Digital Imaging Software - 1303264: Photoshop

Amaray Paper Sleeve Dimentions

I have now decided to look up the dimensions of the Amaray paper sleeve before getting into the creative/designing stage of the process. This is so I can get on an idea how big pictures/images need to be, how textures would look against it, also can see how the design would look on back as well as the front.

Example of an Amaray case

An Amaray case is plastic storage case which stores DVD or games discs from damage. To sell the film or game they create a paper sleeve for the case. This is a way to promote the game or film by giving the product a desirable approach for customers to purchase the contents. It also gives a description and screenshots of the game/film to give it more interest to the customer.

I have done some research about the dimensions of the paper sleeve. The overall size of the case is 273 mm wide x 183 mm high. This allows the spine are to be 14 mm wide which is standard size. The front and the back panels are both 129.5 mm x 183 mm. The website I used also mentioned about a 3 mm bleed margin.

Example of the bleed, safety and cut margins

I did some research about the bleed margin and found out that; the bleed margin is an extension of colour, photo or a design element past the cut line. The line is used to far print shop purposes a margin of error when trimming, so if the cut is a little off, the white of the paper will not show along the edge.

When researching about the bleed line I also found out that i also require a safety margin. it is the opposite of a bleed margin. It keeps important elements inside the cutting marks. So each template has guidelines set up so you can see exactly how much safety margin to allow.

The New menu which loads when selecting the new button

Now to start creating the template for the paper sleeve. To create the dimensions for the sleeve I must start by opening the program and clicked File > New. This will bring up a menu where I will enter all the details in to create the template for the sleeve. Firstly before I enter any dimensions I must work out how big I want my bleed and safety margins to be; which will mean I have to add the bleed and safety margin measurements on top of the dimensions I already have for the sleeve.

So I have decided to create a bleed margin of 3 mm and a safety margin of 2 mm. I choose 3 mm for the bleed margin because; one the website I found the dimensions for the sleeve recommended 3 mm. Two was because I thought it would be a safe amount of room in case of error. This is because if it was 1 mm then the cut will most likely show through in white. I also choose 2 mm for the safety margin because I though 2 mm would be enough to protect my content without the room for error which maybe a 1 mm safety margin would allow. So this would mean that the overall measurements of the sleeve would be 283 mm x 193 mm; meaning that I will change the measurements from pixel to millimeters.

I have also change the resolution from 72 to 300. This is because when printing out a document, they recommend that you change you resolution to between 300-600 for a better quality. Whereas a 72 resolution is mainly used for web purposes.

The colour mode was an awkward one to choose between, however after some research I found the colour mode to choose and that was to leave it at RBG. This is because it is mode that is used for monitors. I also kept the color mode to 8-bit, this was because I can use a wider range of colours when producing my designs; meaning that I don't have to stick with the same colours and can create a multiple of different tones.

The other colour mode was known as CMKY, the different between the two colour models; and understanding these differences can mean producing a greater product than a disappointing one.

An example of the difference between the RGB and CMYK model

The differences are that the RBG colour model is used by monitors, televisions, scanners and digital cameras. Especially monitors, which uses small bands of red, green and blue to generate colour. RGB is additive meaning that when you add three colours together you will get white; and when you turn off all three lights you end up with black. So by mixing certain amounts of red, green and blue you can create most colours. The paper of a magazine, catalog or a CD booklet can not generate light light a computer monitor can. It has to rely on reflected light and the subtractive colour model CMYK. When you add all the colours of the model you can generate a colour close to black, and when no ink is laid you get white.

I also choose RBG over CMYK because most printers, or print shops convert the colurs for you into the CMYK colour scale; meaning that I do not have to change the colour setting. But also it means that I can use RBG which is standard colour mode for monitors and also allows me to use a greater range of toned colours [As mentioned above].

The background contents is important. I changed it to transparent. This is because it is automatically unlocked. However, it also means that it will be easier to work with layers. Also I did not change any of the advanced settings because I felt they were not important or relevant to what I am going to be creating.

So over all the menu that I opened to create a new document should now look like this:

How the New menu looks when all my information has been entered.

I can now click OK. When I do the canvas size should be displayed on the screen. Now I am going to create some guides for the template. These guides will allow me to see where all my bleed and safety margins are on the template, but also I will create guides to show me where the spine of the sleeve are. This will then mean I wont be putting images or writing etc, over and into the spine.

First of all I must set up rulers on the Photoshop. This will allow me to see where the guides are placed. To set up the rulers in Photoshop Click on View > Rulers. The rulers will appear across the top and the side of the work area of the program. However, the rulers are set to centimeters and I am going to be working with millimeters, so I need to change this by Double Clicking The Rulers on the Work Page > Change the Rulers from Centimeters to Millimeters > Click OK. Now the rulers are set up I can now set up the guides.

