Kalli's Epic Critique Thread

Discussion in 'Signatures' started by Kalli, Jul 18, 2007.

  1. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    SiKeST -

    I am gonna go ahead and start with your second tag, as I hate starting with the first tag lately. The first thing that is the big problem in this tag is your pixel stretch or motion blurred background. This is actually one of the worst backgrounds you can use in a tag, aside from just a blank background. I would suggest looking up some good tutorials on using stock backgrounds, sumdging, and even using c4d renders as backgrounds. Also, scan lines are very rarely used to a good thing in a tag, and if they are they are usually used very lightly in a tag. Also, using that square being see through, I would minimize using those, as again, rarely those come out looking all that well. Also the colors in this tag seem to be just a tad too way overcontrasted, and I would suggest toning that down a tad bit. Then lastly, the text is just random, and you always want to keep that very simple and definitely dont use those shadows, or outer glows, or anything like that.

    Now for the second tag, I am not gonna critique this one as it is very similar to the first critique I gave on your second tag. All I can do is suggest strongly that you look up some tutorials and just keep practicing making some tags. Also make sure that you take your time, and never try to rush a tag to get it done.
     
  2. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    AoR Loki -

    Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot of critiquing I can do here without seeming harsh. So I will give you a few points, but for the most part I would suggest going and looking at some tutorials and getting better ideas of some ways to work with tags and effects. It will raise your skill level faster than any other way and you will learn some very good techniques which you can eventually turn into your own techniques. The major thing about this tag is that you have the render duplicated three times in one tag. I would suggest 95% of the time never even duplicating the render even once unless you are doing a certain type of tag, but you will learn that in the future. Next, I would never suggest having as much text like that in a tag so small, and with that make sure the font is more simple and not having any of the effects over the tag. Lastly, with your background, never just use a fractal or c4d render as your background, as if you did not make it, it shows very little skill and seems as though you put no thought into making your tag what so ever. All in all though, I would really just suggest practicing and looking at multiple tutorials. I myself have a link in my signature that leads to 29 tutorials that will teach you many different techniques.
     
  3. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    Ok, I will be on for about an hour since it is so early, so I will get as many done as I can.
     
  4. AnythingPink

    AnythingPink Well-Known Member

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    Heyy, it's your number one customer, Kalli. :) I tried taking your advice to improve the one you critiqued the other day, plus a new one I just made today.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I know I should remove the pentooling in the second one
     
  5. SiKeST

    SiKeST Member

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    Well, here I am again. Thanks for the critique you gave--I'm currently looking for tutorials that look real clean; I can't explain that too well. I'm pretty sure you will like this sig more than my last two. Also, if you know any tutorials that might be good for me, please link me to them. :P

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    Anything-Pink -

    Well the first tag definitely has improved, but still not quite there in my opinion. First off the pen tool I think looks better, but I still think something more could be done with it, but I am not really sure how to describe what I am thinking. The typography does improve the bottom of the tag and I like the color choices very much so. However, I think it is the font that I am too keen on with the mix of capitals and lower case. You are on the right track there, but there is just something that looks off with it down there. I would also maybe try sharpening up the grass somewhat, because all though you are focusing on the tree, even with some more focused grass I do not think it would take that effect away. Then lastly, the sky with the planet in color and contrast still seems a tad too dull.

    Now for the second tag, and yes I do agree with you that the pen tool should be taken out of the tag. I think in a tag like this, some pen tool effects could look really good, but it would have to be done very carefully and it would be complicated. In other words, I would only leave it to do for a pen tool expert. Now the two main things about this tag are the light source and the text. First off, the light source I can is suppose to be your focal, but I think that you have it overdone throughout the entire tag. With it being such a bright and large light source, it transitions over to darkness way too quick. I would actually try toning the brightness down just a tad bit and maybe having it transition a tad more. Then with the text, I would completely get rid of this type of typography in this text. With the image of the entire tag, I think just some basic and simple text, with almost like a phrase or something might look really nice. Having the text though trying to flow with the light source and having the effects on it seems actually like you were a beginner in typography. Always make sure to put as much thought as you can into the typography of a tag.

    The flow and depth of the tag are pretty decent and not a lot of complaint can be brought out there. However, with this tag having such a large flow, it kind of detracts from the tag. This actually is not something you can just go in a fix with the tag. But you never really want the flow and the focal point to be one and the same thing. The flow of a tag is used to bring out the effects and the cleanness of the tag. In this case, I would almost say that the flow is too intense for the tag. I would also recommend trying a cropped copy where you take out a portion of the bottom of the tag, and possibly even making those two border bars just a tad thicker and see how that looks. Then lastly are the effects of the tag on the bottom right and bottom left. I would try messing with those just a tad more and getting something more going on in there, as of right now they look kind of messy.
     
