EoFF Classic Banner Competition 2006

[Loony BoB]

Dude, this is my 7th attempt. D:

This is easily in my top three so far from this thread. I like it a lot. The 'Eyes on' text needs work, though. It looks wrong.

EDIT: And man, is it just me or does Zell's ear stick out like a lightbulb? Maybe I'm just weird.

I'm going to quote Cid's post into the first post of this thread as it's fairly important and some people seem to be ignoring just how important it is, especially given that Cid has the final say on things!

EDIT: I also quite like Resha's latest one, although not enough to think it's a frontrunner. I don't like the Tidus/Yuna pic in the middle, personally, but then I never did like that picture no matter where I've seen it. It doesn't look like Yuna at all!

EDIT: Dan, I don't like how your 'Eyes on' seems more to the right than the left. It makes it look like 'Eyes on' is completely seperate to 'Final Fantasy' to the point that it isn't the same sentence. Maybe move it a little to the left.

[DK]

[Owen Macwere]

Wow!. This one is very nice, it is so calm and easy to go. and it is so expressing.
But I think it is a bit dark.

[Flying Mullet]

Definitely my favorite so far.

[Rusty]

I love Resha's lastest and Agent Proto's latest. The best so far in my opinion. They have good diversity and good pick of characters~

[Loony BoB]

EDIT: Okay, I'm going to go through a lot of them now. I'll predominantly stick to the submissions I feel could go somewhere or that I want to comment on for any other reason. Working backwards...

Olette
While I like the picture, I don't think this is a good banner for EoFF Classic because everything is either extremely bright or extremely dark, almost to the point that it's black and white rather than blue. Vincent almost has the look of the Phantom of the Opera, all you see is his face. Try softening everything up. Also, while I love pics with eyes, I think it would work better if you could find an eye that's looking a little more 'out of the screen' - ie straight forward.

black orb
I don't think this is really something I'd use as a banner for EoFF Classic, even if it is nice to see people trying different things.

TSoL
Maybe it's just me, but this ties in with what Cid pointed out - very feminine banners that look like fanboy stuff. I like the style, but I just don't think it's what EoFF Classic needs with regards to the big massive Yuna being the #1 thing you see.

Lynx (1)
Congratulations in making the first ever EoFF Classic banner that has used drawn art and still looked good. Bonus points for making something different. I would be happy to see this banner in the final round but I'm not sure if it's good enough to make the EoFF Classic banner for at least a year. What I love the most about this banner is what you've done in teh middle, though. A very large 'Eyes on Final Fantasy' text on top of some Japanese characters (assumably for Final Fantasy?) and the diamond... all very effective and I'd love to see you try more things with this idea, possibly with CG images rather than the artwork, just to see what it would look like. People haven't experimented enough with shapes, I feel, and only this image has reminded me of that. I give this the most credit for trying something new in an effective way, although as I said, I'm not sure if I'd have it over the existing banner.

EDIT: Try making the text - possibly even the diamond - a little more prominent. Everything is let down by the boring, dusty shade.

Lynx (2)
Nice idea, but I don't like the images and I don't like the 'Eyes on' font, so there it goes.

Azar
I don't like this banner much, to be honest, but I'd like to point out that I love what you've done with the 'Eyes on' text. The rest of it is too blue and the character graphics are overly dominated by the colouring. If I had to pick between this one and this one then I'd go for the latter because the eye doesn't seem right when it's angled like that. I prefer straight-on eyes, or side-on eyes (and if they are side on they should be on the side of the image). Angled eyes put me off.

rubah
rubah, regarding the size: EoFF Classic is all about tradition, that's why it's EoFF Classic! As for the idea behind the image, it's a bit too blocky for my liking, but you probably weren't serious with your submission since it breaks a few rules listed (too much colour, too large). The main reason I'm listing this one is because, combined with Lynx's first banner of the two mentioned above, it would be an interesting idea to see how someone could get all the FF logos and put them together somehow. I highly doubt this idea would win anything or even get very far but it would be interesting all the same.

Mulley
I like this idea and I really like this eye (which is something I can't say for most of the eye images being used in other banners). Shame it still doesn't work for EoFF Classic, but it's a nice platform and hopefully a good inspiration for other people.

