Mosaic needs help

[mercphoto]

I like this concept but not sure if its "there" yet or not. A few MX'ers saw early drafts and said it was cool but... This is my latest version and I think I'm getting closer.

It is meant to be a 20x30 poster. The background is 100 images from last year's season that I chose for a variety of angles, directions, etc. I placed them on a grid at 50% opacity. They work out to be 2x3" images. The customer then chooses the main central image. I would then find 6 more of that rider for the surrounding support images, which are 4.2" wide and have a beveled appearance to them as well. Add rider's name and voila.

What else needs to change? How close am I to a finished product? Thanks.

(Note: photo replaced with most recent edit)
http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/photos/142029840-M-1.jpg

[Ann McRae]

Bill

Great idea. Right now I do not think the support images stand out distinctly enough from the background images. Is there room for them to be larger? Have you tried reducing the opacity of the background further? Perhaps a border or frame aroud them?

That is my initial thought.

ann

[mercphoto]

I'll try bevelling the edges of the support images further to help them separate more from the background. I'm a bit leary to make them much larger as there will be times the support images are portrait rather than landscape. Will also try even lower opacity on the background.

[mercphoto]

Bevelled edges more severe on supporting images and opacity on the mosaic down to 40%. I think that reduction did help some. Thanks.

[mercphoto]

New idea. I think I like this better but wondering about the font for the name or other ways to jazz it up. Thanks!
http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/photos/143118484-M.jpg

[DavidTO]

I don't like the font. It's not strong enough. I would want a font that was stronger, more masculine, and maybe implied speed. Don't be afraid to distort the font, making it wider, narrower, or slanted. I would spend some time shopping for a font, and would avoid any font that came with your computer. I would think that the result you're looking for is for the rider to look at it and say, "Cool!" This font is not that.

The first one is too busy, and yes, the pics do not stand out enough against the background. The little pics are too close in size to the background tiled pics, there's not enough contrast in size.

On the second, I would play with a frame or framing device, border of some sort. Something to package it.

I highly recommend The Non-Designer's Design Book (http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1278165) as a place to start. Also check out bamagazine.com for more design ideas.

The bottom line on all of it is that you are a better photographer than designer. If you want these things to stand out as having good design, you need to educate yourself about good design. They're the design equivalent of a snapshot right now. :D

[mercphoto]

I highly recommend The Non-Designer's Design Book (http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1278165) as a place to start. Also check out bamagazine.com for more design ideas.
Ordered. And I'll check out additional fonts. Thanks.

[DavidTO]

Ordered. And I'll check out additional fonts. Thanks.


Yeah, I would think a heavy, non-serif font would be the way to go.

An interesting thing I learned from another one of her books is this:

Serif fonts are more readable (here, she means standard serif fonts, like Times, etc.)

Sans-serif fonts are more legible.

What does that mean? Well, make a headline in a sans-serif and in a serif font. The sans-serif stands out, and is more quickly read.

STOP

vs.

STOP

But reading long passages in sans-serif fonts is difficult, most likely because the hoizontal lines of a serif font help lead your eye along the lines of the passage.

Try it sometime with a long passage of text. Display it in Times and then in Helvetica or Arial, and see which one tires your eyes faster.

This is why oftentimes headlines and section headers are sans-serif and the body of the text is serif.

[maczippy]

Definately the font Bill, I'd also look into (re: the first image) using a light drop shadow on the small images, maybe, move them to the r or l/h side and make the centre image maybe square with say rough edges that fade out to some degree. The mix of shapes throws me off.

I'd use a nice squared off font, similar to say an "Impact" font but maybe less heavy.

Andrew :)

[Mike02]

I think it looks a little cheesy, especially with that normal text. I'd suggest getting a more 'exotic' font, and maybe blending the main photo a little bit better, ie, not having the cliche vignette cut-off.

And get rid of those shadows on the surrounding pictures, it might look a little bit better with black borders instead =P.