Topic: Graphics needed

[Sordid]

Wow, those are awesome. I'm still struggling to even come up with an idea for a banner, crop circles never even occurred to me. Brilliant.

[alexbutterfield]

i was thinking about a whole true believer type set.

so some pareidolia - like the face in the smoke. (i thought about using a shuttle launch, more tasteful than 9-11). The CAM ad spoof. ghost photos.

i think im better at concept based ideas, than actual designing. And Jay could well end up prefering the nice pretty, easy to read, clever, well-thought-out, banner by angst boy.

I'm learning how to use photoshop for some more complex things, and trying stuff i've never done. so I'm having fun whether they are used or not.

I also thought about a 'got immunity?' ad, that links back to a NESS article on why you should get immunized.

I kinda wanted to do some animation, but my computer is barely up to photoshop.

Btw. If anyone wants to use anything i do, let me know, and I'll send you the files.

[Jay]

Here is the link again.  It will only be good for a few days:
http://www.transferbigfiles.com/Get.aspx?id=eecc66c0-a057-4b2f-a799-e034621bf7aa

So far I love the submissions 

[angstboy]

Don't speak so soon! You haven't seen THIS ONE yet:



See, no matter what they choose, they're right! As a reward, they get to go to the SGU site. It's win-win, I tells ya!

Okay, I did it as a goof... I'd never expect you to use something like that. Unless you want to.

[Sordid]

That made me laugh.
Though you might want to do something about those seizure-inducing flashes.

[alexbutterfield]

Don't speak so soon! You haven't seen THIS ONE yet:



See, no matter what they choose, they're right! As a reward, they get to go to the SGU site. It's win-win, I tells ya!

Okay, I did it as a goof... I'd never expect you to use something like that. Unless you want to.

that's awesome.

I might have to turn off adblocker if this gets put up

I like what you've done with the logo layout, and while I think the red blue flashes is funny, it does detract from the flashing question. They should use this, it's good. It's provocative and relevant to the show.

[alexbutterfield]

I made a picture for a PS competition. The theme was snow where you wouldn't expect it.

I chose on the moon, and I liked the result. I did a couple of variations, then I thought maybe it'd work for something with the SGU. Wasn't sure what exactly. But here it is anyway.

This is the original snow on the moon I did.


"Hoaxing the moon landings in December seemed like a good idea at the time."

This is a christmas card I decided to make out of it. (I'm making all my own cards this year - was gonna make them by hand, but my drawing of this - although it looks kinda cool, isn't as obvious that it's snowing - so I had to print this one)



Then here's an SGU variation.



(and the plain image if anyone can think of a good way to use it, a banner maybe)

[angstboy]

[alexbutterfield]

Great idea, I like this a lot (again), but I think it's a bit too busy.

I know why you've got the podcast logo in there, and the attribution and the disclaimer. and it's funny, but it might work better as an ad with less information.

Just the image of Darwin and the quote. By not attributing it to him you don't need the disclaimer. But maybe that would lose some of the charm.

I don't see taking the podcast logo out as detrimental at all, though, its obvious it's a auditory product you are advertising because of the line about the ears evolving. that way the quote could be bigger too, at the moment the quote isnt eye catching. the banner is pretty when you look at it but it needs something to draw you to it more. A bigger quote perhaps would do that.

(maybe you could get the gag about *not attributed in there but in a simpler way. maybe a little *(not) in the superscript position. or just -not Charles Darwin. Here's a long shot, maybe Darwin did say something similar to this???)

To me this ad would be targeted at an audience who were already skeptical but not yet listeners (maybe they dont realise there is a skeptics movement) so having darwin isnt going to be a turn off - which is something that crossed my mind briefly.

[angstboy]

All valid points.

Actually, I threw this together in about 15 minutes at the end of the day at work. I just used elements from the first ad idea I posted and added a cutsie slogan.

The snowing on the moon pics are GREAT, btw. What technique did you use to make the snow? It looks neat.

[alexbutterfield]

Actually, I threw this together in about 15 minutes at the end of the day at work. I just used elements from the first ad idea I posted and added a cutsie slogan.

