jim pinto
First Post
I'll apologize now if this in the wrong place. Please paste it where it belongs, or tell me where to post it. Don't just turn me in to the "cops."
That would be mean.
Dear Publishers of Fine RPG, CCG, and Board Game products,
I do not want to offend anyone's sense of style, or choice of design. That's the last thing on my mind. But, I am a notorious Art Director in this industry, having worked with 100s of illustrators and at one time managed the visual elements of 12 game lines at once. I have commissioned over 12,000 pieces of art and I've designed dozens and dozens of logos, style sheets, and themes.
Presently, I working with half a dozen companies as an ad hoc art director, and while my "voice" isn't the only one in the industry for visual cues, my expertise keeps me busy enough to work 70 hours a week on everything from ad campaigns to web logos. I have done everything I can to talk to some teams individually, and I am now presently my case to the ENWorld Community that "I can help."
I walked the halls of GenCon 2006, visiting a great many of you, offering a service, I feel, is greatly underutilized in this industry.Our industry could look better. We could try harder to not copy one another's style but instead strive to find our own individual voices. I counted 14 companies at GenCon using the Papyrus font.
You cannot brand your images if you look just like your neighbor's booth.
You cannot stand out if your games colors are brown and black.
You cannot be the pinnacle "fantasy game" if your book cover has a knight on horseback.
Do not take this as an attack, but the free public service advice that it is.
If you want more people to notice your product (and I think you do), find someone that understands the industry, that understands art direction, and understands how to get the most out of very little.
It won't be free, but it will be worth every penny. Don't take my advice. Do a search on the internet (it'll take 15 minutes) for people in every industry saying the same things about web design, video games, packaging, and so on.
Afterwards, take out a check for $5, $100, or $6,000 and figure out what improving the tone of your work is worth to you.
It doesn't have to be me. Certainly, I won't say no to the work. But take some time to talk to some graphic designers with a small enterprenurial spirit and get whatever advice you can before you print a company logo in a blue/silver gradient on a thin-weighted font on a white background.
I hope this is received with the enthusiasm and goodwill it was presented in.
All the best in your endeavors.
Thank you.
- jim pinto
idiot savant
lightning_kid1@juno.com
That would be mean.
Dear Publishers of Fine RPG, CCG, and Board Game products,
I do not want to offend anyone's sense of style, or choice of design. That's the last thing on my mind. But, I am a notorious Art Director in this industry, having worked with 100s of illustrators and at one time managed the visual elements of 12 game lines at once. I have commissioned over 12,000 pieces of art and I've designed dozens and dozens of logos, style sheets, and themes.
Presently, I working with half a dozen companies as an ad hoc art director, and while my "voice" isn't the only one in the industry for visual cues, my expertise keeps me busy enough to work 70 hours a week on everything from ad campaigns to web logos. I have done everything I can to talk to some teams individually, and I am now presently my case to the ENWorld Community that "I can help."
I walked the halls of GenCon 2006, visiting a great many of you, offering a service, I feel, is greatly underutilized in this industry.Our industry could look better. We could try harder to not copy one another's style but instead strive to find our own individual voices. I counted 14 companies at GenCon using the Papyrus font.
You cannot brand your images if you look just like your neighbor's booth.
You cannot stand out if your games colors are brown and black.
You cannot be the pinnacle "fantasy game" if your book cover has a knight on horseback.
Do not take this as an attack, but the free public service advice that it is.
If you want more people to notice your product (and I think you do), find someone that understands the industry, that understands art direction, and understands how to get the most out of very little.
It won't be free, but it will be worth every penny. Don't take my advice. Do a search on the internet (it'll take 15 minutes) for people in every industry saying the same things about web design, video games, packaging, and so on.
Afterwards, take out a check for $5, $100, or $6,000 and figure out what improving the tone of your work is worth to you.
It doesn't have to be me. Certainly, I won't say no to the work. But take some time to talk to some graphic designers with a small enterprenurial spirit and get whatever advice you can before you print a company logo in a blue/silver gradient on a thin-weighted font on a white background.
I hope this is received with the enthusiasm and goodwill it was presented in.
All the best in your endeavors.
Thank you.
- jim pinto
idiot savant
lightning_kid1@juno.com
