ISO50

I gotta go with B, I think because in A with the type in the bars, I visually group the type in with the design on top. As opposed to B I appreciate the type and the pattern independently and my eye goes back and forth. But I can see how it could drive you insane, they’re both pretty great.

Hi Scott:

Here are my 2 cents…

I like the strong horizontal band that is present in A, but the use of the same red/orange in the band makes the arrows feel as if they are continuing past their set horizontal barrier.

Have you tried removing the red/orange band that knocks out the ‘NYC 07’ in A and changing that text to the white or the red/orange.

I think ultimately, I prefer B. Although the OFFF looks like it isn’t anchored anywhere. In A, that anchor comes from the strong horizontal.

Curious to hear your thoughts/remarks.

Best!

A. no contest.

B!
cause emptiness attract my eyes

Dammit. Now I’m attracted to D.

Definitely D. Good think I checked this site again.

Hi Scott:

Thanks for the nice comments and props!

My vote is now for D. Much cleaner and organized into sections of information. In my first glance I get the horizontal bar, the arrows and then the information at the bottom. Which ultimately is how it is suppose to be read… I think.

On a side note: Are you doing any speaking engagements/shows in SF anytime soon. I’m here and would love to meet you in person. Also, what’s your trick for getting your colors to look so flat/matte? Care to share?

I have purposely not read the comments above because I don’t want them to influence my own, so please forgive any redundancy.

After careful consideration, I’m partial to D.

B: this is my least favorite because it lacks the visual “weight” that the other three have as a result of the reversed-out type

C: is 2nd from my least favorite. I love the visual effect of the blue and orange arrows, but executing the “first-read” in those colors hurts my eyes.

A: is my 2nd favorite, but…

D: is my favorite because it has a bit more power in its composition as a result of the all-white bar than A does. The overall proportions are attractive, the most important text is legible instantly, and the gestalt of that version is much stronger than any other version.

I backed away from the computer to look at each from a distance, and D is the clear winner, in my opinion.

-Jason

awesome… just read the comments, and was disappointed to hear everyone saying A or B… then realized that C and D were added later.

Glad the recent posts are pulling for D! It’s strong and powerful in its composition, and I think the cream “bar” (not the orange “bar”) provides the link between top/design and bottom/information.

Go D!

A – Just communicates the best i think, like the compostion and color acents. on A you can realy ‘read’ the poster and it leads you along trough the info..so A gets my vote.

Im going to opt for A too. I don’t have any insightful comments as to why. It just feels like the one.

Now for point number 2; A colleague and I have been trying to get ahold of you for a while now about some work we’d love for you to take a look at. I can see you’ve been busy but if you could get in touch and let us know one way or the other wether you’re available it would be greatly appreciated. We sort of sold your work internally and now the powers that be want answers. I left me email with this comment. Laters.

D: The white bands balance it out.

Oh yeah – so can we make this a prize competition? :) for whom gives the best critique ? lol a free poster of choice :)

Between a and d

I’m going to say A.
The reasons for this have already been commented on, so I wont repeat.

The A.
No comment because my English is very poor. Sorry.

A.
For me, mixing the colors in the title is the best way to link the design and the information.

I like D most. It has a stronger informational hierarchy than the others. The information is defined by the cream, the graphics by the orange.

As I’m sure you know, with any kind of informative design, defining and organising your information is as important as catching the eye.

D also appears the most naturally balanced when viewing all the posters from a distance. The solid bar gives the title a visual weight that A and B both lack, and the cream, as I said helps tie all the text together and defines the hierarchy, as well as increasing the legibility of C.

I’m also just a big fan of the cream colour against the blue. Gorgeous.

A.

I am not that great in explaining in detail so I made a PDF with your designs and text corresponding to the version.
Also made some blocks to show exactly what I meant.

