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Posted on 15/09/08 11:53:10 PM |
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blu0range
* Posts: 11 Reply  |
Ideas/Inspiration!?
Hey folks, I'm trying to do a photo illustration for my college newspaper to accompany an article that has to do with debates to lower the US drinking age to 18. I had a few ideas, but I couldn't pan them out on screen and now I'm stuck. My editor is looking for some illustration that shows what you CAN do when you're 18: vote, drive, smoke, get married, buy a house, buy porn, gamble, get the death penalty, etc, but I can't figure out a good way to combine these things without making it look too cluttered. Initially I wanted to put each thing on a space on a game board or such, but I couldn't get it to look right. Any ideas of what to do with this illustration!? Thanks so much! |
Posted on 16/09/08 00:14:13 AM |
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David Asch
Tech Support Posts: 1913 Reply  |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
It is a tricky one, especially with so many variations. Perhaps something like the viewer being on the passenger seat of a car looking over the driver's shoulder as he deliberates over which of the options to choose on a drive-through style selection plate. The only one not available is to buy alcohol and is time-locked with a date of birth display. You probably won't get all the options in there but you'll certainly get away with most of the obvious ones. Another approach might be a vending machine containing different symbols representing the various options: scantily clad woman, steering wheel, etc. Maybe someone poised over a voting slip with the candidate's campaign slogan being that of lowering the legal drinking age. The person could have various items about their person such as cigarettes, car keys, magazine.. I'll stop now! I'm sure there will be plenty of ideas thrown around; it'll be interesting to see what comes up. _________________ If you hold on to the past, sooner or later you'll lose your grip. |
Posted on 16/09/08 00:55:11 AM |
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blu0range
* Posts: 11 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
David, I think the vending machine idea is wicked. I could fit a lot into that. Now... how to draw a vending machine from scratch! I looked for some pictures of an empty vending machine, but what I could find to legally use without paying for isn't great, and that glass in the front would really mess stuff up....  |
Posted on 16/09/08 09:05:31 AM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4057 Reply  |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
If you want to go down the vending machine route you could use a 3D programme to create one. If you don't have a 3D programme then try Google's Sketchup to create a simple box and then add contents, windows etc in Photoshop ...........or just photograph a real machine and trace around it to get the shape in perspective. The fact that you have a photograph of a full machine shouldn't be a problem as you can replace the contents easily in Photoshop. Gordon _________________ Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. |
Posted on 16/09/08 5:48:48 PM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7068 Reply  |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
The vending machine is an excellent idea. But make sure you place a teenager in front of it, back view. Without the human element, the image would be characterless. |
Posted on 17/09/08 6:29:40 PM |
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blu0range
* Posts: 11 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
Well folks, I ended up scrapping the vending machine idea and finally tweaked my original (game board type setup) to work (I think!) Here's a very much smaller and low-res version for you all to see. Goes to print Sunday, so if anyone has ideas or things they think I should change/tweak, please feel free to let me know! Thanks!  |
Posted on 17/09/08 6:35:09 PM |
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blu0range
* Posts: 11 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
Oh yes, here's a higher-res version: http://img360.imageshack.us/my.php?image=highres18xa0.jpg |
Posted on 17/09/08 7:20:02 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4057 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
I think that the main comment would be that the perspective of the board is all wrong. The front edge should be wider than the rear as it's closer to the viewer. Try using Edit>Transform>Distort on the board layer to pull the bottom right corner over to the right keeping the bottom edge horizontal. This attachment shows roughly the sort of thing I mean but, of course, you wouldn't distort all the 'pieces' on the board as I have had to do here. _________________ Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. |
Posted on 17/09/08 8:14:12 PM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply  |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
Running with the idea of the vending machine something like this could work.  |
Posted on 18/09/08 06:38:11 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7068 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
Bluorange, that's a good piece of work. I especially like the items you've chosen to go on the squares, but I'm concerned that the amount of detail in the squares themselves will detract from the objects. GKB: Yes, Gordon, the perspective does need tweaking - but perhaps not quite as much as this! Maiden: I like this vending machine idea. Good to see you back, Becky, it's been a while. |
Posted on 18/09/08 4:40:56 PM |
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blu0range
* Posts: 11 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
GKB-Thanks, yes, I do need to fix the perspective a bit. However I worry if I tweak it too much, the squares in the back won't be legible... Maiden: That's a great idea, I like it a lot! Steve: Thank you... can you suggest how I could fix that? Or elaborate a bit on what you mean by the detail in the squares? -Eva |
Posted on 18/09/08 6:34:01 PM |
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cy98
** Posts: 104 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
I can't speak to what Steve was thinking, but I think the writing in the squares would qualify as too much detail. If you use the board idea the object should be recognizable without looking further. To read the choices on each square would take too much time for the casual viewer. I do like the vending machine also. It offers the opportunity to show each choice the same size. You could make the board game more like this by showing a view looking down at the board. As you point out with perspective from the front the squares in the back get smaller. |
Posted on 18/09/08 7:59:36 PM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
Here's another take on the choices idea 
Getting a more comprehensive list of things an 18 year old can do will probably lead to using two hands and a load more cards with an appropriate punchline like "Do you hold all the cards?" or similar. Another take on the poker hand item would be changing the chips for perhaps a group of items like cigarettes, beer, car keys, wedding cake, gun, plastic solider (Army) etc. and in the hand the cards maybe a Royal Flush or even a number 18 in a red circle to represent the age... just a few ideas. |
Posted on 18/09/08 9:09:10 PM |
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srowden
Detail Devil Posts: 114 Reply  |
Re: Ideas/Inspiration!?
That idea sounds good if it is going to be a small photo in the article that relates around the news article I think you'd probably want to stay with something more on the simple side of things so the readers aren't just distracted by your image. |