There are two ways to create guides in Photoshop. One way is via the ruler. To do this you click on the ruler and drag down a guide. There will be a little box by the mouse when dragging the guide. This tells you how many mm it is at. Once I am happy with the guide placement I let go with mouse and it is placed.

The second way which I used because it was more efficient and more accurate then dragging the guide from the ruler. I clicked View > New Guides and a little window opens up, this allows you to select whether you want the guide to be horizontal and vertical. This window also allows you to enter the measurements you wish to place your guides and does it, once you have clicked OK. Here is a table of measurements of where the bleed, safety and spine goes onto the template.

Guides	Measurement
Vertical – Bleed Margin	3 mm
Vertical – Bleed Margin	280 mm
Vertical – Safety Margin	5 mm
Vertical – Safety Margin	278 mm
Vertical – Spine Lines	129.5 – 143.5 mm

Horizontal – Bleed Line	3 mm
Horizontal – Bleed Line	190 mm
Horizontal – Safety Line	5 mm
Horizontal – Safety Line	188 mm

After placing all these measurements in the guides window the final template will look like this:

An Image of the DVD template with all the guides in Photoshop

Website References:

DVD Cover Sheet Dimensions. Media and Copying, Printing and Duplication. [online] Available at: <www.mediacopy.co.uk/artwork_dvd_inserts.htm>[Accessed 20th February 2014].
Bleed and Safety Margins. Disc Markers. [online] Available at: <http://www.discmakers.com/templates/faq.asp> [Accessed 20th February 2014].
RBG and CMYK Colour models. Disc Markers. [online] Avaiable at: <http://www.discmakers.com/templates/faq.asp> [ Accessed 20th February]

Image References:

Close up of a template showing the bleed and safety lines [Image online] Available at: <http://www.discmakers.com/templates/faq.asp> [Accessed 20th February]
Some colours in RGB can become much duller in CMYK [Image online] Available at: <http://www.discmakers.com/templates/faq.asp> [Accessed 20th February]

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Current DVD Covers and Moodboard

I have decided to create a moodboard of images, fonts and colours. This will give me an idea of the range of styles, techniques and tutorials I could use to create my DVD cover, CD cover and also the trailer. To do this I have decided to look at current DVD covers that are already out there about my subject idea; also I will be watching the film Ink Heart which inspired my idea as well as the DVD cover. This will show me the colours they used to represent their characters and the way they dress; which will show off their personalities. I will also be putting my own ideas and thoughts about the theme and what would represent it.

Current DVD's

Ink Heart

There are many different versions of the DVD cover for this film depending on which country you are in; however, I am concentrating on the English version. What I like about the cover is the colours that is used as they remind me of the colour of pages; especially the beige colours. They look like the colour of old pages. I also like how the darker shades work with the beige making it mystical and invigorating drawing me in as it reminds me of evil, especially when it is around the castle.

English Version of the InkHeart DVD Cover

I liked the look of the sparkling glow that comes from the the book, it makes it more magical and the book is coming to life. However, I do feel there is a little too much going on the with the images at the top of the glow. I feel there are too many, I think it is because it draws the eyes and created another focus point. But overall I feel the front cover gives the intention about the story.

The back of the DVD cover is simple which is what I like. It has not been overpowered with images and text. The way it has been laid out works so well to give the viewer what they want to see; such as screenshots and information about the film.

I also like the way they represented the screenshots not in a straight line but a swerving line almost like a wave. So it is not a straight dull line it added a little character to the cover. I also like the simple image they have used on the back screenshots which were there. What I also liked about the back cover is that is the old worn paper look which makes it look really effective; and also it goes with the theme of the story.

The PageMaster

What I like about the cover and are the colours. I like how the light blues and greens work really well with the black background. It shows that the film must have a dark and mystical side to the story, but also it also shows there must be some water involved in the story line; mainly due to the blue and green colours on the cover.

The PageMatser DVD Cover

I like the look of the main character being displayed on the front cover. I also like how all the images work together even though there quite a few of them. I like how they work with the background colour. As well I like how the cartoon images work with the real life picture.

I like the back cover, I like how they used a book on the back cover to introduce the story. This is something that I might consider using in my design for the back cover. I also like how they kept the colour theme going onto the back ground. I like how the image is also simple and does not overpower the back cover but it looks really effective and brings the back cover together. I also like the idea of not having any screenshots on the back cover. It makes you feel that you want to watch it and see what happens, even though the screenshots give that kind of impression as well; it is not the same with them.

