[phobos]

Hello everybody.I'm posting these images from a school project.It's for a calendar.The projects says that we have to make 4 months that represent the 4 seasons.So these are the 2 of the 4 seasons.Need your comments.Thanks in advance

[ 11-12-2001: Message edited by: phobos ]

[rjenkinson]

i'd like to comment... but there are no images!

-r.

[phobos]

Jesus I'm inexplicable.(Wow I'm an idiot !!!!!)
Sorry guys.Here are the images



[ 11-04-2001: Message edited by: phobos ]

[ 11-04-2001: Message edited by: phobos ]

[MikeM32]

Over-all I like the idea and the background art works well for describing the season.

Three things:

1.) I'd probably keep the month names a consistent point size. It looks like you used a larger font for "April" then you did for "October". You might even try putting the month name "behind" the numbers of the days a little bit but still going accross.

People should still be capable of reading the name of the month, but that leads me to the other "thing".........

2.) I just can't get by having to turn my head sideways to see the dates and corresponding days. It's not so much that they're on the one side, but I'd find it easier to read if they were like this....(also note the correct way to show the "day" I.E. "Tu" for Tuesday, because Tuesday and Thursday both start with "T").......

1 M
2 Tu
3 W
4 Th
5 F
5 Sa
6 Su

Or try putting the number of the day last and the day first........

M 1
Tu 2
W 3
Th 4
F 5
Sa 6
Su 7

Finally........

3.) What year is this? Popping a "Year" in there may also balance out the artwork better. It "feels" like it's just "too heavy" on the right side. Perhaps a year in the upper right area may help balance out the artwork.

Just suggesting to work a little more on it. I think the background images definitely do capture the "season" as you mentionned. The Placement and Positioning of the Type just needs a little more working out.

Mike

[ 11-04-2001: Message edited by: MikeM32 ]

[phobos]

Hello Mike.Thanks for your time you took for writing your opinion.I'll start from the year.I wanted the year to be only on the cover of the calendar (2002).I also wanted the numbers and the days not to be on a straightforward way.Maybe I'm not thinking correct.I'll do what you say and look what's gonna happen.You are correct for the size of the
month.I'll make some improvements and see what's gonna look like.Thanks again man.

Any other opinions???

[godzookie2k]

I like the "look" of both pieces individually. The "Liquid-light/overlay" look of October works really well in portraying a fall feeling, just like April portrays spring. Problem is, October looks like darkroom/Photoshop effects on top of a photo and April looks like darkroom.Photoshop effects on hand drawn artwork....consistency among the pieces (or lack thereof) is kinda annoying, but that may be me, I'm kinda picky. Speaking of Pickiness, the columns of text containing dates and numbers are not the same distance from the right edge, October is about10 pixels off. To fix the "turning the head sideways" to see the date problem, what if the days were of normal orientation (i.e. right side up) and the numbers remained the same? Numbers can be read upside down and sideways much easier than letters... And last but not least (sorry, I'm a type snob), The days of the week don't have the same kerning across the month due to the days of the week starting at single digit numbers and ending at double digit numbers, it throws the spacing off, perhaps if the days were listed only once?
Looks great! Good luck,
Nick

[MikeM32]

Hello Mike.Thanks for your time you took for writing your opinion.I'll start from the year.I wanted the year to be only on the cover of the calendar (2002).I also wanted the numbers and the days not to be on a straightforward way.Maybe I'm not thinking correct.I'll do what you say and look what's gonna happen.You are correct for the size of the
month.I'll make some improvements and see what's gonna look like.Thanks again man.

As I said the backgrounds definitely say "Fall and Spring". No problems there. The use of the type is just as important. If I hang such a Calandar on my wall/door it'd also be useful to see what year it is. Someone may be over my place and wonder just how old that calandar is.

The purpose of the type is to communicate a message to the viewer. That message should be as simple to interpret as possible. That's the only reason I have a bit of a problem with the dates and days of the week being "sideways". This isn't to suggest that you can't use type in an artistic manner, but remember that with something like a calandar it's meant to be easily interpretted.

If I had a snapshot of those backgrounds without the type I'd show you what I'd do with it. Probably a few different variations as-well. As a designer it's important not to put all your "eggs" in one "basket".

The "Client" (if there was one in this case) may want to see several "different" ideas. He/She wants to know your'e working hard on selling the "product". In This case "The Calandar".

Treat it like you're going to have to try to sell it to your Art Professor. Pretend that this Calandar will get you a million "dollahs" if you can convince him/her to "buy" it.

