RATED R SUPERSTAR VS CHRISSTEELEATEMYHAMSTER

[The Mask of Norro]

EAST WING SEMIFINALS

Rated R Superstar vs ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster

Story: A major magazine company has contacted you for assistance in the design of their front cover for this month! The magazine asks that you focus on a few of the topics featured in the magazine and, of course, to highlight the focus of the magazine on the front page. No need to add the barcode to it either... just know to keep some empty space for where it would go!

Basic Rules: It doesn't matter what genre a magazine you choose it to be... design its front cover. Have a few topics you'd have touched on in the magazine on the front, and obviously do something with the cover to put focus on who/what the highlight of the magazine is about. It can be a real or a created magazine.

Restrictions: Must include enough empty space for a barcode, must include some references to things found in the magazine, and should be clear as to what the magazine is about. If it's real, either copy the logo or mimick it the best you can. If it's fake... make a logo for the magazine to go with it.

Size: 550x750 - 750x950

Deadline: May 8th, 2006

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Might change this before the end but meh, for now here we go:

Took the Milla image from some Russian film site. It's a poster for the film "UltraViolet".

I had to recreate THE FACE text and header myself.

If you're unaware of The Face, check it out on google or something.... (Y)

The date (eg May '06) is on the spine

Edited April 29, 2006 by ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster

[Dr. Rated-R]

Nice one, CSAMH. She's just so hot.

The file attachment thing wouldn't let me upload it. Size restraints. It'd be nice if there wasn't a limit in here. I browsed around and found Files.biz to host it, which I suggest right now. It looks nice, works well, etc. But I'm not sure if it's reliable. If the link goes down and I don't notice just PM me about it.

Anyways, here's mine:

Link

EDIT - I misread the "must include enough empty space for a barcode" bit. I thought you said "must include a barcode". But, surely, actually including a barcode is just as good as leaving the space for it?

EDIT 2 - Touched up a few problems with the cut. Some rough edges, lighting, etc. Now I can almost guarantee it was cut by me at some point, because I suck at cutting and there were lots of rough edges. Refresh a few times to get the new version to show up.

Edited May 2, 2006 by The Rated-R Superstar

[K]

Like the mag; love the text. but I always think that doing something wrestling in these things is a bit of a cop out.

[Dr. Rated-R]

Like the mag; love the text. but I always think that doing something wrestling in these things is a bit of a cop out.

Edited May 2, 2006 by The Rated-R Superstar

[Toe]

I like that ECW Magazine one, mainly for the "Tommy Dreamer shows us how to golf....extremely!" thing.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Brightening the ECW made a lot of difference...

[The Mask of Norro]

ALLDAWSON'S JUDGING

Rated R Superstar

Pros: Realistic cover for a wrestling magazine I think. I like how the font choice continues throughout the design.

Cons: Not sure the comic font suits an extreme wrestling magazine. The RVD heading should be bigger than the Justin Credible heading IMO. Cut is a little iffy in parts.

--

CSAMH

Pros: Quite realistic for a front cover, IMO. I like the bar at the bottom. I also like the usage of the resident evil font for the main story text.

Cons: Usually the main person featured on a front cover covers up the magazine logo. I'm not sure the bottom text suits the rest of the cover.

--

Result

Very close this one. Both are realistic, both are eye-catching. If it was possible to say 'tie' I would. I'll have to give this to Rated R Superstar purely because there's more graphically to it I feel. Both are realistic magazine covers though and both were very good.

WILDCAT'S JUDGING

Rated R Superstar

PROS: I love the texture on the red text and it goes really well with the white text as an offset. I like the background and how it compliments the ECW logo as well.

CONS: First, a wrestling graphic in a graphic competition is kind of a no no but I will let that slide since an ECW magazine is better than a regular wrestling graphic but since its a wrestling mag, the wrestler is the main focal point and I don't know what it is but that RVD cut just looks bad to me, I really don't know why but it just does. But aside from the wrestling aspects of it, while I like the purple logo and the purple Background, it doesn't work with the Red and white text that is on there. And those Barb wire strips are just overused and on almost every "ECW" or "Hardcore" themed peice you see I would have liked to see something a little more inovative.

ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster

PROS: The cut is really well done and the overall look of the image is really clean and nice. I like the little offramp thing as well as I think its a really clever way to say reamd more inside. It also looks like this fits that magazine's style of cover fairly well for the most part though I only found a picture of two of them on the net.

CONS: The text on the bottom line doesn't fit the image at all. In a clean piece like this going with a text thats curvy and not following a straight line isn't the best choice.

