12 replies to this topic

[razornole]

Hello All,

Attached is not really a map, but it is a portion of a map. Didn't know what category to put it in, so I just thought that I would drop it here.

This is the cover panel for a 28" x 36" that I have been working on and off for the past year. This project is nearing completion so I thought that I would start the feedback portion of this map. I'll upload other aspects of the map in the near future.

This cover was created with Arc, PS, AI, InD, and Lightroom. I took the photograph while I was collecting field data, knowing that I wanted a portrait photo for the cover. My clients wanted to replace seven 8.5" x 14" maps of their trail with one single folding map (why I was hired). I digitized the Bartram Trail from the hand-drawn cover of one of those maps. Of course I had to tweak the design to make it more legible, but I wanted to use it to pay tribute to the prior cartographer.

FYI, this is a full bleed so the left trim margin is larger then the right, but when it is trimmed everything will be centered.

Thanks for the feedback,
kru

Attached Files

•  BT_Cover12__1024_.jpg   630.04K   313 downloads

[Esther Mandeno]

Oh, dang, that's just gorgeous. At the moment, I'm too stunned to leave any helpful feedback. Um, just gorgeous.

[DaveB]

That cover would definitely make me want to pick up the map in a store and see what's inside. It would also make me think that would be a cool place to hike. Very nice!

[razornole]

Thanks for the comments,

My main goal was to design a cover that would in fact make people want to pick it up in the store, and to let them know that there is an alternative to the Appalachian Trail. I wanted water in the photo b/c a lot of the BT follows water courses, unlike the AT which mainly follows crestlines.

kru

[Paul H]

Love it! I love the way the photo fades into the map, I love the way the title flows along the trail. I love the personality of the title text, and even the placement of the logo. Excellent job!

[Dennis McClendon]

Very handsome. As a typophile, may I suggest a small tweak to the calligraphy? I think it would be more readable as a B if it were more rounded at the bottom and the A retained its right foot:



I would also do a little kerning after the caps in the kicker.

[razornole]

Very handsome. As a typophile, may I suggest a small tweak to the calligraphy? I think it would be more readable as a B if it were more rounded at the bottom and the A retained its right foot:



I would also do a little kerning after the caps in the kicker.

I wish I had your advice when I was modifying this logo. I'm not too creative or good at drawing things in my head. I can digitize almost anything though. Attached is the original logo that I was working with/digitized. I had to justify, add shading, and separate the B from the A, and straighten. Too me (and others) the original read too much like RIRTRIM TRAIL. I wasn't as happy with the B as I could have been, but I had gone way over the time that I charged them to modify and had to say enough.

Thanks for the advice,
kru

Attached Files

•  BartramTrailLogo.jpg   846.73K   28 downloads

[Matthew Hampton]

Nice work! I really like the blend of map and photo. I think you positioned the elements really well adjusted the feathering just right.

I'm excited to see the maps!

BTW I like your "B" better than the older one.

[AndyM]

As Esther said, gorgeous! (Did you really find that maple leaf there in the foreground? )

I'll just offer a few observations from fresh eyes -- they may or may not be helpful. And some of this may be down to the resolution or the posted image and my monitor.

I love how the bottom, feathered part of the map suggests a morning mist among the trees. Further softening the Parking and Trail signs might enhance that effect. But on the other hand, as they are now they create a playful ambiguity: are the signs part of that old map or are they standing in the deeper woods, beckoning you to walk up the stream? (after buying the map ) I think I like them as they are, but I'd be tempted to see how the alternative looked.

One interesting effect is that, on my screen anyway, the word "Trail" seems to be lower, further from the viewer than "Bartram". It's the hillshading of McDonald Ridge that does it ("Trail" sitting on the valley floor), perhaps in combination with the difference in the size of the words.

"Trail" versus the maple leaf #9. Just slightly distracting, maybe subdue the leaf slightly? Strangely, I don't have that problem with the larger head profile #8 -- maybe because the leaf is in line with the word.

Suggest removing the highlights in the stone under the first two letters of "Ledbetter". My eyes always want to double-check that I read that right.

Thanks for the opportunity to give feedback on such a beautiful cover.

Andy

[razornole]

As Esther said, gorgeous! (Did you really find that maple leaf there in the foreground? )

I'll just offer a few observations from fresh eyes -- they may or may not be helpful. And some of this may be down to the resolution or the posted image and my monitor.

I love how the bottom, feathered part of the map suggests a morning mist among the trees. Further softening the Parking and Trail signs might enhance that effect. But on the other hand, as they are now they create a playful ambiguity: are the signs part of that old map or are they standing in the deeper woods, beckoning you to walk up the stream? (after buying the map ) I think I like them as they are, but I'd be tempted to see how the alternative looked.

One interesting effect is that, on my screen anyway, the word "Trail" seems to be lower, further from the viewer than "Bartram". It's the hillshading of McDonald Ridge that does it ("Trail" sitting on the valley floor), perhaps in combination with the difference in the size of the words.

"Trail" versus the maple leaf #9. Just slightly distracting, maybe subdue the leaf slightly? Strangely, I don't have that problem with the larger head profile #8 -- maybe because the leaf is in line with the word.

Suggest removing the highlights in the stone under the first two letters of "Ledbetter". My eyes always want to double-check that I read that right.

Thanks for the opportunity to give feedback on such a beautiful cover.

Andy

Why does everything have to be maple leaf to Canadians, it's a sycamore. Just kidding, and to answer your question it was there and one of the main reason for that composition. I couldn't reach that rock unless I wanted to go for an early swim on a brisk spring morning.

The only doctoring or artistic freedom used on the map portion was that I added the two interpretive icons (the bust of William Bartram and the poplar leaf or 8/9). I wanted them to be included on the cover since it is an interpretive map of William Bartram's Travels in the 1700s and of the native flora and fauna of the region. I didn't see them as a distraction, but I certainly can now.

An oversight with the highlights on my part. Usually I will clone any highlights that my polarizer doesn't remove but I missed those on the rock. Maybe it is because the eye is drawn to the leaf and then moves back into the scene on just the photo, but when text is added it draws the eye further down and you notice the blown highlights.

Thanks, and great comments,
kru

[AndyM]

I thought sycamore was a quaint local term for tree, what we up here call "maple".

(I showed your cover to my wife last night, and that little leaf was the first thing she focused on!)

This is a great forum. The subtle things being flagged here are what I generally notice on the fresh press sheets!

Andy

[Michael Karpovage]

First thing I noticed that could be improved upon is moving the word Trail up just a bit closer to Bartram. I do like the trail showing in it's gap but the two main words need to be a little closer is all. Otherwise, very nice cover.

[razornole]

First thing I noticed that could be improved upon is moving the word Trail up just a bit closer to Bartram. I do like the trail showing in it's gap but the two main words need to be a little closer is all. Otherwise, very nice cover.

Thanks for the reply,

Unfortunately, I think that you would like it even less now b/c after I posted I noticed the serif of the M touched the trial. I can't stand that so I moved it up a bit.

Thanks,
kru