by **TheCrow** January 15th 2016, 12:06 am

Hello! Will there be other critiques for us too?

by Guest January 21st 2016, 6:48 pm

Luffy wrote:Hello! Will there be other critiques for us too?

As I have stated, repeatedly: We will do everyone's, unless they specifically asked that we do not do one. Just read the challenge rules, please and thank you!

by Guest January 21st 2016, 7:02 pm

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@Paulostge
Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) Paulos10

Challenge Completion

Font & Text Legibility

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Movement

Theme Integration

My Critique

Woah, such a beautiful submission! I love the snow and Christmas feel. You chose a great set of icons to include in your image that fit the mood just perfectly and fit well on top of a blue background. This piece is decently balanced, with a good layout for the location of the icons to balance out the location of your text.

The first thing I took away from is text: This is because of the stripe effect on your letters. Although the font is easy to read, the text stripes make it harder to read, especially due to the really vibrant red on top of that blue in the background--it clashes on the eyes. I understand why the stripes are there--it's really a nice, Xmas like effect and a great concept for originality, but I think a better color could have been used that didn't take away from your text's legibility.

The second that I took away from was the theme integration. As you can see in the image above, it doesn't transition very well into the forum's theme or onto that top blue ribbon of the forum. When it comes it making a request for anyone, your very first priority should be to get it where it needs to be and that it fits there, as if it belongs. Your banner has some great blues--and you can keep the current background that you have while still having it go into the ribbon. For example, you could fade out the edges so that it "fades" into the ribbon or you could do something like I did in my submission, if you like kind of effect.

The challenge image is perfectly decorative of the "Merry Christmas" text--very perfectly done. You've got some great snow effects going on for the support icons, which I'm so glad you kept, because it still helps to signify what the purpose of our forum is during the holidays in some way. Overall, this is a great start for your first submission and I think that with a little time and some more work, you can make even more beautiful creations! Thank you so much for participating in this contest--we hope to see you next time!

Favorite Features

The use of the challenge image in this banner is superb--I adore it! Plus, that snowman you chose is so cute. Wonderful work!

Recommended Improvements

Theme Integration & Text Effects

by Guest February 3rd 2016, 7:29 pm

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@Luffy
Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) Luffy10

Challenge Completion

Font & Text Legibility

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Movement

Theme Integration

My Critique

You've done a lot here in this banner, so there isn't much that I can say. However, I did take away from your Harmony, so I want to start on that. The reason why I've removed from your Harmony is because your images that you chose for this piece don't blend well. With your santa, he's a 2D, flat icon, your garland is a 3D, realistic render, your snowman is a 3D shaded, cartoonish render, and your snow is shaded to add a 3D feel--none of these really match up. If there's one or two different dimensions in a piece, it's not so bad, but when you have three or more, especially with something as so close together as these are, it can really add a bit of randomization to your banner that doesn't need to be there.

However, you have movement with your arrows, it's Christmasy, it blends in with the forum perfectly, the text is clear and easy to read, and the overall banner is beautiful and simplistic. It's a wonderful submission and we hope to see you submit with us again in the future--thanks for participating!

Favorite Features

Santa coming out super cute and the lovely and perfect way your banner blends into the theme. Thanks for submitting into the contest!!

Recommended Improvements

Harmony/Render Choices

by **TheCrow** February 3rd 2016, 9:04 pm

Thank you @Leah7 for your critique! I'll have that in mind! Smile



by Take Notes February 4th 2016, 10:04 pm

#ForumedicReview

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@atul22
Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) 14kvc713

Challenge Completion

Font & Text Legibility

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Movement

Theme Integration

My Critique

You have a very nice submission but it does not exactly fit with the forum theme. You banner is great, it includes the submission icon, has "Merry Christmas" in big easy to read text, and really shows the Christmas spirit. The elves are decorating the Christmas tree, Santa has thumbs up and I absolutely love the Christmas hat on top of the "C" in Christmas, it looks nice. One thing I don't like is the text is so big that it would be hard to fit anything behind it and with nothing behind it you have a big space in the center of the piece.

The font is hard to read, try having thicker text and less skinny. I think removing the "&" and placing "Official Support Forum of Forumotion" on a different line like below or above, whatever you'd like just so that the reader/viewer can see the pause and that they are not together. The "Merry Christmas" text is good but it also doesn't really work well with the forum theme.

You could have definitely chosen better colors to match the theme. The background and "Merry Christmas" text color doesn't really match the theme. The theme integration could be better as well. You want the background to match the blue ribbon banner of the support forum. and you want to colors to go with the white and blue theme well so the banner fits nicely. The balance and movement is good. There may be too much things going on though, but overall it looks good.

Your banner is very nice, but another thing to think is "Will it blend in nicely with the forum as a whole? Will the colors match nicely?" Your submission is very good, just make sure to match it more with the whole forum theme. We hope that you submit another wonderful banner for a future contest and thanks for submitting and taking your time to submit your banner for this contest.

Favorite Features

The Santa hat on the "C"

Recommended Improvements

Theme Integration
Font & Text Legibility
Color Choices
Use same style on all graphics

by Take Notes February 15th 2016, 2:24 am

Graphic Challenge Critique

Forumotion Christmas Banner Contest

@APE

Graphic Challenge Critiques (Two) Altern11

Challenge Completion

Font & Text Legibility

Color Choices

Harmony

Balance

Movement

Theme Integration

My Critique

When I took a look at your awesome banner, I was very pleased. The way the Christmas trees were designed made it looked magical just like Christmas is. I really liked the snowman as well, your banner really made a positive and happy mood to it.

The white arrow is very thick and the text is very skinny; to me personally it stood out more as well as the hexagonal icons than the rest. The "Ho ho ho" text was very hard to see at first and it could stand out more. There's not much color variation other than the hexagonal icons so it takes me away from the Chrismas spirit since they stand out more. Next time, maybe edit the size of the arrow to blend more with text/font. You have the hexagonal images on the right which are colorful but on the left you have no colors that match the right icons, maybe add more color to the left next time as that will make the banner more balanced.

Your banner has motion as it almost feels like it's moving with the awesome tree design. Additional to this awesome banner, maybe next Christmas contest you could include snow. You have magical trees and a snowman but no snow. Snow is a huge part of the holiday and it really brings out the holiday spirit. We hope that you submit another wonderful banner for a future contest and thanks for submitting and taking your time to submit your banner for this contest.

Favorite Features

Snowman
Magical feeling
Christmas tree design

Recommended Improvements

Text font
Balance

by **Ape** February 15th 2016, 8:15 am

Thanks for your feedback
I wanted to just go plain and easy on this and i feel less is more Wink

but i will be taking part in more of this sort of thing when i have time... As you know i work in and outside of this forum and have a really busy life.

And of news of little feet running around in 7minths time i will have even less time on my hands lol ok maybe not running but lots of feeding times Razz