Smoking Poster

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Hello,

Here is a smoking poster I have been recently working on in Photoshop. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if they like it, or if they have any suggestions on how I can improve upon it.

Thanks.

Smoking Poster.jpg
 
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What's with all the white streaks in the background? Is that supposed to be paint? Seems kinda out of place.

The red font you chose over the dark background is sort of hard to read. It doesn't stand out, which is what you want in a poster.
 
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if you can dont put red text on black background makes it hard to read. and the red text you have there has to much going on with it.. i.e. the bevel and emboss. remember simple sells. Also the background is to busy as Kash said.. it just does not seem to flow with the art work you are trying to put together.

please dont feel as i am picking your work apart, i am just trying to see what you see and open your eyes to see what i see.
 

eric


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honest critique...

i agree with Kash about the font/color, mainly about the red, how it looks on the background and whatever sort of shadow/outline effect there is on it - the blue is much better.
i do get what you're doing with the red and blue, as a before/after sort of thing - that does work.

i'm with Kash also on the stray stuff in the background. i don't think it adds. more is definitely not more in this case. what is your thought on why it's there?

the thing that bothers me most is the image of the woman. as much as smoking puts me off, the pic itself seems sort of glamorous and in a way comforting, sort of a port in the storm that is the rest of the pic. maybe if she was in silhouette? or had a nasty crosshatch overlay (minus the other stray marks on the back -on a solid background, it may be more powerful).
 
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well spoken Eric.
 
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You might also want to have a lit cigarette ;P
 
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It looks like the woman is seducing the cigarette.
 

CrimsonRequiem


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Okay time to be super nit picking. >_<"

You need to resolve the color scheme it's not working.

No stroking the type please.

Not sure what's going on with the lady's hair towards the back it looks like she got a bad haircut.

Pick typefaces that have been time tested for readability, especially since this is for a poster.

Why are there flames shooting out of her shoulder? I know that's not what you want. Move things around so it doesn't look like that.

The white slashes is not working. They are taking away from everything else. Tone them down...the background is not suppose to be more important than the foreground and the typography.
 
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I would get rid of the stroke and effects on the type.
Keep the text color white for all... no gradients, strokes, shadows, highlight, glows...etc.
Simpler is better.

The second smoke wisp by the phrase "put the smoke out" seems out of place... it's just there. I would advise getting rid of it.

I would also loose the flame image. At the very least, reverse the image of the woman so the light from the flame looks like it is creating the light on the side of her face.
The way it is set now makes no sense, since the side with the bright fiery flames seem to be casting a shadow on that side?

Better yet, just get a different photo for the woman. As was pointed out, it makes smoking look glamorous. I know that's not what you want to convey.
Find an image of a less attractive person, perhaps... something along the lines of This poster.
I know that is a bit more extreme that you would require for your purpose, but it does work for that poster since the over the top "ugliness" is used to enhance the irony of that poster's message.
 
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Here is an idea I have been playing with for this project... It's a different one that the fire. I just got the idea, so it is in the early stages.

Let me know what you think.

Smoking Poster #2.jpg
 

CrimsonRequiem


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I think your second idea looks better.
 
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Both you second version's look much better. The more 'white space' there is, the easier it is to read.
 

CrimsonRequiem


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On your first idea 2nd edition. I think you switch the colors of the type. IE make it black and have just the word "flames" in red. Get rid of the white outline on the type it's is not necessary.
 
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I would suggest drawing up your ideas on paper first.
They don't have to be extremely accurate, detailed illustrations of the poster... just enough to get an idea for the structure and placement of your components.
I can't really see any defined grid structure in your examples so far.
It looks like they were just placed haphazardly.

When using photos, be sure to keep the lighting and color of each photo in mind.

The slogan is also very confusing. It doesn't really have any correlation to smoking in the context of the poster.

Again, I would suggest finding another model or subject.
The one you are using makes smoking look too appealing.
 

bobtomay

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Since I don't have a creative bone in my body - this really has nothing to do with the composition or what it looks like. You haven't said what this poster is for, school assignment, job ??? But, from a smoker's perspective:

The first one - either iteration - I will not take a 2nd look or have a single thought about it - it's a waste of the paper it will be printed on.

The second one - must be some religious message, not sure what the message is, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with me.

The one DB linked for you - that one causes every smoker to at least pause for a second.
 
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Thanks for everyone's input so far. It is greatly appreciated. I am only a grade 11 student, and this is for a photography contest to do with health issues.

Here is a rough idea on a new concept. It is not perfect, but you can get the general idea.

Thanks.

Smoking Poster #3.jpg
 
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