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[DavidSeven]

Yikes.

[Spinal]

With all due respect, this banner is unsightly.

[Ezee E]

If anyone can whip up a compilation of 2012, send it my way! I didn't give the best of direction to Sxottlan, so my fault!

[Scar]

We still love you Sxot!

[Kurosawa Fan]

With all due respect, this banner is unsightly.

Couldn't agree more.

[Skitch]

If anyone can whip up a compilation of 2012, send it my way! I didn't give the best of direction to Sxottlan, so my fault!

I'll give it a go tomorrow, but I'm pretty bad at combining multiple pictures. We'll see what happens.

[Irish]

We still love you Sxot!

^ This.

Either he was drunk, somebody broke his fingers, or he really, really, hates this forum.

[Sycophant]

Man. And here I thought it was just pure awesome. It definitely fits the typical spirit of the Matchies. The only reason I hadn't repped Sxott for it yet was cause I wasn't sure he'd done it.

[Skitch]

Same here.

Also, if he did this the way I think he did...it took some damn time and patience.

[Ivan Drago]

This banner lacks Danny Huston. Otherwise, I dig it.

[Sxottlan]

In the news biz, if everyone hates our story, that means we did a good job. I can only assume this means I did a great job!

I'll tell everyone what I told Ezee. I'm no expert at graphic arts. This was my first attempt at any kind of compilation image. I've just been very lucky over the past couple years to pick screen captures from movies and crop them in such a way that people like. However, I'll try to keep learning what I can.

or he really, really, hates this forum.

Ha! No, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly annoyed that all the banners I made that never got used will probably go to waste because they're no longer the correct size. But I still have the original untouched screen caps.

I think I've found a way with the program I have to create a 1000x250 frame and stretch an image to fill it. Otherwise I can't see how to crop something down to 1000 pixels wide. It just looks a little blurry. Here's my favorite shot from Bernie.

[MadMan]

Maybe its because I've drinking, but the current banner is utterly hilarious and sort of awesome in an entertaining trainwreck kind of way. I'll still take seeing that over endlessly seeing that Enter the Void banner on the old site that became dull after two weeks :P

[Irish]

I'll tell everyone what I told Ezee. I'm no expert at graphic arts. This was my first attempt at any kind of compilation image. I've just been very lucky over the past couple years to pick screen captures from movies and crop them in such a way that people like. However, I'll try to keep learning what I can.

Ha! No, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly annoyed that all the banners I made that never got used will probably go to waste because they're no longer the correct size. But I still have the original untouched screen caps.

You may not be well versed in some of the tools, and you may be untrained, but I've long thought you've got a great eye. I really like the concept you tried to employ here, and I like the enthusiasm you brought to it ("the matchies!").

A few completely unsolicited tips from a ex-marketing dork:

- Your general goal is to lead the viewer's eye around the page in a specific way. Your first attempt is like having 10 people yelling at your audience at once, because each figure on the page is a different size, a different shade, and in their own perspective.

- Yellow text is never a good idea against lighter backgrounds. It's too hard to read.

- Use the same typeface as the logo or the body copy. It'll look cleaner and be more consistent. Most people won't notice unless you do something truly garish, but they'll feel like something is "off" about it if you introduce a third typeface to the site. (The logo looks like it might be Helvetica. The body copy is primarily Tahoma. If you don't have access to that, substitute something like Verdana).

- You've got 9 figures in this image. Only 3 of them are women. All of them (save whatever that is in the lefthand corner) are white. All of the movies represented here are US/Anglo/European. That's not good if you're trying to be inclusive, as several of the prominent posters here are outside the US, not native English speakers, and not white.

The concept of promoting "the matchies" is a good one. If you want to promote to this audience, here's two ideas:

1) This is a list of users, sorted by reputation. Take their avatars, arrange them in a grid, apply colored filters and masks. You'll be creating a flag/collage of images that the users here have already selected, images that represent long time users, and images representing people that everybody here likes. You're more likely to catch the eye of high value posters, people that post frequently, and people who are more likely to talk about the banner in a positive way and spread your message for you.

2) This is a list of 2012 movies that have high ratings on the site. Grab a dozen or so images from movies that have a lot of comments. That way, you'll be again choosing stuff that you know people here are interested in, movies that they'll likely vote for in "the matchies," and movies that you know they want to talk about. This'll help spread your message because you'll be using stuff people love and tying that to your brand.

Your rep for cool banners is pretty strong. When this banner loaded for me I honestly thought, "WTF? I thought Sxottlan was doing the banners. It's a shame they couldn't get him to do this one."

This is a tough audience, which tends to (*cough*) focus on minute details. Don't let that get you down (it doesn't look like it has, which is great). Keep producing and we'll keep enjoying your work.



Edit PS: The one thing I have to point out that you did right, by instinct, is that you had all of the figures face in, toward the center, and toward your message. That was a good move. You'd be surprised how many times I see people get that wrong, even in professionally produced stuff.

[Skitch]

1) This is a list of users, sorted by reputation. Take their avatars, arrange them in a grid, apply colored filters and masks.

Erik: "Cool idea, but I bet that would be a pain in the ass that would take forever."
Irish: "Naaaah. You got this."



Erik: "Irish you sonofabitch that was a pain in the ass and took forever."

Stepped versions so others can improve them if they dislike fonts, borders...yadda yadda...

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[TGM]

Awesome work, dude!

[Ezee E]

Psh, Skitch's doesn't even stretch as far as it should

What a loser.

[Skitch]

I don't know why my pics keep shrinking. I started that banner at 1000x250. :/

EDIT: So photobucket keeps changing my photos to only 800 wide (without telling me), so all the banners I made are for naught. Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit.

[Skitch]

So I guess the next question is does anyone know an image hosting site that allows for 1000 pixel wide? Can't believe I blew my whole morning on that banner...for nothing...

[number8]

Oh wow, that's a great idea. I wish I saw it first. I tried to recreate Sxottlan's idea.

[number8]

So I guess the next question is does anyone know an image hosting site that allows for 1000 pixel wide? Can't believe I blew my whole morning on that banner...for nothing...

imgur.

[Skitch]

imgur.

Thanks. I will begin anew. Sometime. Nice banner too.

[Irish]

Erik: "Irish you sonofabitch that was a pain in the ass and took forever."

Ah, it's like I'm back at the agency.

Helluva great job, though, Skitch!

[number8]

Thanks. I will begin anew. Sometime. Nice banner too.

I actually like the B&W version more, but it might be too somber. Some color is nice.

[Skitch]

Maybe just a tiny bit. Like a little Sin City flavor.

[Skitch]

Ah, it's like I'm back at the agency.

Helluva great job, though, Skitch!

Thanks. I'll try again. I got screwed by the website, it wasn't telling me it was shrinking them. I sized my palate to begin, and when I would save it it would automatically shrink it to their 800 limit (that I didn't know about). Oh well, live and learn. I've only been manipulating pics for a very short time so I must take my lumps lol