Moodboard

Here is my mood board which I created with inspiration from the current DVD covers and watching the film; as well as ideas of my own.

My moodboard of Images, colours and fonts.

Image References:

InkHeart English Version DVD Cover [Image Online] Available at: <http://dvd.box.sk/newsimg/dvdmov/max1251846878-frontback-cover.jpg > [Accessed 24th February 2014]

The Pagemaster DVD Cover [Image Online] Available at: <http://www.covershut.com/covers/The-Pagemaster-1994-Front-Cover-80486.jpg> [Accessed 25th February 2014]

Sunday, 2 March 2014

Front Panel Design Process And Tutorial Research

In this post I will be showing my ideas for the cover of the Amaray sleeve case. This post will mainly cover the front panel design. This is because the back panel will be done separately from the front because I want to try and experiment with both panels. But also if I was to change the back panel idea then it would make the whole process confusing. The back panel will be the same on both designs, so when I make the final front cover and the final back cover I can then incorporate them together.

I will also include a section on self-taught tutorials that I have researched based on the design which will help me create the effects that I want. As well as this, I will also have a section on other ideas on the design. I know I have drawn up and initial plan for the design, however, I also had thought's about what would the design look like if it had a different background etc. So I will also include these ideas into the designing process.

Design Idea One - Ink/Splatter Effect

Design Idea One with Back Cover Design

This is my first initial design. It was inspired by a picture of ink on my moodboard. I then through what if I could make the character(s) look like they are an ink splattered image!? This would make the cover look more interesting and dramatic than just having plain images just stuck here and there. Also, I thought it would make the image look old and faded, and almost like there were mistakes or ink smudges where the artist would have drawn the picture.

I thought the splatter image would be placed on an old piece of paper. The paper would look quite effective with the splatter effect because it will go well with the worn theme. Keeping to the worn theme I have also decided to make the title of the film worn out. This will help make out the title has been faded over time along with the paper and the image.

Self Taught Tutorials - Experimentation for the Design

I have looked up some tutorials before I begin my design process this is because it then will allow me to see what I like and what I don't like and also what I will implement within the design from the tutorials. By doing this I will recreate the tutorials, this will give me an idea of: one) what the effects look like and two) how well they will work together.
Tutorial One - Splatter Effect

This is the video tutorial which shows you how to create a splattered effect.

This is the image I recreated when following the video tutorial above

Tutorial one was based upon a splatter effect. This tutorial was very simple to follow making it easy to reproduce. In recreated the tutorial and it went well. What I like about the reproduce image is that it was the exact effect i wanted for my design. The person in the image looks like they are disintegrating and the rest of them is splattered across the page; just like an ink spill. One big splat and lots of little ones that follow. However, with the image I created I feel I went a little to crazy with the splatter brush. This ended up overpowering the image; but for what I want to use the effect for, it has served its purpose. I will be implementing the tutorial into my design by recreating the effect onto the main image of my front cover.

Tutorial Two - Old Paper

This is the video tutorial which shows you how to create an old paper effect.

This is the image I recreated when following the video tutorial above

The second tutorial was based on how to create an old paper effect. This tutorial was also very simple to follow and also created the effect I wanted to make the page look worn. What I like about it is the way the layers work together to create the effect. how the darker shades of the cloud render come through the lighter colour; which gives it a worn and almost burnt effect. The only thing about the image is the border. I like how it off a singed edging on the paper, but it looks tacky even though it is there for that reason. I will be implementing this tutorial by using the old paper effect to create the background for my design. I am not sure whether I will also implement the border; I might experiment with it and see what it looks like at different sizes.

Tutorial Three - Ancient Ink Effect

The step by step guide can be found at : http://www.psdvault.com/text-effects/create-a-dissolved-ancient-ink-text-effect-in-photoshop/#prettyPhoto

This is the image I recreated when following the step by step tutorial above

The third tutorial was to create an ancient ink effect. This tutorial like the others, was easy to follow and created a good effect. However, I am not fond of the final result. I did not like the whiting/lighting effect behind the text. I am not sure if it was the way I used the effect and it didn't work or if it just looks too much to begin with. I also don't think I will be taking the emboss, inner glow and shadow into effect either. It looks good, however I just want a fading dissolved effect which the rubber provides on its own; which personally I like the look of on its own. It also makes it less over powered, but still gives off a great effect without the need of backing light and other effects.

I like the concept of using the layers in aid to remove some of the text with the rubber. This then allowing only the text to be affected rather than the whole image; but using the rubber on as a whole. It allowed me to create an old faded effect on the writing by erasing the edges of the text. The other idea which the tutorial used, was incorporating ink brushes to the design. This made the paper look as if ink was smudged onto the paper, or the ink got wet and then was smudged. These techniques will be things which I will incorporate into my design to give the page an even more faded look without over powering the image as a whole.

