# Need a critique



## Chile Chef (Oct 12, 2009)

Hi everyone.

I've got my final due by the end of October roughly around the 20th. And I would like some critique from you guys & gals. By the way this is for Photoshop class.


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 12, 2009)

I can't read the writing under the main title, Son of Dracula. You may want to simplify that font. Also, what is the big black thing?


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 12, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> I can't read the writing under the main title, Son of Dracula. You may want to simplify that font. Also, what is the big black thing?


If you mean the abstract black thing? It's going to be where I will stick my photoshopped face. 

You mean the white text or the small text?


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 12, 2009)

I mean the text directly below the son of dracula. I think it says In russia with love. It's too busy. I think it would look better with a different font. You make your blood-dripping point with the title.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 12, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> I mean the text directly below the son of dracula. I think it says In russia with love. It's too busy. I think it would look better with a different font. You make your blood-dripping point with the title.


Thank you for the help Wayogal.

I will do another version. 

Here's 3 posters I'm taking my ques from. And yes my teacher said that's ok.

Dracula Posters at AllPosters.com

Seed Of Chucky Posters at AllPosters.com

The Lost Boys Posters at AllPosters.com


----------



## TheDude (Oct 13, 2009)

I just wonder what the text has to do with the rest of the image? And what russia has to do with anything.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

It would help to know what the assignment is to be able to critique this. Based on not knowing anything about what you are supposed to be doing, I can say that I find it very confusing to look at. It does not make any sense to me. The text is very difficult to read. It looks like you have multiple styles going on which do not fit together. The image looks like it is leaning to the left. What is that tall green-silver thing on the right? It looks very out of place whatever it is and it also looks like it is transparent at parts and not at others. It looks like it was taken from something else and dropped in here, but I don't know why or what it is supposed to be. It looks very out of place and unnatural.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

Thanks everyone,

The movie poster is spoof to be a spoof from a horror/Halloween theme type movie.  And I took elements from 3 movies I like.

Chucky "the ripped effect"

Bond with the in russa with love bit. 

And the lost boys, I will be doing some high post effects in photoshop with layers. 

All these movie posters are here AllPosters.com - The World's Largest Poster and Print Store! And it's not done yet.


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

The cityscape really does nothing to support a horror flick.  I would think that with a title "son of dracula" one would picture a boy/teen vampire. Just because a cityscape may have been used before on another poster doesn't mean it makes sense for yours. The title and pictures need to be related. and not via a link to other posters for reference. It needs to make sense on its own.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> The cityscape really does nothing to support a horror flick.  I would think that with a title "son of dracula" one would picture a boy/teen vampire. Just because a cityscape may have been used before on another poster doesn't mean it makes sense for yours. The title and pictures need to be related. and not via a link to other posters for reference. It needs to make sense on its own.


Thank you Wayogal, but the photoshop teacher said we can use the wwww.allposters.com site for reference to see what they've did and how they did it. 


By the way what would you change if you did it?


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

Do you really want a critique?
I would change the font (like I suggested earlier). and I would make the picture relate to the title (like I said earlier). The viewer is not the person that should need a reference. YOU can refer to other posters, but that doesn't mean lifting disparate elements and putting them in yours. It means to look at how titles and pictures relate to each other in a successful movie poster.
If you want praise, then don't ask for a critique. cuz you'll get what you ask for.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> Do you really want a critique?
> I would change the font (like I suggested earlier). and I would make the picture relate to the title (like I said earlier). The viewer is not the person that should need a reference. YOU can refer to other posters, but that doesn't mean lifting disparate elements and putting them in yours. It means to look at how titles and pictures relate to each other in a successful movie poster.
> If you want praise, then don't ask for a critique. cuz you'll get what you ask for.


Thank you Wyogal, and I'll ask for one ina while, my teacher said the same thing you did earlier. And I've changed a lot except for the font>text undernith the picture. I'm not sure what font will look good for undernith  the son of dracula.


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

since you already have the blood dripping font in the title, something plain, black would work fine. Also, if going with the Russia theme, a pic of the kremlin with a teen vampire might help connect your themes. or a Russian Orthodox cross-bearing person (like when they use a cross to ward off vampires)


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> since you already have the blood dripping font in the title, something plain, black would work fine. Also, if going with the Russia theme, a pic of the kremlin with a teen vampire might help connect your themes. or a Russian Orthodox cross-bearing person (like when they use a cross to ward off vampires)


Good point, Well I am going for the lost boys feel for the vampire, and I will be the vampire and do a lot of post processing with out ANY make up on.


However it will take me about 2 hours to do that but I got time to kill.


By the way a little update, Yeah I know the text need to be changed like Wyogal stated.


But here's a slight update "I may end up taking the black thing out and maybe doing a fade effect of my face.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

What is that big towering thing on the right.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

GB said:


> What is that big towering thing on the right.


You mean the building?


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

I can only guess that is what it is. It looks completely out of place and fake. it is hard to even tell it is a building. Did you add that in? What is the purpose of having it there?


