I need a critique please! [Website banner]

[haas mark]

Okay, this is a wrestling fansite that I'm planning on putting up soon (I just need to buy the domain later this week when I get my social security checks, and all is well and good to do so). But first, I need an honest opinion on the banner, as that's what I'll be basing the majority of the rest of my site from.

I'm not too good with brushes, as I'm still learning how to play with them, so please don't be too harsh, but for gods' sakes, BE HONEST WITH ME. One thing, though, I'm not looking for, 'Oooo, that looks nice,' or, 'Wow, I would love to be able to do that!' I'm looking for honest critiques here, and what I can really do to improve this.

AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE DON'T BE AFRAID TO REPLY.

[Oberleutnant]

I think the center one of the three smaller pictures on the left should be sharper and replaced with something else. It (a screencap?) really stands out from the rest because of the lower image quality.

[haas mark]

I think the center one of the three smaller pictures on the left should be sharper and replaced with something else. It (a screencap?) really stands out from the rest because of the lower image quality.

Thanks, I was thinking the same; it's a screencap, yes, and I'm sure I have some kind of effect to sharpen it some, but I don't know how much I can do it without totally fucking up the quality of that particular image.

[salm]

Wow, if you intended to make this image drip of homosexuality you succeeded.

Personally i think you should get rid of the three pictures on left etirely and replace them by something else (Perhaps him doing a wrestling move?). Or at least rearange them. The way they´re arreanged now makes the banner somehow nervous.

I don´t like the font that says "Robert-Conway.com" either.

The rest is cool.

[Dahak]

I'd do away with the three little pics on the right.
They distract...

[Dangermouse]

I am not sure if I like the smaller images on the left side. There is a very sharp transition from the background to the smaller clips; its seems forced into the scene and that they were placed to fill up space rather than serve a purpose. This is especially true for the top left picture; the black background makes the picture seem unnatural.

I also am not a big fan of the lettering running almost up against the left edge. I do like the fact that the lettering is assymetrical; although you may want to consider shiftting the text to the right slightly so that the individual Robert Conway and The Best... is still off center but the perhaps the entire combination "Robert Coway ... The Best ..." is centered. At any rate, getting a little space between the edge and the lettering might help.

Simplicity and openness in designs can work wonders. I am not sure if I would take out the smaller clips entirely or replace them with something else as currently they make the scene somewhat busy. Its a fine art between having objects that draw your eye and open spaces that relax your eye, especially without throwing off the balance in a scene and making the shot seem top heavy or side heavy.

I do like the shot on the far right as well as the motion blurring for the shot in the middle left. The transition from the darker red/brown to the bluish white works well in blending the objects into the overall scene. Nicely done overall though.

[haas mark]

Re the smaller pics: I can't really find a decent action shot of Rob Conway, unfortunately. I might, once I decide to go through Raw and Sunday Night Heat and do screencaps, but I haven't done that yet. I've already been suggested to do some blending effects, which I'll be trying some time tonight after I get some PSDs for a cut. I'm thinking I'll also reverse the order from top left to bottom right to bottom left to top right. As for the order of the pics, I think I'm going to put the one with the black background either in the middle or closer to the middle cut. But not in the corner.

For the larger font near the edge, I'd agree, and will probably move that a little more toward the right, as well. The pixel font, while I might change it to another font, kinda needs to stay in the same position in relation to the domain name, for the sake of OCD.

For the middle cut, I'm going to need to redo those and turn down the blur just a tad, as right now, it's just too busy and makes me cringe. When I had the image emptier, it looked better, but it's just a little more than necessary, IMO.

In regards to the font for the domain name, it's about the only font I have out of about 3000 that actually works with the image. I think I'll be changing the text colour, however, because it's just a little more bold than it needs to be, but I don't want the text to be too flat looking, either.

Thanls for the comments, guys, I really appreciate them.

[salm]

Maybe you could put a WWE (or what ever wrestling association this guy wrestles for) logo where the three pics are now.

[haas mark]

Maybe you could put a WWE (or what ever wrestling association this guy wrestles for) logo where the three pics are now.

No... that would actually be kinda stupid, to be honest. First of all, it'd look really crappy, and second, in the event he gets released, I'd have to redo that part of the banner over again.

[haas mark]

Okay, the banner obviously doesn't work anymore because I changed the filename, but since I now have the domain secure, you can go see it at Robert-Conway.com. And while you're there, you can critique my web design skills.