It looks really good. I like what you've done with the name and logo a lot. Keep em coming, I really like your work.

The snowing on the moon pics are GREAT, btw. What technique did you use to make the snow? It looks neat.

I used a photo of actual snow and then sampled bits i liked. created a few different depths of it (just increased the size for some extreme close ups). i used some ground snow too, and just cut out the footprints and shadow from the actual moon pic, and some lighting effects, to give it a bit more authenticity. It's a pretty nerdy picture, thats what made me think it would fit with the SGU 

I've seen some pretty good cloud renders manipulated to snow, but nothing compares to the real thing. snow taken with a flash against a dark sky, is really easy to just overlay, (with multiply (or screen, i cant remember)). I did another layer and warped it to fit the reflection too, which I think really added to making it integrate better.

Hopefully Ill figure a few stuff out and get the chance to make some more ads.

Jay: are there any specific ad sizes you'd prefer? The skyscraper 120x600 is the one I usually see the most.

[alexbutterfield]

Okay. I've been thinking about this a lot.

Here's my idea for a campaign.

Concept

A series of ads that ask questions of the reader, so that they follow the link to an SGU page where the answers are given. There they can listen to a 5x5 podcast on the subject of the ad, (or read the answers, but preferably listen).

(as I mentioned in an earlier post, these ads should (imo) be targeted at potentially new skeptics, ie. skeptically inclined folk who dont yet realise they are a skeptic - we're not converting anyone here, just giving those skeptics out there who havent heard of the SGU a way to see the light.)

Example



This image would have a question incorporated, such as "What is wrong with this picture?"

The 5x5 would cover the moon landing deniers, and point out that it can't snow on the moon, that you wouldn't see stars in the moon landing photos (as deniers insist you would) because of the exposure problems. The size of the earth is also way off, but that's not really the point. Rather, by peaking the interest of a reader by asking a question you can introduce them to the truth behind a certain conspiracy, or pseudo-science.

Other Ideas

This could also work with angstboy's 'millionaire' style quiz. But perhaps making one of the answers true. This could even link to a science or fiction 5x5 on the same subjects. (This might have to be specifically recorded, whereas the moon landing hoax could be easily cut from a past podcast)

Other similar ideas could work just as well. Basically ask a question, ie. challenge the reader, not just "Do you like science?" but an objective challenge, like spot the difference, or in the above examples, spotting the mistakes, or choosing the true answer. Then give the answers after the link, in the form of a short podcast. The 5x5 already say that they are a companion piece for the podcast, so it is then acting as a gateway.

Further to this, I've seen ads where you can embed movie clips or sound clips. I wonder if the 5x5 could be embedded in the ad??? So when the reader hovers over the ad, the timeline and play/pause button appear, and when they click the play button the 5x5 plays directly from the ad.

Any thoughts?

It would obviously take an effort on the part of the rogues, rather than just us lackeys doing our independent and un(mis)guided work. A specific page on the new site might need to be arranged with the 'answers' podcasts embedded. Or maybe the link for the ad would go straight to the correct podcast and autoplay (that would be easier). And some of the 'answer' podcasts might need cutting from past podcasts. (however, we could try and base the ads on existing 5x5s or on info that has been covered in the main podcast that could be easily recut - while that seems like extra effort for Steve, or whoever cuts it, it could potentially mean not recording a 5x5 for that week as the recut would be released instead. So actually, it might not take much effort at all on the part of the rogues.

If you like the idea, then some suggestions of subjects might help people out with thinking of provocative question based ads.

Potential Subjects

Creationist/Evolution myths (I dunno, like Jesus riding a dinosaur or something)
UFO Myths/crop circles
9/11 Conspiracy theories
etc.

Edit:
Ghost photographs (as covered in 5x5 #2) (I could have fun faking some SGU ghost photos?)
Pareidolia (that would be fun too) #38
Moon Landing is already a 5x5, I'd got my sgus mixed up. ep #29

[Ole Eivind]

Congrats on your banner being used on the forums!

I'ts looking good.

[Opcn]

That is so damn awesome. We need that on a T-Shirt stat.

[Evil Eye]

File has expired on December 07 @ 11:31 AM MST