GoH Banner Design

[Slegengr]

Here is my entry for the GoH banner design contest. If I should only post this under the entry topic, would a Mod please delete this topic.

I created a separate topic to also include the source images I used for my banner.

I know these banners are not in numerical order. I tried to group similar banners together.

GoH_Banner_1

I thought the original might look better with the guild flags as well, so I tried that also:

GoH_Banner_3

This is the second attempt which incorporates the guild flags and smaller minifigures to alleviate the crowded feeling:

GoH_Banner_4

Second attempt without guild flags:

GoH_Banner_6

Attempting an even less crowded spacing:

GoH_Banner_5

And with Guild's tag shields (with modified colors):

GoH_Banner_9

GoH_Banner_8

GoH_Banner_11

GoH_Banner_12

GoH_Banner_7

GoH_Banner_10

Source Images

Avalonian Knight:

Avalonian Forestwoman:

Avalonian Elf:

Mitgardian Ridder:

Mitgardian Archer:

Mitgardian Dwarf:

Nocturnus Death Knight:

Nocturnus Ninja:

Nocturnus Orc:

Kaliphlin Mamaluke:

Kaliphlin Legionary:

Kaliphlin Archer:

Avalonia Background:

Mitgardia Background:

Nocturnus Background:

Kaliphlin Background:

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Constructive criticism is appreciated. If you have suggestions for improvement to this banner, please let me know before Friday, October 31st, and I might be able to incorporate them. I tried to make each region representative of the defining features of each guild. The same applies to the minifigures, where I included one mounted character, one footman, and one female figure for each guild.

Edit: Updated main banner to correct the pixelated appearance of the logo

Second Edit: Added a second populated banner with downsized figures and incorporated guild flags

Third Edit: Added more populated banners with less crowding and reorganized banners into a coherent order.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Slegengr

[-Carson Haupt-]

This is great! I like everything about it.

[Slegengr]

This is great! I like everything about it.

Thanks, Carson! I really enjoyed making builds and minifigures to represent the guilds, and I am glad you like it as well.

[MKJoshA]

Wow. Each part has been so well thought out. I really like this. My only complaint is that it seems a little busy (too crowded) Maybe just use 2 minifigs per guild instead of 3? Or make the minifigs smaller?

[Lord Vladivus]

Nice way to do the banner! I do agree about the crowdedness though.

[Kai NRG]

Great work! Those backgrounds are really nice, I especially like your use of perspective on the Kali one. The overall banner looks pretty good too. It does seem a bit crowded but as long as the words aren't put there (which they aren't on the current banner) that shouldn't be much of a problem. (Though the search box might get in the way.)

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Great banner - esp. on the backgrounds.

[Slegengr]

Wow. Each part has been so well thought out. I really like this. My only complaint is that it seems a little busy (too crowded) Maybe just use 2 minifigs per guild instead of 3? Or make the minifigs smaller?

Thanks, MKJ! I appreciate the feedback. My original intent was to incorporate the three minifigures per guild to give a better representation. I made them large so they would not disappear at such a small scale, but the original size of 100x900 pixels should allow for me to downsize the minifigures a little bit to alleviate the crowdedness while still showing details.

Nice way to do the banner! I do agree about the crowdedness though.

Thanks, Lord Vladivus! I will downsize the minifigures and see what I think. I agree that it seems crowded, but that is also somewhat what I wanted and needed in order to represent the guilds with detailed minifigures. I did not like how much the background was covered by the figures, but I could not find a fit I liked better. I will give it another try and see what I can do.

Great work! Those backgrounds are really nice, I especially like your use of perspective on the Kali one. The overall banner looks pretty good too. It does seem a bit crowded but as long as the words aren't put there (which they aren't on the current banner) that shouldn't be much of a problem. (Though the search box might get in the way.)

Thanks, Kai! I wanted the minifigures to be shown large enough to show detail, so the banner ended up crowded. I may shrink the minifigures a bit, now that I see that details still show at original size. I do not know how to avoid the search box, so I will just hope it does not cover too much. I will look at this again and see if I can come up with a better fit.

Great banner - esp. on the backgrounds.

Thanks, Captain Braunsfeld! I enjoyed building backgrounds that I though were good representations of the defining features of each guild. I am glad you like them as well.

[Jakorin Swiftsword]

This looks really good!

[Slegengr]

This looks really good!

Thanks, Jakorin!

I have added a second banner that has smaller minifigures to alleviate the crowded feeling. I also had room to incorporate the guild flags now, so I have done so.

Let me know which populated banner has the better appearance. The backgrounds are identical.

[robuko]

This is rather wonderful. It does look very busy and quite crowded even in the second iteration. I'm fine with that though. You have put in a lot of effort and it looks great.

[Slegengr]

This is rather wonderful. It does look very busy and quite crowded even in the second iteration. I'm fine with that though. You have put in a lot of effort and it looks great.

Thanks, robuko! I am glad you like it, even with the crowding and business of the banner.