Other Ideas for the Design

I have had many thoughts and other ideas in which I could take this design. First of all, I thought about having a book texture rather than a paper texture instead as the background. I thought then I could make the whole case look like a book, with the back panel and the spine made to also look like a book. It would still have the same effects as the piece of old paper, except it would be on a book. I thought this would make a good effect because it is a very old story which would have been passed on, so it would need to some wear and tear; which will work perfectly with the effects which I want to try out.

I also had a thought about using more than one image, to use with the splatter effect. I thought this might also make it more dramatic and also show all the characters in the story. But also it might make the overall design more filling too, so it will fill the design template. However, I will do it so that it will not overpower the whole design, but is still effective.

Design Idea Two - Text Effect

Design Idea Two with Back Cover Design

This is my second design. It was inspired by the film cover that I have recently seen within my movie collection called The Matrix. I liked the effect they used for the coding where it was trailing down, it made me think maybe I could use that sort of effect on an image!? Maybe using text from a book and placing it over the image!? It would make the cover more modern and different from traditional colours and textures that are used for book kind of stories. I also want to make the person a different colour, which is also modern but also stand out against a black background. The design is going to simple, but I want the colours to make it stand out.

I am going to be using the faded effect still like I decided for design one. It will most likely to be white. This is because it will stand out brilliantly against the black but also I don't want to much colour against the image which will be colourful. As well as the image, I don't want it to colour out or blend in with the ring of fire effect I want behind the logo.

Self Taught Tutorials - Experimentation for the Design

I have looked up some tutorials before I begin my design process this is because it then will allow me to see what I like and what I don't like and also what I will implement within the design from the tutorials. By doing this I will recreate the tutorials, this will give me an idea of: one) what the effects look like and two) how well they will work together.

Tutorial One - Text Poster

The step by step guide can be found at: http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/text-portrait/

This is the image I recreated when following the step by step tutorial

The first tutorial was to create a text poster. The tutorial was easy to follow and created the effect it said it was going to effect. To an extent. I like the way the words are used to define certain parts of the image leaving an outline of certain detail. However, I feel that the effect did not work as well as I hoped. When you look at the tutorial Image they have created you see all the features of the persons face really clearly. Yet when I did it, you can just about see where some of the persons facial features are it not till you really focus on the picture.

What I really do like about it is that layered effect it almost gives. For instance, the background looks like it is the furthest away. So the more features that are closer the more they stand out like a top layer. I also like the colour that I used in the picture, it looks really nice, it is not to bright but it is not to dark, but enough to make the picture stand out.

Tutorial Two - Text Portrait

This is the video tutorial which shows you how to create a text post portrait.

This is the image I recreated following the video tutorial above

The second tutorial was to create a text portrait. The tutorial was easy to follow and created the effect it said it was going to. I really like this effect I like how you can take any image and create this effect. As well as this I like the way the text follows the facial features of the portrait giving it a more natural way of producing this kind of effect. But I also like the way the features of the face are still there and are really clear so you can tell who the person is within the picture. I also like how the back ground is just a plain colour and will be affected by writing making the colours and the text stand out more.

Decision on Tutorial to Use

Out of the two text posters/portraits I will be using the second one. This is because the effect is much better for what I want. They are both clever ways of creating the same sort of effect, but the second one catches my attention more. This is because it keeps the features of the face and is much sharper than the first one, which you can just make out where the features are.

Other Ideas for the Design

I have had a few thoughts and other ideas in which I could take this design, this is just another overall design. First of all I thought about changing the background to an old paper effect. I thought this would then stick to the theme a little more as much as the black works with the effect. I also thought about making the main character picture black and white rather than colour. This will then make the old paper effect stand out, as well as the image.

Another thought was that maybe I will leave the writing to carry on across the page almost as if the text was printed on a scrap piece of paper which faded over time. Also I will try the title without the ring, this is because it will make the cover a little tacky because it will not blend in very well with the paper background. But I will keep it vertical to see how it will look.

Splatter Tutorial

Website References:

Eric Schaap, 8th September 2012. Photoshop Splatter/ dispersion photo manipulation Tutorial Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbd21dGAPMM> [Accessed on 14th February 2014].
Splatter brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.c130.deventart.com/art/splatter-brushes-20653473> [Accessed on the 14th February 2014]

Image References:

Model.[Online Image] Available at: <www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/tutorials/photoshop/eroded-fashion-portraits/#/> [Accessed on 14th February 2014]

Old Paper Tutorial

Website References:

Howard Pinsky, 24th June 2013. Photoshop: Stained, Old Paper Texture Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdcchbCbkiw> [Accessed on 14th February 2014].