Arrianna (1)
I really like this one, but it needs work. The font - particularly the 'Eyes on' bit - isn't prominent enough. The 'Ey' doesn't stand out from the background images enough. While I like the chocobo and moogle, I just don't feel they're exactly right... they seem out of place given the background image. Sadly, I can't place exactly what I'd like to change about this image overall, but I definitely like it. Maybe that Vivi image is just one that I think looks cool as it is, or something... but it won't win on it's own, and I'm at a loss as to exactly how you could compliment it. Sorry I'm not much help.

Arriianna (2)
I feel that this image has too much going on to be a finalist, unfortunately. It's a nice idea, but I just keep thinking 'too much'. Sephiroth also seems a tad too bright. I don't like the intense white.

Spiffing Cheese (1)
This isn't good enough to be a finalist but after looking at so many banners that have so much going on, I must admit it was a relief. People, this is a perfect example of two images being simply placed together and looking a hell of a lot better than all your crowded stuff with 4+ images. Take note. Oh, and nice text, although it could use something to balance it out. The 'Eyes on --------' line makes me think that the ' Final Fantasy' line should have something in front of it. Whether that's a line going up, a line going down, a dot, a little diamond... something, I don't know. Try removing the Cloud pic and replacing it with something that doesn't look so faded and blurred, and possibly try different hues etc. so that your image doesn't come across so dull-looking. This banner has potential, although I'm unsure if it could go all the way until you do a lot of work with it.

Zeldy (1)
I like this one. Great text, great central image, the left image isn't too bad but I'm unsure about the right one. Too many females, as Cid would point out and I personally agree... this one doesn't look too feminine like a lot of the girly banners do, but you should get a few different kinds of guys and see which one fits into it better. I like how you aren't relying on just face-shots - the central image with a whole-body shot, and the left image with the upper body included... this works nicely. You could submit this on it's own and make the finals as it is, but making the finals is just half the work.

Blitz Ace
I like this banner a lot, actually. I think the bottom left images are cute, although I'm not sure EoFF Classic should be going for cute just yet. The text and the Cloud image both appeal to me a lot. Try dropping the border, though - it won't be needed when it's in EoFF Classic. We tried borders before and they look wrong. The background image is a great idea but I'm not sure you got the best shot. Are there other necklace shots that might work better? Possibly another image of something else. This banner deserves more attention and I feel that if you work on it you could get a finalist and potentially a winner. Keep it up, keep posting, see how things go.

Jess (1)
The shade of blue is a little off, I can't quite place how. It almost doesn't seem blue... keep checking your hues until you find the right one for EoFF Classic. I like your left image, I like your central image, I'm not entirely sure on your right image but we'll see. Don't colour over the text, though - make the text stand out from the image by making it empty of hue and you'll improve this banner by well over 100%.

Spiffing Cheese (2)
Yeah, I definitely like these images better. Now blue it up and take note of the text advice I gave Jess just above.

feona17
Too female! It's a nice style, though. Keep working on it, and move the 'Eyes on' text to the left so it flows better. Darken the blues slightly so it fits the mood of EoFF Classic better, but don't do it so much that the characters fade out. If you can't darken it without killing the characters, then you've probably got the wrong style for EoFF Classic (as much as I like the style).

GooeyToast (1)
The images are a little crowded. Great text. The thing inbetween FINAL and FANTASY reminds me of the things Obelix makes in the Asterix comics. xD I really do like it, though. Great text (I know, I said this already, but I really do like it). This could still be a winner... keep the text and think of ways that you could improve the graphics.

Rye (1)
Good text. I've never been a fan of Freya and she doesn't seem right for this banner, personally. I can see this making the finals but I just don't see it winning at the moment. I think you should take on the advice I gave you in Y!M the other day - start something new and see where it takes you. I think you've done this banner now and should try something different over the next week to see if you can come up with something a little less straight-forward. There's something about this banner that shows a lot of 'really good' but just nothing 'great'. But then again, I never played FFIX, so that might be it. Also, aren't Freya and Vivi both FFIX characters? That's not the best plan as I think it will lose out to people who are trying more variety in their games.