Here are a few download links, look which you prefer,

http://rapidshare.com/files/91773522/iso50.pdf.html

http://download.yousendit.com/1869101F6A187CE2

I am currently tied for time so please excuse the grammar, ect.
It looks like your having trouble getting the flow of the arrows merge with your type so that they feel solid and in place.

Therefore, I have a few suggestions you can try out and see how it works out for you.
A. Remove the bottom arrows that cut off from the design above, push up your offf text.
2A. Also you can embed the NYC 07 into the arrows, if you want the offf nyc together try 3A.
3A. You can try to keep the design as it is, and throw more of a lighting backdrop to the arrows and then give the arrows 2 different colors to show an edge.
4A. Scrap the arrows and redesign either the arrows or the design itself.

B. The text merge lacks openness from the arrows. Might want to try suggestion A.

C. Too much usage of the orange color, junk.

Well, got to go I’ll take a look later and see if I can give more feedback.

i personally think A is the strongest design simply for the fact that it is the most legible as well as it carries a coherant visual language in regards to color choice.

as for legibility, i feel that breaking up ‘offf & nyc 07’ with different background colors instantly communicates to the viewer the ‘ what the event is’ & ‘where it is being held’ with very little chance of confusing the two as one statement. i believe that this is a very important characteristic for when viewed ‘in-passing’ or ‘very quickly’ it instantly registers that you have seen two different statements rather then just one line of text or a large single color bar dissecting the design.

in regards to a visual language, the two colors used can also be viewed as a ‘key’ in order to decipher the posters information – the orange standing for location & the white for the event. each of these colors are specific to the content in which they exhibit & again organize the posters information in a very clean & coherent way. in looking at the poster it is apparent that all the orange arrows are pointing directly at nyc, communicating again where the even in being held, whilst the white bar stating ‘offf’ & the white text below communicate direct information about the event, who is speaking & even the event sponsors.

again these are simply my thoughts but i truly think that poster A, aside from being a stunning design, best communicates with its viewer regardless if they are familiar with the event or not.

D. Hands down.

You have the orange arrows guiding the eyes down, and then BAM white wall, with reversed text (which = sexy). C, starts off the same, but the white box of D just makes it pop a little better :).

D, definitely. There’s nothing I can say that others already haven’t, but just from a readability standpoint it’s the clearest. I guess A would be my second choice, but having the title in two different blocks of colors is a little to mixy-matchy for my tastes.

Nice posters all around.

A, for a couple of reasons.

1. I like the differentiation between the two blocks of type, and it calls attention to the overall title of the event, OFFF. The orange block containing NYC 07 might be harder to see from a distance, but this is okay because the two elements that grab attention are the bright arrows above (which point to NYC anyway) and the title. That will lead someone to check the poster out at a closer range.

2. The choice to use orange on blue creates a bit of vibration between the colors, which typically happens with complimentary schemes. It bends the rules, which is excellent in my books. This also creates a sense of unease along with the diagonals of the arrows, and as we know if something looks like danger or a warning, we WILL look closer. This play on color is prevalent in the old Penguin book covers I’m seeing a lot in these days, and I think this poster (A) is a prime piece of informational design in that fashion.

Lol i love how now that this is a competition everyone is putting in a lot of critique. Its funny what people will do and say for paper with ink on it.

First of all I love this poster SO much! In fact last week I was looking for it b/c I wanted to buy it on your website but I didn’t see it. So it’s heavenly that you are doing this contest b/c I want to win a signed copy FOR sure!!! Actually you didn’t really like A but I really liked A. That’s the one that hits me in my gut. I really like the simplicity and clean feel of B but A has a balanced feel to it. The orange stripe that contains NYC 07 connects me with the orange arrows and then the antique white stripe that contains OFFF connects me with the type below. I really feel the ying and yang effect going on. I love this poster. Love it. I can see it hanging in my home office. :)

I’m quite a fan of D. I feel like C has a little too much orange for my preference, and I don’t altogether enjoy the space around OFFF NYC without the cream. I do love the way you’ve divided the space however. It has a clean feel I’d love to balance one of my walls with.