  7. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    SiKeST -

    I would suggest just clicking the link in my signature, it will take you to 29 of the tutorials I own that are on the site for free so you do not have to worry about paying for them. There are some beginner level signatures as well as some higher levels that can teach you some good techniques. Also, if you click the PSD link in my signature, you can download any of the PSD's from the tutorials to look at them first hand in photoshop. As for this tag, I think you did much better on the font as it is more simple, but for some reason it looks of bad quality. I would suggest opening the Character box in photoshop and selecting the font be smooth from that to get the best look for the font. I have very rarely used anything but that quality of text. Next though however, get rid of the border. In my opinion there are only really two borders that work on any tag, except for the select few on a very rare occasion and that is the two bar border and no bar border. The two bar border is just a bar on the top of the tag and on the bottom, with no type of border on the sides. Then the no bar border is pretty self-explanatory, which means no border at all. You are getting better with the effects, but to get the best out of them I would suggest learning some smudging techniques as well as some more blending techniques with different types of c4d renders. The last thing I want to point on in this tag is the lighting of the tag. Lighting, from my experience is one of the last things that most people really learn to express in their tags. In this tag the lighting is way too overwhelming, and you need to focus the tag on having one, maybe two in a rare occasion, light source. This will be based upon the render/stock used in the tag which will tell you exactly where the light source should be. As a beginner I would suggest using about a 100px white soft brush and using that as your light source, usually having most of it outside of the tag so just the edges of it are showing.
     
  8. Ryuuji

    Ryuuji Senior Member

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    Well, i know already I have a lot to work on, so constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, even harsh one.
    here's my tag:

    [​IMG]

    I decided to keep the text out of it, don't think it fit well, even if it gave it a more "completed" look
     
  9. SiKeST

    SiKeST Member

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    I don't think this counts as a second critique--if it does, then you don't have to do it. I'm just showing you the improvements (I hope), of the sig you just critiqued.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Which do you think is better?
     
  10. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    Sorry you two, I have some business that needs urgent taking care of, so I will be back on later tonight and critique those tags.
     
  11. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    Ok I am online for awhile again :D
     
  12. loukas29

    loukas29 Well-Known Member

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    Please use your skills on this piece :P

    [​IMG]
     
  13. AnythingPink

    AnythingPink Well-Known Member

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    Hello, Kalli. I have two new ones for you again lol. I hope you're not getting tired of me whoring your shop. :unsure:

    I wasn't trying hard with this one.. Was mostly having fun and putting make up and hair coloring and a few effects.
    [​IMG]

    This one is a request from someone.. They requested me to use the stock they provided which wasn't good quality.
    [​IMG]
     
  14. .ZERO

    .ZERO Nigga wit a PSD

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    o hai :] for reasons previously mentioned may I have some PROPER critique please :D

    1. [​IMG]
    2. [​IMG]
    3. [​IMG]
     
  15. Kalli

    Kalli Senior Member

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    Ryuuji -

    Sorry it has taken so long for me to critique, I forgot about this last night and I actually feel asleep earlier like as soon as I got on haha! The first thing I think of when I look at this tag is like a scene from a movie. I think it is mainly because of the border along with the colors of the tag, just kinda gives off that feel. If you were going for that, then you did well, but I really do not like it all that much, and if you were not going for that look I would suggest removing the border. The effects in the front of the tag are nice, and I think they are very well blended with the render itself. However, with the background of the tag added in there, the tag begins to look a little dull. Right now, all that the background, to me, is there for is that it is the light source. I think that maybe if there was more going on in the background rather than just some strokes of light and dark it would improve the tag. Also on the right, those two really dark spots look out of place, because everything else in the tag is of low contrast, but then those are of higher contrast and stand out a tad too much.

    Staring just at the background, what I am deciding is that it looks like a black sheet with a very strong light coming through it. With depth use of that concept, it works very well, but I still do think that there could be some definite better effects in the background to create better depth as well. Overall the tag is fairly nice and I like the black and red, that works for the tag to a point, but there is still something missing in it. I do not think that flow is really necessary in this tag, but something is needed and that might actually be a few more graphics blurred and sharpened. You said you took the text out, I would really suggest maybe try working a lot with text and see if you could get something good because it might just give it that completed, but also better look.
     

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