Dissolved Ink Effect Tutorial

Website References:

Sumi Ink 001 Photoshop Brushes.Ink Brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.brusheezy.com/brushes/1183-sumi-ink-brushes> [Accessed on 14th February 2014]
God of War Font [Online Download] Available at: <www.dafont.com/godofwar.font> [Accessed on 14th February 2014]

Image References:

Paper texture [Online Image] Available at: <www.texturetaddka.com/torn-tattered-paper-textures> [Accessed on 14th February]

Text Poster Effect Tutorial

Website References:

Text Poster Effect [online] Available at: <http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/text-portrait/> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Image References:

Axl Rose [Online Image] Available at: <http://defendingaxlrose.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/axlroseaxlrose5.jpeg> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Text Poster Portrait Effect Tutorial

Website References:

Text Poster Portrait Effect [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBGXksqYzeQ> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Image References:

Axl Rose [Online Image] Available at: <http://defendingaxlrose.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/axlroseaxlrose5.jpeg> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Friday, 7 March 2014

DVD Front Cover Design Idea 1 Trials

This post is going to be about my first design idea (splatter effect). As I have had many ideas for this design I have decided to create several trials based on them. This will then allow me to experiment with the ideas I have and see what works and what does not.

Trial Designs

Trial Design 1

Design Trial 1

Here is the result of my first trial design. This design was part of my original drawn design which was easy to create due to the tutorials. What I like most of all about this design is how the effects work together so well. The paper looks realistically old and worn, which really goes well with the ink brushes; as well as the ink splatter effect. It makes the image look more worn an old which was the effect I was going for.

Even though I did not like the border from the paper tutorial I incorporated it into the design. However, I did not make it as large of a border which made it look better and less tacky; but kept the worn edging effect in place. This was because it looked good and made the edging of the paper look worn.

I also feel just the erasing of the title really worked like I stated in the Ancient Ink tutorial. I felt that if I used the whole tutorial it would have been too much; it would have taken the focus away from the image as a whole. Also I like the way that I tried to blend the star ratings of the film into the image as well. I used the blending techniques which worked really well and made them part of the image.

Trial Design 2

Here is the result of my second trial design. For most of the part, this design is part of my original design apart from the background, which is part of my other ideas (book). What I like the most about my design is that it works really well in the sense of the idea. I also like how the ink brushes works on the cover as well, making it look as if the book has got damp and ink from the image has smudged across the cover. This really ties in well with my worn/faded theme. I also think that the book texture works really well as well. It looks really effect and the book looks really old from the image that was used.

The only thing about the book texture is that it makes the image look really blurry. I am not sure if it is the colour of the book. However, if I was to take this design further I would have used a brown cover; but as I was experimenting I thought I'd give it a try. Also the image, I am not sure if it was because I only copied and pasted the image across rather than copied and paste special. This is because the paste special keeps the resolution of the image in place. As well I think I went a little to far with the splatter brushes, which I think makes the image more blurry; because I used it to much then necessary.

I used the erasing of the title, which was an effect which I liked; however, it looks really blurry. I am not sure if it was effects that I used for the title, or whether it was the colour and texture of the background that I used. However, I like the effect it does work really well. If I was to change my background, it might have worked better.

Trial Design 3

Here is the result of my third trial. For most of the part, this design is part of my original design apart from the images, they are part of my other ideas (images). What I like about the design is the images. I like how they work altogether, and they make the front cover more interesting and dramatic because it shows more of the characters within the story. I also think that the images work really well with the splatter effect. It does not over power the images but it looks effective and really cool. The only thing about the images is that I will need to move them all together more. This will then narrow the gap between both the Lara image and Conard image, but also enough that it does not show the bottom of where the witch image ends. I also will next time make sure that all parts of the image are still there.

I also experimented with the paper effect. I decided to change the filter gallery effect. I don't really like the effect it gives, especially with the title. It makes it look more blurry than it should be, unless it is the effect that was used. The effect on its own does not look as appealing as it did on the first trial. I feel it makes the paper look to rough and it kind of makes it look like some sort of arty paper rather than basic paper which people write on. I did another experiment but with the border again. I made it bigger to see what it looked like with everything, however, it made it even more tacky than it looked in the tutorial.

Opinions on Trials

I have asked several people for opinions about my trial designs. I did this because I wanted to see what other people thought about the designs. This is will then help me determine what works and does not in others peoples eyes. It will allow me to see what drew their attention and what they feel needs perking up a little to draw them in deeper.