I agree that even the second attempt is crowded and busy, but I cannot think of a better way to do this (I am certainly open to suggestions). I want a banner that shows the defining features of each guild and cannot decide how to uncrowd the banner. If I were to eliminate a minifigure from each guild, which one would I eliminate? If I shrink the minifigures more, will too much detail be lost? Should I worry about hiding too much of the background, or is it enough to see that in the extended banner? Should I try to incorporate the forum name and slogan, or is it enough that people will know what site it is located on? Would more indicators specific to Guilds of Historica be good to incorporate, and, if so, how could I incorporate them. I appreciate input from anyone.

[SarahJoy]

Here's a quick-and-dirty version with the figures scaled down a lot. Your version of this would be a lot crisper and of course have the EB logo.

I prefer the banner without the flags or any forum name or slogan, because it's pretty crowded as is, and I like for the scenes to have a bit of room to breathe. If you really wanted to, the flags could go underneath the figures, and the forum name and slogan could go in the sky, but it would start to feel really busy. (The flags on top visually divide the scenes where they shouldn't be divided; it creates visual conflict with the actual divisions of the scenes, if that makes any sense.)

You've done an awesome job on this, Slegengr. I really appreciate the time and thought you put into creating each scene and group of minifigs, making sure every guild is well-represented. Thank you, also, for including lady figs!

Edited October 28, 2014 by SarahJoy

[Slegengr]

Thanks, SarahJoy! I appreciate that you put together a prototype banner for me. I really like what I see there. The minifigures are still detailed in your image, and it is definitely less crowded. I will give this another attempt tonight and continue to play with this to try to perfect the banner. I originally intended to put the flags on the bottom, but did not have enough room. With the smaller figs, there might be room, though, so I will try it and find out. In this thread, I will post prototype banners before finalizing the banners for entry.

Would it seem better to keep the figures for each guild clustered tightly or to spread them out somewhat in the extra space around the figures? You kept them clustered as I did, and I think I am leaning towards this as well.

The lady figs were an added consideration to give each guild a more complete representation, as there are ladies in the guilds and there would certainly need to be ladies in the worlds of Guilds of Historica .

[SarahJoy]

Would it seem better to keep the figures for each guild clustered tightly or to spread them out somewhat in the extra space around the figures? You kept them clustered as I did, and I think I am leaning towards this as well.

I like them tightly clustered -- that way, they create a visual narrative about a cohesive group, rather than a bunch of random individual figs. Also, your landscaping shows better that way.

[Slegengr]

I updated the original post to include a less-crowded version.

Help me decide which two are the best to include as entries on the entry page. I will update my posts there with my preferences, but I am willing to accept input.

[MiloNelsiano]

It definitely looks less crowded with them smaller and without the flags. I do think that the colors should be there though, if it's possible to do so without crowding the image. I would suggest trying (it might not work any better) to use the shield tags the members got for their involvement in the first book.

[Kai NRG]

Personally, I'd enter the first and last ones. I agree with SarahJoy, the flags create additional clutter and artificial breaks without adding a whole lot.

[Slegengr]

It definitely looks less crowded with them smaller and without the flags. I do think that the colors should be there though, if it's possible to do so without crowding the image. I would suggest trying (it might not work any better) to use the shield tags the members got for their involvement in the first book.

Thanks, Milo! I had not thought of using the shield tags. That is a most excellent idea! Much neater to incorporate than the flags.

Personally, I'd enter the first and last ones. I agree with SarahJoy, the flags create additional clutter and artificial breaks without adding a whole lot.

Thanks for the input, Kai. That is my opinion as well.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Slegengr

[MiloNelsiano]

This Looks better to me. Maybe try to find a nocturnus flag with a gold border rather than silver one, just to keep it all uniform.

[mccoyed]

I still prefer it minimalist, the way SarahJoy adapted it. This is definitely the best entry so far and the minimalist version is the best version IMO!

[SarahJoy]

One possibility to integrate Guild colors into the banner in a visually minimal way would be to place the GoH shields onto the EB logo, something like this rough version:

I don't know if it would be permitted, though, because it changes the logo itself.

[Slegengr]

One possibility to integrate Guild colors into the banner in a visually minimal way would be to place the GoH shields onto the EB logo, something like this rough version:

I don't know if it would be permitted, though, because it changes the logo itself.

I don't know either if this would be permitted, but I also would rather incorporate the whole shield in the banner next to the appropriate guild. I will redo the shields tonight after work and hopefully correct the issues by shrinking the shields and placing them along the bottom with each group of minifigures.

I appreciate your input, as well as the input from others. If this should ever end up being the Guilds' banner, it will be best if the Guild members have had input so it is a community project (more or less).

Edited October 29, 2014 by Slegengr

[SarahJoy]

Here is a prototype with tiny shields:

Edit: I hope it's okay that I'm messing with this. You have such great ideas, and it's easier for me to explain myself visually.

Edited October 29, 2014 by SarahJoy

[Slegengr]

I like that. I do think it visually more coherent having a shield on both sides of each Guild's region. I will have a few more prototypes up tonight to incorporate more ideas.

Since I have this separate topic, I will make several more banners and place them here for input before the deadline Friday.