Judgement: This was close, but CHRISSTEELATEMYHAMPSTER is the one I choose. His simple yet effective clean look just looks more appealing to me and while I like Rated R Superstar's image and I do think it conveys what an ECW Magazine would look like theres just a few to many little things that I didn't care for with it to give it the nod.

MY JUDGING

RATED R SUPERSTAR

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Pros: You know, for an active background... you've done a good job. Most active designs on mags are turn-offs but you've managed to make it work in this context. You've got excellent placement of the logo, the text, and to a certain extent even the cut. It's fine that you included the barcode-- I don't mind at all, shows you went out of your way with this one, and you did a great job keeping room enough for it to fit. The color balance is also almost perfect.

Cons: I say almost because of the RVD cut. I'd have gone with one of his deep purple outfits rather than that one so as to balance it with all the purples already used. However, that's not the main thing wrong with the cut... it's the quality of the picture. Compaired to the rest of the mag, your cut is grainy as hell, and the quality of the picture really lets the whole thing down. Also, for ECW, the font seems a bit more 'Nickolodean-esque' as it were. Don't get me wrong, I love what you've done with it... just seems like an awkward font selection when there are better out there for the ECW. Long story short: the cut is your primary problem here... I'd have gone with a completely different RVD image, this one was of poor quality and thus detracts from what could have been an already near-flawless magazine cover.

CHRISSTEELEATEMYHAMSTER

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Pros: Simple, yet professional. Nice re-production of their logo (however admittedly, it *is* just text... lol), and it seems you've stayed true to their cover style very nicely. The image looks nice-- you picked a good shot for this one. Font used is quite fitting for the magazine, too... your placement and selection is very appealing to the eyes. Color balance in this one is very nice-- hell, the balance with everything in general is nearly perfect, I must say.

Cons: Again, I say 'nearly perfect' because of a few issues with the cut and the UltraViolent logo. Let's start with the logo: I don't like that you've tilted it the way you have. I agree with what you were probably thinking in that it wouldn't be good to have it straight like the rest of the text... but you've tilted it just a bit too much. I'd have gone for something just a tad bit less drastic. Also, get rid of that glow around the fonts... just seems unneccesary and really off-balance with everything else. With the primary cut, just move her a bit more to the right and it'll be good. It just seems strange to have that white strip on the right when her sword is obscuring the other side towards the bottom. Should have a bit of her on the right on the edge.

MATCH OUTCOME

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I hate you both so very, very much.

The both of you have impressed me beyond comparison here in this round; you've not only stepped out of your boundaries, you've excelled beyond them. Superstar, you took the typical idea for a wrestling magazine which, as Keith said, would normally feel like a cop out... and you ran with it brilliantly, making it into something of your own and with mostly good quality... you've excelled as a designer in this thing. Hamster, you stuck with a more simple approach and it was brilliantly done-- I think you've had some of the more professional designs in this competition.

If I could say 'tie', I'd gladly do so... but as it stands, I've got to break the tie. When looking at things from a graphical standpoint, I'd have to say that Superstar wins. When looking at it professionally, I'd have to say that Hamster wins. Considering this is a tournament that emphasizes both standpoints of designing, I can't tilt it either way... so it comes down to which works better for their selected magazine.

Superstar, as much as I love your design... it doesn't seem to fit the ECW style as well as it could. It's extremily hard for me to dock you for this, but...

Hamster's design fit his selected magazine more and, in the end, just barely edged yours out. ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster advances on to the finals of the East Wing.

The both of you deserve to be there, to be honest... you both have shown your abilities in very creative ways, and I'm glad to have had you both in this thing. Superstar, I really hope you come back for the next tournament: you've done exceptionally well, and it's been a pleasure having you.

As for you, Hamster, you can breathe easy for now! You've made it to the finals... congratulations!

Edited May 21, 2006 by The Mask of Norro

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

*breathes easily*

Good contest. Cheers Superstar.

And to alldawson, The Face pretty much always puts it's title above any image on the cover. I guess it's their 'thing'.

Anyways all's well that ends well...

[fourstarfizzle]

Well done Chris.

No offence boys, but it's taking this long for ONE FUCKING RESULT?!!!

It's taking the piss a wee bit now.

Come on, hurry up, we're all busy people, but it takes 10 minutes max to give feedback on a graphic.

[The Mask of Norro]

IT's coming, most of the time dawson and WIldcat get theirs in... it's me everyone waits on.

So yeah, don't let them take the blame, I'm responsible for why this all has taken so long, and I'm sorry for that x_o

I'll continue the grading soon as I wake up today, and I'll even try to shoot to have the next round up by tonight. Thanks for the patience guys, I really appreciate it.