A is the strongest.

The most important information on the poster is the conference name. The second most important piece of information is the location. As you used the same font size and vertical placement of these elements you need a way to push the location back a bit and let the conference title become the most prominent information on the page. It should be the first thing your eye is drawn to without forcing someone to read left to right. Keep in mind you’re are using strong diagonal arrows that constantly draw the eye to the location. Version A offsets this nicely by using a cream block to punch out your title.

All of the other versions lack the visual hierarchy you should be going for.

My vote goes to D.

The orange arrows allow the big contrast with the creme banding which makes the name pop out. I feel the two color banding of A is not necessary since you already have separation with the vertical line. The creme banding also seems to introduce and link to the text/information that comes next.

I love how the arrows are clearly pointing down, even when you can still see the blue arrows pointing up in the negative area. Mostly because the little spacement between the rows of orange arrows in contrast to the rows of blue ones. Also leads you into a nice movement feeling once you realize there are arrows ponting up after first noticing the ones pointing down.

It’s hard to decide between A, B or D. It’s quite clear to me that I like C less, but that’s probably because white is my favorite color and it really works in this piece by breaking the heavy blue/orange contrast and giving it a little more air.

B is great for it’s cleanliness, it really stands out better when the four images are put together, but I’m not sure if it would stand better that the others on its own.

A has a great balance between white and orange, specially since it’s highlighting the name of the event rather than the name of the city. If you’re already in NYC you’d suppose the event is happening there, making it a less urgent information.

In the other hand, I think C has too much white, dividing the image in clearly separate parts more than the other ones do instead of pulling it together like the orange bars do.

A and B are the best ones in my opinion, making it really hard to choose between them. I think A would work a little better on it’s own than B, because it looks more solid and the bar also makes it a little warmer and comfortable, the way the letters are involved. Still B is damn sexy when you look it among the other ones.

So yeah, A is my choice.

ps.: Check out João Gilberto’s version of Águas de Março from his 73 album, it’s my favorite.

My vote is B. I think it has a longer lasting aesthetic and a more efficient delivery than the others. The type is allowed to breathe and the grid is more apparent.

D) I like the way the title text of the poster jumps out and clearly shows where the poster’s elements split. The balance is nice, but not jarring. I also really like the readability of the Blue on cream and readability is at the heart of good design (for me anyway)

I would like to cast my vote in for B. Like someone mentioned above, I think the lack of the boxed text adds a longer lasting appeal in a way. It is almost more stylistically neutral in a positive way.

I don’t mean to overstep my boundaries as a respectful critic, but I do have an idea. From my quick reading of the comments above, I didn’t see anyone else mention this. In my own design work I tend to be an-over perfectionist, and what my eye is drawn to immediately in this work is where the arrows end. The small triangle remnant is almost distracting. To others this would mean nothing, but my suggestion would be to try aligning the rows so that the angles of the arrows line up to that baseline. Granted you would still have every other arrow cut off to a rhombus shape, but i think that could potentially aid in seeing the design above as a whole.

Yes, with that you would lose the negative arrows, and newly created negative spaces might be distracting, but I think it might just be worth it.

“D” is also nice. I definitely see the cutoff less with the cream box.
In the end we all know these are so nice regardless of what you choose, if sucking up will get me a nice print for my wall. :)

Thanks Scott.

In looking at the options, C and D are definitely the strongest. My opinion is that D is the best option for two reasons. First, the OFFF title is very visible, which is the purpose of the poster afterall. Second, making the bar and the text at the bottom the same color separates that section from the illustration which I also like. Breaking things up is a good thing in my opinion. I see option D as an excellent example of the illustration complementing the content, which should always be the goal in graphic design.

i couldn’t resist. no worries, I’ll remove it tomorrow.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2114/2265690954_fa4a9d9b72_o.jpg

A is the best Scott.

First moment: what the .. ?! (overall design, with it’s mood and it’s balance)

Second moment: offff .. ?! (because of the white background it catches the eye en leads you to ‘offff’).