Zeldy (2)
I really don't like that character on the left. Just never have! Eiko, I guess. I like the images in th center and right, though, and think the text is good - although the tips on the right of the 'E' seem to get lost in the thing Tifa is sitting on a little and it puts me off. I think this banner could also improve should you make the text stand out by removing the fact that it has the same colouring as the rest of the banner.

Jess (2)
Pretty. Could use a little darkening but that might lose it's 'crystal-clear' look. This may just not be suited to EoFF Classic, I don't know... four images seems a bit much to me, and I don't like angled eye pictures, although of all the angled eye pictures, I guess this one is the better one. I'd be interested to see what it would look like if you had an eye image facing straight forward in place of the current eye, sort of like how Mulley (Bantam) did his eye-banner (linked far above in this post).

GooeyToast (2)
The face in the petals disturbs me to no end, and looks like something out of a school play when a person is dressing up as a flower. Get rid of it! I still like your text. Can't stand the female character's face in the bottom right, though. Looks like it's on the t-shirt of that FFIX character.

Spiffing Cheese (3)
Upside-down characters = No.

And, since I started typing all of this out...

Majin
Good show. Now that is finalist material. And again proving that you don't need a whole lot of images to make a good banner.

It is definitely noticed by myself that people are improving as the thread goes on, so good job to everyone for that.

EDIT: My favourites...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...3k2/ProtoF.png
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...aphix/zoop.jpg
http://www.akusui.net/_lynxoma/_leec...-design02b.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/chadmonkey/bannera-1.jpg
http://ladybarronmore.googlepages.com/Arrianna_A3.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j2...offbanner3.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...nnertry1BA.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...new3light2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/10.../Viviblue3.jpg

ADVICE FOR EVERYONE
Okay, after looking through this thread, one thing has been done by a lot of people that I feel hasn't done them any favours - they have the text the exact same shade as the rest of the banner. That means everything is the same colour, and it isn't too appealling. Sometimes it might suit a banner, but in most cases I've seen I feel that if you made your banner without any text - the complete graphics etc - and then put the text layer over the top of it in a slightly (or dramatically, it's up to you) different colour then it will probably do you a world of favours.

[DK]

I like Pr00t's 7th? One, I think it's good, the only thing that bugs me are the roman numerals across the top, they just look a bit weird being layered over the top of the pictures and stuff. Maybe if you put something underneath it, Jeff? Like, a rectangle. i can't really explain what I mean :( Not a block rectangle, it can be seethrough, just with some defined borders. Something to just give the numerals a place on the banner, rather than them just being on top of everything.

[Agent Proto]

Alright, I think I fixed the problems spotted by both Dans. D:

I darkened Zell's ear so it won't stand out so much and moved him a bit to the left so the text won't block him, fixed 'Eyes on' a bit, and added something behind the numerals, which I think is unnecessary, but it may make the huge difference.


Original


2nd Version

[DK]

2nd Version

Perfick.

[Flying Mullet]

I like the second one better too.

[Doomie]

Why remodel just the banner? I say we should make a whole new frontsite. I already took the liberty ok making one. Me. By myself. Wheeee

[Owen Macwere]

I love this one.

[Flying Mullet]

Why remodel just the banner? I say we should make a whole new frontsite. I already took the liberty ok making one. Me. By myself. Wheeee

Classy.

[Jess]

Jess (1)
The shade of blue is a little off, I can't quite place how. It almost doesn't seem blue... keep checking your hues until you find the right one for EoFF Classic. I like your left image, I like your central image, I'm not entirely sure on your right image but we'll see. Don't colour over the text, though - make the text stand out from the image by making it empty of hue and you'll improve this banner by well over 100%.

Jess (2)
Pretty. Could use a little darkening but that might lose it's 'crystal-clear' look. This may just not be suited to EoFF Classic, I don't know... four images seems a bit much to me, and I don't like angled eye pictures, although of all the angled eye pictures, I guess this one is the better one. I'd be interested to see what it would look like if you had an eye image facing straight forward in place of the current eye, sort of like how Mulley (Bantam) did his eye-banner (linked far above in this post).

Right, I tried some of these idea's and changed the right image a few times. Any ways I could improve them?

[Owen Macwere]

I like the Auron one, But I think they are all a bit bright, alittle darkening should work better.
Great work Jess as usual.