[kulverse]

I just PhotoShop'ed my ass off tonight. 30+ layers later, I got this...

c/c?

[phobos]

Very good result. But the image isn't very balanced. The top left corner is very crowded where as the bottom of the cover is very empty. If you want to keep the name of the band on the top left corner lower the image more to the bottom to leave some space for it to breathe.
One more thing what connection has the image with the title of the album besides the chess pieces?
Besides that it's a good image.Congrats.

[art_director]

Originally posted by kulverse:
I just PhotoShop'ed my ass off tonight. 30+ layers later, I got this...

c/c?

i need to ask what kind of music your band plays.

[kulverse]

To simplify the genre: Technical-Metal

[philzilla]

too dark. like all metal folk, you need to lighten up a little

/me turns Clockhammer up

[art_director]

Originally posted by philzilla:
too dark. like all metal folk, you need to lighten up a little

/me turns Clockhammer up

too dark for tech-metal? is that possible?

i like the design. it's dark but then that the genre.

[philzilla]

"none... none more black"

just a touch lighter, not like 20% brighter, or something. just enough not to have to squint to read the title

are there any mp3's of this to listen to, out of curiosity? always ready to hear new music, as scaught is proving now, by getting me into Opeth

[kulverse]

Thanks guys. Its supposed to be dark, yes. Maybe my monitors are set bright, but I have no issues seeing the title and whatnot. Their is actually a levels adjustment layer sitting on top lighting it up a bit. I suppose I can brighten it up a touch more.

I just checked on my Roomies PC. Stupid PC gamma. It's darker. Guess i'll adjust the levels again.

within website
direct to MP3s

[philzilla]

wanna email me?

[godzookie2k]

i wanna hear music! i wanna hear music!


nice image, agreed on the too dark issue, not enough contrast methinks. I like that "w"

[kulverse]

hmmm..this is the only place I'm getting the "too dark..." comment. I'll check it on a few other computers tomorrow to see if its mearly a gamut issue. I'm fairly certaim my CRT's are calibrated pretty well. I see plenty of contrast. Or maybe my eyes have gone buggy from too much Grand Theft Auto:Vice City.

Thanks for your comments guys

[Demonhood]

doesn't look too dark to me (2.1 gamma).
what's with the partial ring around the hole though? supposed to be something?
you could do with a bit more 'height' around the hole the arm punched thru in the board. maybe even some debris. but overall, very nice.

oh, and i'm curious how the name would look with small rectangular dots above the i's.

[rjenkinson]

move the album title to the center of the green square at the bottom and it will look better. trust me.

-r.

[brainchild2b]

the real question is did you do it in 600dpi or just 72dpi? because if it's 72 dpi that is not going to print out nice.

[kulverse]

Originally posted by brainchild2b:
the real question is did you do it in 600dpi or just 72dpi? because if it's 72 dpi that is not going to print out nice.

Your joking right? Or was that a serious question?

You know...I just noticed that "ring" last night. Its part of the texture I never fixed. I fixed it last night, but never made a new JPEG to reflect that.

Debris may be added. I'm also putting in another chess piece off to the side that is gonna be knocked over. Just barely showing. I havent decided if I'm gonna do anymore work to the hole itself though.

The name is our logo. When I made it a few years ago, it started off with squares over the "i"'s. That lasted for about 15 seconds. It looks much better without.

Thanks for the comments all

[MindFad]

Maybe a tad dark (colorwise), but very nice. And do your amps go to eleven?

[art_director]

below are some additional thoughts. i offer them as though i were reviewing an illustration / retouching. none of this is meant as rip -- you've done a GREAT job with the cover. i just wanted to help out. and, i wish my photoshop skills were a fraction of what yours appear to be.

a. i would remove the hairline rule around the type. you have sufficient contrast against that background. in my mind this would help it all feel more organic.

b. in the hole to the left of the arm you have a highlight. that highlight should fall into the same shadow that's cast onto the board just nehind it.

c. i would leave the ring people have mentioned. to me it feels like the board is distressed. i like that look -- it ties with the rest of the image.

d. the pawn and the king that fall in the vanishing point on the board are perfectly lined up and appear as one chess piece. i would offset them slightly to help the depth perception.

e. i would push the atmospheric perspective by throwing the chess pieces slightly out of focus.

f. the base of the king that's in the hand has a funky highlight that wouldn't be there given your light source. i'd mute / remove it.

g. the bishop on the far right and the knight on the left have hard edges that feel unnatural. i'd soften them.

[kulverse]

Originally posted by art_director:
below are some additional thoughts. i offer them as though i were reviewing an illustration / retouching. none of this is meant as rip -- you've done a GREAT job with the cover. i just wanted to help out. and, i wish my photoshop skills were a fraction of what yours appear to be.

a. i would remove the hairline rule around the type. you have sufficient contrast against that background. in my mind this would help it all feel more organic.

b. in the hole to the left of the arm you have a highlight. that highlight should fall into the same shadow that's cast onto the board just nehind it.

c. i would leave the ring people have mentioned. to me it feels like the board is distressed. i like that look -- it ties with the rest of the image.

d. the pawn and the king that fall in the vanishing point on the board are perfectly lined up and appear as one chess piece. i would offset them slightly to help the depth perception.

e. i would push the atmospheric perspective by throwing the chess pieces slightly out of focus.

f. the base of the king that's in the hand has a funky highlight that wouldn't be there given your light source. i'd mute / remove it.

g. the bishop on the far right and the knight on the left have hard edges that feel unnatural. i'd soften them.

WOW! Thanks man. I appreciate the constructive critisism from a pro.

a. OUTLINED TEXT: Just tried it. Your right, it looks a touch better I think

b. HILIGHT IN HOLE: Fixed that last night, as someone else made the same comment to me.

c. RING: Are you talking about the faint half of a ring about an inch to the right if the hole? thats the one I got rid off. I left the broken glass texture around the whole.

d. PAWN/KING: Yeah...i noticed that when i was "finished" with the piece. I merged those layers to reduce the amount of layers I was dealing with. I may end up just slapping a new King piece and erasing the old one.

e. FOCUS: I will try that

f. HILIGHT IN KING: I'm gonna mute it a bit. If its all dark it looks like a blob back there.

e. HARD EDGES: Done and Done.

Thanks again. I'll make a new JPEG when I feel it's different enough to show.

move the album title to the center of the green square at the bottom and it will look better. trust me.

Just tried it, and It doesn't

[kulverse]

Originally posted by art_director:
...i wish my photoshop skills were a fraction of what yours appear to be.

Thanks a lot. Wanna hire me? hehe