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

yes, I know what you mean, but I still think that you can't just take your favorite aspects of different posters and mash them together. The image and the text must relate TO EACH OTHER, not some other movie poster you like.
For example: the cityscape you are using DOES NOT make one think of Russia.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

GB said:


> I can only guess that is what it is. It looks completely out of place and fake. it is hard to even tell it is a building. Did you add that in? What is the purpose of having it there?


Im not sure guys.

When I did a search for city scapes that was 50 + to download the http: said something like http://www.russa.user/images/russa.tiff


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

whatever it is, it is not an iconic Russian cityscape, which would suit you better, you know, onion domes and all that.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

You're right Wyogal, I may just get rid of the text under the Son Of Dracula.


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

try some of these, if you want to keep Russia
iconic russian images kremlin - Google Images


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

If you are not going to use the Russian theme, you still need to relate the cityscape with your title. so far, they don't relate at all.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

What exactly are you looking to get across to the person viewing this?


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

GB said:


> What exactly are you looking to get across to the person viewing this?


Gothic and vampire feel, horror feel. This movie poster would be a rated R "also I'm going for a lost boys - blade cross over feel.

Anyways here is what I have so far. And yes that's a black out over the text, I did that to protect my folks names. My teacher told us we had to use real names but fake titles.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

Chile Chef said:


> Gothic and vampire feel, horror feel. This movie poster would be a rated R "also I'm going for a lost boys - blade cross over feel.


I guess I just do not see how what you have portrays what you are going for. Other than the bloody lettering, what about what you have portrays "vampire"? What about it is gothic? It actually looks the opposite of gothic. You have a futuristic looking building (that loos like it was copied and pasted) that is towering above everything else and looks to be about 10 miles tall. How does that fit in with your gothic theme? I am not familiar with blade so I can't talk to that, but what about this says Lost Boys to you? I do not see a single thing in here that would make me think Lost Boys. Lost Boys was a teenage vampire movie from the 80's set in CA. What elements of your poster have to do with anything like that or anything else that would say Lost Boys to someone looking at it?


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

GB said:


> I guess I just do not see how what you have portrays what you are going for. Other than the bloody lettering, what about what you have portrays "vampire"? What about it is gothic? It actually looks the opposite of gothic. You have a futuristic looking building (that loos like it was copied and pasted) that is towering above everything else and looks to be about 10 miles tall. How does that fit in with your gothic theme? I am not familiar with blade so I can't talk to that, but what about this says Lost Boys to you? I do not see a single thing in here that would make me think Lost Boys. Lost Boys was a teenage vampire movie from the 80's set in CA. What elements of your poster have to do with anything like that or anything else that would say Lost Boys to someone looking at it?


Well it's a spoof, The teacher wanted a spoof of our favorite movie in the horror genera. And now that you metioned that about the building I think your right. 

Grrr, It's kind of late to redo everything though since the deadline is veryclose.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

How is this spoofing anything though. There needs to be some connection to what you are spoofing and other than the text, nothing about the images relate to anything you mentioned above or anything you want to spoof. How is an image of a city at night from far above a spoof of an 80's teen vampire movie or anything else you listed?


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

yep, GB, that's what I've been saying, the images need to relate to the text, to what CC wants to portray, not something that only relates inside his own head.
Nothing about it, except for the bloody lettering, relates to the title.
and if you, CC, were to spend time implementing suggestions instead of chatting online, defending what you are doing, you might get something done.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

Think of it this way CC. It you removed the text and were just left with the graphics, and you asked someone off the street what this poster was about, what would they say? I would be willing to bet a my salary for a year that not a single person would say vampires, lost boys, or anything gothic.


----------



## Alix (Oct 13, 2009)

Make sure you spell Russia correctly if you decide to use that.


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

Ok, I've been searching for the right 80's feel city picture and I think I've found it. 

I want your opinions please? After the next post I think I will go and play halo for a while clear my head. And come back with some fresh idea's







Oh and Alix I didn't see your post, Thanks I don't think I''ve spelled it correctly!

By the way this is Chicago, least people be able to recognize it!


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

You are STILL making the connection in your OWN head, not on paper. The cityscape STILL does not relate to the title.
The viewer of your poster is NOT making a connection to the title. 
BTW, have you  found your college's tutoring office yet? They all have them. I would recommend you go there instead of playing video games if you want to get this project done.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

Just like the other one, there is nothing about this that says 80's. CC, what do you see in this picture that says 80's to you? Someone off the street looking at this would not know what decade it was from. Is it the 80's, 90's, 00's? There is nothing in the photo distinguishing it as 80's. Also the picture is horribly warped.


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

Look at some of these:
"son of dracula" movie posters - Google Images
There is a vampire in them... see how it relates to the title? I don't really care that you are trying to go for an 80" "Lost Boys" feel, you are obviously not succeeding.
and in the lost boys posters:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=...1&sa=1&q="Lost+Boys"&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10&start=0
there are pictures that RELATE to the title, pictures of boy vampires


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

Thank you GB & wyogal, I'll work on it a little bit longer after dinner.