Here are a few comments which were made about each of the trial designs:

Trial 1

'I feel this cover reminds me of the medieval period mixed with a sense of magic I like the way that the character fades looked phenomenal. However, I feel there are a few things that could be improved. Firstly the stars. I feel that the stars should stand out more, maybe like a bright red. I also think that the background should be darker and the main image to be lighter. This will then make the main character stand out more from the background picture.'

'For this design I like the use if the effect of the splatter effect from the image. however, I am not keen on the stars. I think they blend in more than needed too. I also think that the text is a little unclear where you've put ink marks.'

'I like the paper effect that was used within the design as it looks really good. However I don't like the splatter effect you used. I don't really understand the concept of the idea and I don't really think it works.'

Trial 2

'I like how the textures adds another layer of depth to the overall image. However, the colour of the texture blends to much with the foreground image. This is because it is too do dark, and so is the foreground. If the foreground was brighter then it would work much better.'

' I like the use of the background texture, as it is clever how you tried to make it look like a book; however, the downside is the texture is too dark so the title is not all that clear and does not stand out fantastically.'

'To be honest I can not hardly see anything on this design. The main image is so blurry as well as the title which really does not draw my attention much.'

Trial 3

'I personally love this design. There is not much I could fault about it. What I love the most about this design is the three characters in the foreground which overlaps each other. I also like the colour scheme as it works really well.'

'This design is my favorite. I love the background texture, it is almost like you can reach out and touch it. I also like the use of the several images and how they overlap it really looks professional. The one downside of the trial is that the ink brushes effect that you used were really dark.'

'I like this design. I like how the images work together. The only thing I don't like about the design is the text looks to blurry and you can just about make out the wording if you looked at it long enough.'

Design Trial One

Website References:

Eric Schaap, 8th September 2012. Photoshop Splatter/ dispersion photo manipulation Tutorial Avaliable at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbd21dGAPMM> [Accessed on 16th February 2014].
Howard Pinsky, 24th June 2013. Photoshop: Stained, Old Paper Texture Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdcchbCbkiw> [Accessed on 16th February 2014].
Splatter brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.c130.deventart.com/art/splatter-brushes-20653473> [Accessed on the 16th February 2014]
Sumi Ink 001 Photoshop Brushes.Ink Brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.brusheezy.com/brushes/1183-sumi-ink-brushes> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]
God of War Font [Online Download] Available at: <www.dafont.com/godofwar.font> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Image References:

Lara Croft [Online Image] Available at: <www.uploadswikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/cb/Lara-Croft-(2013). png> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]
Star [Online Image] Available at: <www.getthelabelblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/oi/gold-star.jpg> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Design Trial Two

Website References:

Eric Schaap, 8th September 2012. Photoshop Splatter/ dispersion photo manipulation Tutorial Avaliable at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbd21dGAPMM> [Accessed on 14th February 2014].
Splatter brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.c130.deventart.com/art/splatter-brushes-20653473> [Accessed on the 14th February 2014]
Sumi Ink 001 Photoshop Brushes.Ink Brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.brusheezy.com/brushes/1183-sumi-ink-brushes> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]
God of War Font [Online Download] Available at: <www.dafont.com/godofwar.font> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Image References:

Lara Croft [Online Image] Available at: <www.uploadswikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/cb/Lara-Croft-(2013). png> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]
Star [Online Image] Available at: <www.getthelabelblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/oi/gold-star.jpg> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]
Book Texture [Online Image] Available at: <www.1h5.ggpht.com/-POVk2LgL7dw/TryaiOR3HOI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/Hver1EaPP7g/s900/Worn%252Bgreen%252Bbook%252Bcover%252Bsf.jpg> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Design Trial Three

Website References:

Eric Schaap, 8th September 2012. Photoshop Splatter/ dispersion photo manipulation Tutorial Avaliable at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbd21dGAPMM> [Accessed on 16th February 2014].
Howard Pinsky, 24th June 2013. Photoshop: Stained, Old Paper Texture Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdcchbCbkiw> [Accessed on 16th February 2014].
Splatter brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.c130.deventart.com/art/splatter-brushes-20653473> [Accessed on the 16th February 2014]
Sumi Ink 001 Photoshop Brushes.Ink Brushes [Online Download] Available at: <www.brusheezy.com/brushes/1183-sumi-ink-brushes> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]
God of War Font [Online Download] Available at: <www.dafont.com/godofwar.font> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Image References:

Lara Croft [Online Image] Available at: <www.uploadswikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/cb/Lara-Croft-(2013). png> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Star [Online Image] Available at: <www.getthelabelblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/oi/gold-star.jpg> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Conard Roth [Online Image] Available at: <www.allgamestaff.altervista.org/tomb_raider_9/conard-roth.jpg> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Witch [Online Image] Available at: <www.wednesdayheros.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Snow-White-and-the-Huntsman_Charlize_Theron_collar_Image_credit_Universal_Pictures.jpg> [Accessed on 16th February 2014]

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

DVD Front Cover Design Idea 2 Trials!