Third moment: where .. ?! .. ah! ..NYC (because of the red, next to white, it makes it secondary, which is good)

Too make a short story long; the way you guide the eyes (of the observer) through the information is almost intuitive.
A lot of times this ‘path of the eyes’ is a secondary issue for a lot of designers .. a shame really.

So, A it is :-)

YOU MUST PICK D.

Ok, now that I have your attention let me tell you why.

1.The composition is stronger due to the contrast of the horizontal band.
2. The horizontal band acts as a “visual placeholder” that anchors down the composition.
3. The horizontal band also gives it more of a sense of balance and of structure.
4. The design lends itself to a “utilitarian” feel perhaps best conveyed through the “visual hierarchy” and visual clarity that the horizontal band imposes.
5. The horizontal band gives the design a nice 60s “Steve McQueen” feel that cannot be denied. Don’t deny it.

Once again, YOU MUST PICK D.

Sometimes you can almoust feel what is the best option, and for me is defently poster A.

Hi Scott,

Been following your work for a long time. Good idea this feedback gig, my 2 pence would be on ‘D’. I very much see this one as doing two jobs; 1 being the upper part with the arrow pattern – for attention grabbing and a pleasing image, then 2, the information section being the lower part. I much prefer D to the rest – but lets be honest we are nit picking – they are all good and to the untrained eye any one of them would be a goer.

Your fan in the UK.

I like A, The band brings the final visual balance to the piece. In comparison to D, i like that the red/orange part of the band creates a relationship between arrows (movement) and the location of the event, and which makes it just more interesting and attractive to the eye.

I think D is a great solution but A takes a bit further.

I have always been a fan of (A), But I feel that (D) directs the eye much better.

D wins it for me.

I haven’t read all the comments thus far, and I’m sure enough has already been said, but I’ll add my 2 cents as well-

I think D is the best execution.

In A, the color differentiation in the horizontal bar is too much of an unnecessary element. The break in it between “OFFF” and “NYC” serves the purpose of separating those type elements well enough. Considering the orange also causes the reversed out “NYC” type to get lost against the background color, I think it’s an unnecessary and poor decision.

B I really like in its simplicity, but when compared to D I feel like D has a more significant impact with the added weight. But on its own I do really like the natural design all of the delicate type creates.

C suffers from the same problem that A does, where the reversed type is just lost with that orange on blue. The arrow pattern, while I do like it, is more visible than the subject of the poster. Plus, where the arrows in the pattern end at the bottom creates a nice kind of varying rhythm in their shapes, and that orange bar makes that harder to see and appreciate.

So my vote goes for D, as being not only the most functional, but the most pleasing to look at as well. It lets all of the individual elements sing on their own while not disrupting the poster’s purpose.

Scrolling through the 4 I was instantly drawn to version D. It has a feeling of completion and a natural flow whereas the others seem to be missing something. The orange paneling with the text punched out in versions A and C seem a little harsh for the eye to read and version B although clean seems incomplete. There is a strength in the event name in version D which I think is lost a little in the others.

A is the right one! the bg-colours at the title supports the message: OFFF / NYC – 2 different parts ….

D is the winner. The title type, being the most necessary information on the item, is the most identifiable upon first viewing. In comparison to A, B, and C, it seems more confident and solidified with the white rectangle occupying the center.

A , intentionally or unintentionally, neglects the NYC 07.
B, the negative space is comfy, but the lack of the stark white rectangle (like in D) keeps it from feeling as certain and sure.
C, although more hypnotic and cool due to the orange rectangle for type, it is just a bit “muddy”… the type doesn’t succeed as it does in choice D.

Scott, it’s probably personal but, I think these designer tricks to get the info across are a real aspect of the design, even when the actual event is long past (as is the case with this work).
It’s a fundamental part of the design for me.

I found really interesting the sounds you get from synthesizers on Tycho music, which ones do you use?