Layouts- i need your opinion

[Sethius]

hey all,
just doing some graphics work and id thought id get the voice of farkin.net onto it, ive got 3 layouts and id like to know which one you would like most focused on and any ideas you may have regarding these...

these are smaller versions.

EDIT: new versions and ideas have been added taking into mind so on the great advice from farkin members... cheers guys!

[leitch]

edit: hmmm i think they may all be a little bit too busy and over the top, but if i had to choose id say the second one... how are they being distributed? as image files or are you going to be printing hard copy flyers, too?

[mpdowling]

edit: hmmm i think they may all be a little bit too busy and over the top, but if i had to choose id say the second one... how are they being distributed? as image files or are you going to be printing hard copy flyers, too?


The first is by far the best, simple and easy to read. the second was abit too much and you almost got lost in it. the third just didn't do it for me. i agree with "leitch" how they are given to poeple. if its by hand the first if by computer still first :p just something to consider

[leitch]

The first is by far the best, simple and easy to read. the second was abit too much and you almost got lost in it. the third just didn't do it for me. i agree with "leitch" how they are given to poeple. if its by hand the first if by computer still first :p just something to consider
mmm i was going to say if you were printing them out and handing them around then none of them are really suitable - way too busy and hard to read, especially if you have a printout. the best thing if you're doing hard copy flyers would be just to keep it as simple as you can (but obvously still with some appeal) so no background picture would be a good start

[and1]

I think in your case, less is more. Glowing green and neon colours with funny photoshop filters are not cool. Maybe also try keep some consistancy with your typography too. If you HAVE to, and I mean absolutely have to, use the 1st.

[tinto]

I think you need to have a visual heirachy that will fill people in as quickly as possible so they won't have to scan the whole thing over a few times. At the moment they're a little too busy, and it wasn't until I reviewed them all that i realised it wasn't a music gig.

Sort out your heirachy by working out the most important elements...
i.e. 1) what is it; 2) when is it; 3) where is it... then add in the other details like camping and music.

You need to spell out the words DOWNHILL and FREERIDE... they'll catch their audience's eye like FREE and SEX do for most of us :p

Go for higher visual contrast on those first 3 items - perhaps with a larger typeface, then you can put a bit more detail/imagery around the finer stuff, because if they've read past the first 3 lines, then they're keen - but that doesn't mean load it up with too many photo/blur layers. Use a single typeface and keep all your type in a format that can be read from left to right (not up/down... it's just too hard).

Perhaps try a typeface which is a little more efficient with space - the one you've got there is very wide and low, so can be hard to read for something you're wanting to make an impact with.

Maybe try some white panels/boxes knocked back to 80% over your dark images to create some contrast and focus for your type. Panels will also give you somewhere to put the finer detail text, and hold your text blocks together, while separating them a little from the photos.

(opinions are like arseholes, but I hope i've helped)

[Sethius]

thanks guys, the event isnt real or anything its just meant to be a one off poster for graphics. I will try and reorder my heirarchy tis abit chaotic.im gonna swap the music and the the heading around, too many people read from top down to go against that, more contrast you think tinto? less image more shape, im still yet to plan with the letterform not quiet sure about that font..

[cam-o]

I like the idea of the empty terrain shots.
You need to make the fact that it's a comp more obvious, having the 'tunes by' at the top made me think it was a flyer for a band. I'd put that at the bottom as most riders won't really care that much who the band is, they just wanna ride.

[rhyno]

I like the idea of the empty terrain shots.
You need to make the fact that it's a comp more obvious, having the 'tunes by' at the top made me think it was a flyer for a band. I'd put that at the bottom as most riders won't really care that much who the band is, they just wanna ride.

Exactly the same from me, it doesn't even mention what sort of comp it is. (apart from the 2nd one)

[nizai]

I think in your case, less is more.

As a full time designer I can totally agree. The cleaner and simpler a design is, the better usually. I like to keep typography clean, uncluttered & san-serif :)

Id like to see something like a silhouette mountain bike vector graphic in the background, a bit like the farkin logo (but not a total rip off ;))

N

[Sethius]

As a full time designer I can totally agree. The cleaner and simpler a design is, the better usually. I like to keep typography clean, uncluttered & san-serif :)

Id like to see something like a silhouette mountain bike vector graphic in the background, a bit like the farkin logo (but not a total rip off ;))

N

yea i was thinkin about that but i used a silhoutte in my last presentation, and i dont have any images of riding at the mill at the moment. Ive revised the "neon" version to a more simplistic style, but still having all oringinal photos, the signifiance of the background image is the view from the start of the track, ive played with a black n white version but you lose the depth of the section photos. for me im stilling seeing the heirarchy as the bottom text up, what are you guys seeing it as?

and on the typography note, i need to change the font to become more clean as you'd say, as capitals are known to be harder to read. any other tips or comments?

thanks everyone, speically you nizai always good to have a designer view their opinion, helps alot, forgot some of the most basic principles should go back over them.

[PINT of Stella, mate!]

If you could sort out that 'BYO alcohol' policy as well, that'd be great...

[Sethius]

aw yea sorted, and new designs added, cleaner and more suited to my usual style.