This post is going to be about my second design idea (text poster effect). As I have had a couple of ideas for this design I have decided to create several trials based on them. This will then allow me to experiment with the ideas I have and see what works and what does not.

Trial Designs

Trial Design One

Design Trial One

Here is the result of my first trial design. This design was part of my original drawn design which was easy to create due to the tutorials. What I like most about this design is how well the text poster acctually looks, it looks really effective and works really well with the dark background. I also like how you can vaguely see the text on the background, which gives it an faded look which is a theme I wanted for the film idea.

I also like the title of the film being faded. I feel it really works with the background because it is almost just a bold colour. However, where it overlaps with the ring of fire it is very hard to see because the faded effect blends in quite a bit with it. I also think the ring of fire is quite effective and works really well as a backing image for the title. This is probably the colour of the ring as ring of fires are more tradiontally red and yellow, but the purple is defining but not overpowering with bright colours.

What I do not like about the image is the colour I used for the image of the girl. The ideas of using the colours works well, however I don't think that the colour that I have used for the trial does not work very well. I think this is because its does not go with the theme of the idea/story, maybe using a faded colour effect might work better.

Trial Two

Design Trial Two

Here is the result of my second design. For most of the part, this design is part of my original design apart from the background, which is part of my other ideas (paper). What I like about the design is the paper effect. I quite like the darker boarder around the edges, it makes it look the page has been burned around the edges makes look really realistic.

I also like the of blending the idea however, I do feel that I went a little too far with it within this design. For instance, the five star rating I feel that I have made it to dark which blends in with the border, but too dark together for the lighter colour of the paper effect. Also I feel that I have made the four star rating to blended as well, this is because it is at the same grey scale as the image of the girl.

I also like the idea of the writing going across the page, however, it did not work the way I intended it too. I am not sure if it the colour of the writing or whether it is because the effect only looks right just on the image. I am also not sure about the colour of the image that changing it to black & white scale helped the image, maybe making it a similar colour to the paper might help it look better.

Opinions

I have asked several people for opinions about my trial designs. I did this because I wanted to see what other people thought about the designs. This will then help me determine what works and does not in other peoples eyes. It will allow me to see what drew the attention and what they feel needs perking up a little to draw them in deeper.

Here are a few comments which were made about each of the trial designs:

Trial 1

'I really like this design, it really modern and different. I really like the use of the fonts and how you have manged to get the text written on her face and flow with her facial features. However, the text is very hard to read especially where her hair is curved.'

'I really like the green effect it looks really good it brings the effect out on the dark background. I also like the faded effect of the title, but I also like the ring of fire as it makes the title stand out. However, it might need to be brighter which might help make it stand out a bit more.'

'I really like how you have merged both the text and the image, I think it suits the movie title. I also like how you have combined the title and the ring of fire it looks really effective. However, I dislike the green colour as it does not match the theme of the movie, maybe a yellow might work!? to represent the colour of pages?'

Trial 2

'I like the use of the effects, for example you have used the ink watermarks on the image as well as the paper, almost to show that the image is printed on the paper. I will have to say again I like the text again. I also like how you have let the text go across the page as well, it is as if you have printed the words out on a scrap piece of paper.'

'I don't like the black & white effect it does not work very well with the old paper effect, however I really do like the idea of the writing going across the page. I do really like the paper effect though, looks really good. The things I dislike about the design is that you can not really see the ratings as they are blending in too much.'

'I really like the paper effect, I like the burning through effect, makes it look more realistic. The things that I don't like about the design is the grey effect, it does not work as well as the colours. I also don't like the ink splodges they don't work with the both the paper effect and the grey colours. Also I don't think that how you tried to blend the ratings in especially on the grey side.'

