I have an idea...
Thursday, Sep 24, 2009
Someone tell Collin that the TGS design looks fantastic, fun, funtastic, and fun.
Saturday, Jul 11, 2009
I may have left, but I never left you, or... no that is not right- what is the saying? Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that my latest project, thisMoment just launched. If you have a moment (cough - cough) please check it out. I've even made a few game, film and tv moments, who can forget Tales Of The Gold Monkey?!
http://www.thismoment.com/moment/view/5253/tales-of-the-gold-monkey
Wednesday, Jul 4, 2007
There are a few golden rules to making a good banner. As I've made far more of these for the sites than I can count, I've got a few words of advice for any banner makers out there. I point out examples below not to ridicule but to educate, after all, we all want beautiful banners!
1- make sure you can read the text that overlays on top of the banner image. After all the banner is to support the page title, not obscure or hide it. If any rule should be followed it is this one.
a few major criminals:Adventures of Robin Hood
Collateral
solaris
2- there are better ways to achieve rule number 1 than a dark cloud of death fade to black- and if you do fade out- go naturally.
bad fade to black:usual suspects
resident evil
natural:pan's labyrinth
e.t.-note how it fades to a similar color not just black.
alternative:seven samurai - uses supportive imagery to create a speration between focal image and dark background.
3-composition. find a focal point, focal image. don't just drop in random images, unless they are orgonzed in a collage. Also cropping can be good, but it can also be real dirty.
bad composition (two equal size focal images, not integrated, evenly spaced, no focus:
spirited away
the big lebowski- sometmes, less is more, but sometimes, you don't have a good focal image to work with, then you need to collage it up...
good collage:
serenity-good use of the old "photo-trick", soemthing I used far too often I admit when in a pinch:grease
bad cropping:rescue dawn
license to wed
good close up cropping: the good, the bad, and the ugly
finding nemo
closer
bourne ultimatum
underworld- can't go wrong with a good cropping of the eyes, just avoid showing the nostols, too much face and it looks uncomfortable.
4- contrast. A simple adjustment of contrast can make dull images more powerful and professional.
5- source image quality. If the image isn't good, don;'t use it. banners are to enhance.
criminal:back to the future
surf's up- this is an animated film there are tons of clear images to choose from.
6- sometimes a good screen is your best friend ...(to make up for bad source images)being john malkovich
Now these banners are not easy to make, hopefully these tenets will help any would be banner makers out there interested in the business. Good luck, and good banner making!
1- make sure you can read the text that overlays on top of the banner image. After all the banner is to support the page title, not obscure or hide it. If any rule should be followed it is this one.
a few major criminals:Adventures of Robin Hood
Collateral
solaris
2- there are better ways to achieve rule number 1 than a dark cloud of death fade to black- and if you do fade out- go naturally.
bad fade to black:usual suspects
resident evil
natural:pan's labyrinth
e.t.-note how it fades to a similar color not just black.
alternative:seven samurai - uses supportive imagery to create a speration between focal image and dark background.
3-composition. find a focal point, focal image. don't just drop in random images, unless they are orgonzed in a collage. Also cropping can be good, but it can also be real dirty.
bad composition (two equal size focal images, not integrated, evenly spaced, no focus:
spirited away
the big lebowski- sometmes, less is more, but sometimes, you don't have a good focal image to work with, then you need to collage it up...
good collage:
serenity-good use of the old "photo-trick", soemthing I used far too often I admit when in a pinch:grease
bad cropping:rescue dawn
license to wed
good close up cropping: the good, the bad, and the ugly
finding nemo
closer
bourne ultimatum
underworld- can't go wrong with a good cropping of the eyes, just avoid showing the nostols, too much face and it looks uncomfortable.
4- contrast. A simple adjustment of contrast can make dull images more powerful and professional.
5- source image quality. If the image isn't good, don;'t use it. banners are to enhance.
criminal:back to the future
surf's up- this is an animated film there are tons of clear images to choose from.
6- sometimes a good screen is your best friend ...(to make up for bad source images)being john malkovich
Now these banners are not easy to make, hopefully these tenets will help any would be banner makers out there interested in the business. Good luck, and good banner making!
Recent Entries
My Recent Reviews
freaksngeeks has written 29 reviews.
If Tommy lee had not had made the similar and superior The Fugitive earlier- this film would not have seemed so redundant.
Posted jan 31, 2007 2:26 am pt
Twister gives a bad name to formula films.
Posted jan 15, 2007 1:58 pm pt
This film was like watching a shallow video game loosely based on Indiana Jones.
Posted jan 14, 2007 3:22 pm pt
The beady eyed Dirty Dancer takes his mullet on the road for some round house kicking revenge, Swayze-style. Everything wrong about this film makes it so right.
Posted jan 14, 2007 3:16 pm pt
This film would not have been so bad if they did not miss the mark on Doom so badly. By giving Doom superpowers instead of just disfiguration, it diminished his overall power as a evil genius. First rule of comic book filmmaking: get the villain...
[+] Read Full Review
[+] Read Full Review
Posted jan 14, 2007 2:07 pm pt
My Ratings
| 1. | Entrapment |
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| 2. | Innerspace |
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| 3. | Captain Ron |
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| 4. | The Full Monty |
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| 5. | Showgirls |
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| 6. | Young Guns |
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| 7. | Young Guns II |
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| 8. | Unforgiven |
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| 9. | Ed Wood |
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| 10. | House of Flying Daggers |
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