Mike

[phobos]

Godzookie and Mike I was also thinking about the consistency of the 2 months.But when I was buildig them I thought that it would be very boring to see the same style over and over again.Now that I made them I think that I'm wrong...
Godzookie I like the idea of yours for the numbers to remain the same and the days to be typed correct.I'll try it.
Also I was thinking about different typography on different months.But then again I may head for big confusion.What do you guys think???
Mike I'll put the year in the months and see the result.
Godzookie the strange thing is that I haven't used a single photograph..It's all 2d and 3d elements I've built my self.From the butterflys to the leafs of the tree.But I understand what you are saying.
I think that April needs the handrawn look . I think it captures the feeling of the season. Do you guys think that I'll have to remake one of the months so that the look remains the same??? I'm really concerned about that.Also about the different typography.(Different typography for every month)
Waiting for your opinions

[godzookie2k]

Originally posted by phobos:
<STRONG>Also about the different typography.(Different typography for every month)
Waiting for your opinions</STRONG>

For the love of god and anything you know as holy, dont.



Nick

(its late and I'm tired...)

[phobos]

Ha Ha!!! Thought so....

[georgius]

I've gotta agree with gotzookie2k. The typography should be kept the same across the whole calender. Using a different font ofr the seperate seamson would make the calender disjointed, and the smae font across the board gives it continuity. And don't even consider using a sans-serif font. Thats will make it look way too modern, keep it classic.

Otherwise, extremely good work.

Play it cool

[druber]

hey, don't apologize for pointing out kerning problems, especially on something with a lot of closely pack characters. it really does make a difference. more agreeing with keeping the month-name font size consistent. the placement for the line of numbers should be consistent unless you have a reason for changing it. i mean, you could divide the canvas into 12 columns and put the numbers down a line corresponding to the month (oct = 10), though that'd fool with your composition in april. it's hard to show restraint when you feel like you've got one chance to show it all, but don't bombard the viewer.

[phobos]

I decide to put the year on the months and also putting the days in a straightforward way .The numbers are going to be the same way they are now.Please all pray so that I can manage to make the corrections and the 2 more months until monday...

[godzookie2k]

MONDAY? you want prayers for MONDAY? Boyo, you have a lifetime between now and monday! (If only I were so lucky... ) post monday at 4am if you've lost the whole project, THEN we can start talking about getting some prayers out to ya




nick

[phobos]

I have 5 more projects so monday isn't that far.So start your prayers

[phobos]

Here are the 2 other seasons.Winter and summer




As you can see I added the year and the days have been rotated so that they can be read correctly.Thanks for your comments guys you were very helpful.Waitng for you new ones...

[ 11-12-2001: Message edited by: phobos ]

[MikeM32]

Much improvement

As for constructive criticism I'm still having a problem with the actual numbers of the days being sideways. The weird thing though is that the "year" is sideways and it looks good to me placed as-such.

You still might try tipping the numbers of the days "up-right" just to see how it'll look. You notice that because the space under the lower numbers is smaller that your "M-T W-T-F-S-S" is "squished" more at the top of the calandar.

[edit:] I just re-read the thread again and note that your definitely keeping the numbers "sideways". So don't mind the above criticism even though I'm keeping it in my post[end edit]

Only other thing is the "August" calandar. The words "August" and the "2001" seem to sort of "vanish" into the artwork in the background. The type looks sorta bleached-out and doesn't stand out real well.

Don't go nuts taking my criticisms personally though. There's a point where you just have to stop "tweaking" it and know it's "done". If your'e determined to go with it then I say go with it.

It's agreed that consistency with the type is essential. Being satisfied with the piece I would now go back and apply it to the earlier pieces.

just my 2¢ :o

And for the record the images are fantastic

Mike

[ 11-12-2001: Message edited by: MikeM32 ]

[phobos]

Thanks mike for your criticism.The previous 2 months are gonna get te same typography treatmenr.They need to look that they are from the same calendar.The one thing that pisses me of as you correctly have stated is the spaces of the days and the numbers.I think it's very annoying.But I really like the upside of the numbers so I don't know what to do.Man I'm really obsessed...(When my mind is stuck on one idea I won't let it go)I'll try and see how the numbers will look like when they are correctly typed.
Thanks again for the crits.

[godzookie2k]

The starfish are beautiful. I don't know how i feel about the days alternating sides of the dates... might just result in more kerning issues for you if you move them, I don't know what you schedule looks like on this. Is the 7th of August just a "no-day" day? Oh, yeah I forgot about Nick-day, the day between sunday and monday...


nick

[ 11-13-2001: Message edited by: godzookie2k ]

[MikeM32]

godzookie's right!! There's no corresponding "day of the week" next to the 7th

Good catch

Mike

[phobos]

These are some little thing that I knew and will be corrected.I have to
to give the project on monday so there is plenty of time to do these kind of corrections.

[funkboy]

I need a calendar, the size of this one looks perfect for where I'd like to place it - where can we order one?

...seriously! I like it that much! Amazing job on all the pictures that have been posted!

Is the calendar being printed out for mass production?

Shipping from Greece would have to be killer...

[phobos]

Hey funkyboy I'm flattered...
It's a school project and we only wanted to represent the 4 months not the whole year so I don't think I'm gonna do the rest of the months...(And the original size is 20X40cm|)
Well if you really like it that much I can give you these 4 months.Oh well I'm sure you're just kidding me...

[ 11-15-2001: Message edited by: phobos ]