First of all, a site to recommend to all the ones who use colours, but that isn't the reason I'm opening a thread // Discussion: A few weeks ago we got this task to create a poststamp, with all the rules for a stamp. The only strict rule, beside the sizes of the stamp where that the theme is: "From Gutenberg to the Internet." (( Gutenberg is the one who made the movable type printing in Europe around 1439 )) Combining that man with The E-net. Well after a few brainstorms, concept thinking a time in Illustrator this is my design: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/sjorsjanssen/SamplealaGutenberg.jpg


After a few moments of staring I found out that I'm not satisfied with the colours. Asked around a few friends // students.. they gave me splendid ideas, but not what I was searching for. So I tought, let me use this site..: Maby I can find the colours here. About the colours: My idea behind the design is that I wanted to combine it into one simple vector. A moveable letter, with something reconisable from the net, the white arrow.

The background is prefered to keep a light // bright colour. I tried out with the letter a flashing red and some old and dull blue gray. That wasn't what I was looking for. So the background a light colour and the letter a darkish colour. The two sides, the "empty" one, and the one with the arrow will have 2 different colours. One darkish one, one Lightish one..

If there are any questions feel free to ask.

What bothers me is that you've used pixelish blocks to create both the lettering and the white arrow. Computers have come so far since then that it creates an old-fashioned look, which I don't think you'd want. Why not use a more modern type face, or even Arial . Plus, make the arrow with straight diagonal lines.

couldn't agree more w/greenMyEyes!

I like idea of combining blue and yellow but I would try something more vibrant, brighter blue and more fresh yellow. But now when I think longer ... :)
I would not go for EU flag colours, try to find something more fresh than this but not so simply as flag colours.

Speaking from a stamp design standpoint .... Don't make the colors too complicated or the stamp will lose its simplicity. I'm not worried about the colors as much as the text. When you shrink that down to stamp size, the "VOM GUTENBURG ZUM INTERNET" will become unreadable. What accent is above the A? Who knows? It is already impossible to read at this size on a computer monitor. You have it in 4 different languages, which takes more space. You have four edges. What happens if you put a different language around each edge? You would have more room corner to corner and the language text could be larger.

Is that a computer? It needs more lights, slots and buttons.

**MY** arrow has straight lines, but also has the animated multicolor horizontal stripes from the alternate Microsoft mouse cursor set. That would add a nice accent if you keep the background single color. Bleeding the background outside of the rectangle as you have done is fine. The outer stamp margin will be something like the width of the E in Europe. Outer stamp edges are usually perforated.

I like the design! I agree with what retsof said though, especially about the type becoming larger. I like your concept and think the arrow is working, even pixelated but maybe try some that have a darker blue border.



I also think to make the slug more recognizable you could give the arrow 3D and pop off (like the image below) and your nick needs a piece of 3D, also adding a 3rd shade of blue/grey to the top of the slug will help. I think they actually have these pieces of type so you may want to find one or a picture of one, i looked around quickly but couldn't find anything. Are you limited to two colors? If so you may want to pick a slightly darker blue so that you can pull more tints from it.



oh and I think you are missing "the" in "From Gutenberg to the Internet."

Good luck and keep us posted!

manekineko wrote:

I like dubloon!