Design One
Website References:

Text Poster Tutorial [Online] Available at: < > [Accessed on 19th February 2014]
God of War Font [Online Download] Available at: <www.dafont.com/godofwar.font> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Image References:

Image of a Girl [Online Image] Available at: <http://michaelroud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Michael-Roud-Photography-Headshots-018-e1366697344852.jpg> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]
Purple ring of fire [Online Image] Available at: <http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/markusgann/markusgann1010/markusgann101000025/7912234-an-image-of-a-purple-ring-of-fire.jpg> [Accessed on 19th Feburary 2014]
Star [Online Image] Available at: <www.getthelabelblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/oi/gold-star.jpg> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Design Two
Website References:

Text Poster Tutorial [Online] Available at: < > [Accessed on 19th February 2014]
God of War Font [Online Download] Available at: <www.dafont.com/godofwar.font> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Image References:

Image of a Girl [Online Image] Available at: <http://michaelroud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Michael-Roud-Photography-Headshots-018-e1366697344852.jpg> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Star [Online Image] Available at: <www.getthelabelblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/oi/gold-star.jpg> [Accessed on 19th February 2014]

Thursday, 13 March 2014

Back Panel Design Trial!

Now I will concentrate on my back panel design. I have a design drawn out which will hopefully fit within both front cover design ideas. I am hoping to start by creating a template of where all the elements to go, then I will put the images on before combining it with some self taught effects. This will give me an idea on how the images look and see what needs changing.

Design Idea

Back DVD Panel Design

I have designed my back panel design for my DVD. The design will consist of a book which will be in the top left hand corner at an angle. This will give it a bit more characteristic and make it a little more quirky. I also thought about placing a book mark on the book with an image. This will also make it look realistic and as if a book was left there open with the marker still on the page open. I have also decided to put text about the film on the book making it more realistic too, as if there is text on the page of the book.

I have also decided to add some screenshots of the movie if possible. I will also make this at an angle. One because it looks different and quirky and two I wanted to keep with the theme. I also wanted screenshots on the back design because I thought it would make the DVD more realistic and modern as all modern DVD's have screenshot. I also want to try and make the screenshots look like they are on a movie real film, I thought this would be interesting and make it different because some books are made into films; and also it is a film cover so it would make it look dramatic and different.

I also have all the usual items that are on every DVD. The actors/directors etc and the running time and language. There will also be the bar code within the right corner where it usually located on more modern DVDs.

Design Template

Picture of back panel template design

I created a template in Photoshop. I did this because because It will then give me an idea of how everything will look on the cover. This will then show me whether: one if all my ideas from the original design above can be put onto the template because of its size. Two it also insures me that there are no important details that are going to be covered up when the design goes down.

Design Trial

DVD Back Panel Trial Design

This is the design I created which was based on my original design. I only started out with the images and added a few effect to it. I did this because I wanted to see what the design would look like with just the images. This would allow me to see what works and what does not before applying self taught or major effects. I decided to test it within a final cover design I have started to create. This is because it would give me a better idea of what works and what does not with the front cover design.

Back panel with the start of the final cover

Overall, none of it works. Looking at it against the effects that I have already used you can instantly tell that it does not work, even without the self taught effects being added. The images look really tacky and so out of place, I think this is because you can tell that the images were just placed on top of one another. I am not sure if it is actual images that I have used because they don't look really realistic at all, or whether the design does not look right at all.

I think the worst image is the languages, rating and bar code etc. This makes the back panel look really tacky because it does not go with the colours but also it does not look right at all. I like the idea of the book and the book mark, however also does not look realistic again I am not sure if it was the images I choose for it; or whether I placed the bookmark over too much of where the crease is on the book.

Conclusion

As mentioned above I don't think that the design does not work at all especially the images. Because of this I am going to start from scratch, so then I can design a back panel which will fit both the theme; but also which would work really well with the effects that I have used with both of my front cover designs.

Back Panel

Image References:

Lara Croft Mirror [Online Image] Available at: <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaPGCbtkw3u7MWd_lSW0AwIhVrjEECnLYhMnktUvEt_wqRPih4xLnLkkXLi5SZtJfIXYcrsVFmGymE9CFdfrkqRXf6AIXc-7cVk-6QN1ZEVjWnK9A5mzbtjneotCDpcS-r_C86P9qJcq6/s1600/tomb-raider-2013-wallpaper.jpg> [Accessed on 28th February 2014]

Lara Croft using bow and arrow [Online Image] Available at: <http://www.hdwallpapers.in/walls/2013_lara_croft_tomb_raider-wide.jpg> [Accessed on 28th February 2014]

Bookmark [Online Image] Available at: <http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cT9ae7t5L._SL1000_.jpg> [Accessed on 28th February 2014]

Open Book [Online Image] Available at: <http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5062/5613967601_62d4b0573a_m.jpg> [Accessed on 28th February 2014]

Movie Reel [Online Image] Available at: <http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/cohen/vdd_webpage/images/filmstrip.png> [Accessed on 28th February 2014]

Movie languages, rating etc [Online Image] Available at: <http://www.amazonswim.com/media/film/BigRiverMan_UK_DVD.jpg> [Accessed on 28th February 2014]