----------



## BreezyCooking (Oct 13, 2009)

What does a modern visual of Chicago have to do with "Son of Dracula"? There's absolutely no connection whatsoever. And since my husband & I are hard-core classic horror film fans & have a book & video library of pretty much every classic film produced, I know from whence I speak.

You cannot even hope to make a "spoof" if there's no original connection to begin with. I'm kind of thinking you need to wake up more in class, because surely there was something covered there before this assignment was made. Class assignments aren't made willy-nilly; they're assigned so that you can implement what you've learned in the class. I really can't see that you've grasped the point. Agree with Wyogal that perhaps you need to go back to the instructor for some pointers. And if it's too late to do that, whose fault is that? By the time one has reached college-level stuff, procrastination should have long been on a back burner somewhere.  And the fact that you need to go play video games rather than work on this says an awful lot about your work ethic here.


----------



## GB (Oct 13, 2009)

OK lets lay off the criticism of CC's work ethic and paying attention in class. That is not what this thread is about Please keep all comments related to critiquing his project, not critiquing him.


----------



## BreezyCooking (Oct 13, 2009)

Okay. Here's a BIG "hint". Have you watched the original versions of "Frankenstein" & "Bride of Frankenstein"? And then have you watched Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein?" "Young Frankenstein" is a SPOOF of the preceding 2 movies. Does that in any way sort of give you an idea of how your "Son of Dracula" movie poster is not a spoof of anything?


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

BreezyCooking said:


> What does a modern visual of Chicago have to do with "Son of Dracula"? There's absolutely no connection whatsoever. And since my husband & I are hard-core classic horror film fans & have a book & video library of pretty much every classic film produced, I know from whence I speak.
> 
> You cannot even hope to make a "spoof" if there's no original connection to begin with. I'm kind of thinking you need to wake up more in class, because surely there was something covered there before this assignment was made. Class assignments aren't made willy-nilly; they're assigned so that you can implement what you've learned in the class. I really can't see that you've grasped the point. Agree with Wyogal that perhaps you need to go back to the instructor for some pointers. And if it's too late to do that, whose fault is that? By the time one has reached college-level stuff, procrastination should have long been on a back burner somewhere.  And the fact that you need to go play video games rather than work on this says an awful lot about your work ethic here.


Not trying to be mean but I have a 4.0 in this class as of right now, so I've been paying attention in it. And now since I've got some r&r I can rethink my assignment. 



By the way Our assignment was right on the money, however he said we can dow hat ever we wanted too. I can scan in the assinment. and I got this thursday plus next thursday to get it done.


----------



## Wyogal (Oct 13, 2009)

You wanted a critique, you got it. So quit defending yourself. The picture has NOTHING to do with the text. They do not relate to each other. Did you look at the samples I gave you? In everyone of them, the text and the picture are related: Lost Boys: pictures of boy vampires. Son of Dracula implies vampires, and a SON of a vampire. How do you think your picture of a city relates to YOUR theme?
sheesh, you don't want a critique, then don't ask for one. _I'm not going to give you false flattery (and I don't know how I got italics here...)_


----------



## BreezyCooking (Oct 13, 2009)

You're avoiding the question.  How is what you're currently showing any sort of "spoof"?


----------



## Chile Chef (Oct 13, 2009)

Wyogal said:


> You wanted a critique, you got it. So quit defending yourself. The picture has NOTHING to do with the text. They do not relate to each other. Did you look at the samples I gave you? In everyone of them, the text and the picture are related: Lost Boys: pictures of boy vampires. Son of Dracula implies vampires, and a SON of a vampire. How do you think your picture of a city relates to YOUR theme?
> sheesh, you don't want a critique, then don't ask for one. _I'm not going to give you false flattery (and I don't know how I got italics here...)_


I'm not going to take some crap from some guy or woman who tells me I am not learning and I should wake up and pay more attention in class, specially when I'm top dog in that class. And a real critique is where you give constructive pointers, and put your 2 cents in. 


I'll say no more. and there for end this thread with good bye. "that mean's good bye to the thread and not to the forum.


----------



## roadfix (Oct 13, 2009)

Chill, my friend.  If you think this is brutal, wait til you get out into the real world and present your work.


----------



## TheDude (Oct 14, 2009)

Chile Chef said:


> And a real critique is where you give constructive pointers, and put your 2 cents in.


 
You mean just like plenty of people have been doing for 4 pages?

You are probably not going to like what your teacher has to say if you hand in any of the pictures you have been showing us...


----------



## Alix (Oct 14, 2009)

Chile, its hard to hear that something we think is really well done doesn't give the impression we want it to give. No one intended to hurt your feelings they were trying to help you out. Keep in mind that just reading what is written without seeing the face of the person saying it can mean you lose a lot of nuance. For example if I say, "I'm fine" and you can't hear my voice or see what I look like you don't know whether I'm actually fine or if you should take cover!  

I'm going to close down this thread now folks. I don't think Chile is in the space to hear any more about his work.


----------

