Epic Medieval Novel - $375 - August 10th

[nevadabadgirl]

Forum Username: wspero

Company Details: A publishing company of fantasy novels.

Type Of Contest: Website Design

Contest Title: Epic Medieval Novel

Contest Deadline: 08/10/2009

Prize Amount: $375

Colors To Be Used: All colors, but the color of steel and black are important.

Example URLs: True Swords - Samurai Swords, Full Tang, Real Blades, Movie, Anime, Video Game, & Manga Replicas has a nice header. So does the header area of the World of Warcraft header site (World of Warcraft - English (NA) Forums -> Forum Index).

This is a website for a fantasy series due soon to be released. I want this site to have a medieval tone but also look very edgy. The backgrounds for the site should be black, or look like worn steel. I could see a sword coming down the left side, or an image of chain mail. Everything should be a bit dark and brooding.

Areas of the site will be: History of Draza Races and Creatures Interactive Maps Schools of Magic Short Stories Unless you are very familiar with fantasy novels and images, you probably do not want to attempt this.

[Jopicasso]

I am in

[Jopicasso]

I want to ask when is the exact deadline of this contest?
8 august or 5 august?

[nevadabadgirl]

Sorry, my error. It is August 5th.

[Jopicasso]

Sorry, my error. It is August 5th.

ok thx Vicki

[nevadabadgirl]

This contest is extended until August 10th. ~V.

[Jopicasso]

I am glad this contest was extended

please find my 1st trial here:
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...o/novel_d1.jpg

I ll be working on more ideas, please feel free to give me your suggestions

thank you!

[wspero]

I am glad this contest was extended

please find my 1st trial here:
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...o/novel_d1.jpg

I ll be working on more ideas, please feel free to give me your suggestions

thank you!

I LOVE the general "look and feel". I have some requested edits on it below, if you wouldn't mind working on them. You could find a "mock up" of my changes at: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/723496431...b8b03daad1e7f0

1. Top heading should be "Realm of Draza". Can you put that in some sort of metallic or silver in a nice readable font, with maybe some treatment to it?

2. Can you extend the scroll some?

3. I threw in a sword, a medieval pitcure and then that "banner landscape" for kind of what I am looking for. But I cannot use any of the stuff I put in the mock up, because it is owned by someone else (I need royalty free art for the entire site, since this will end up being a commercial product). Do you have access to anything (or even could find anything at a reasonable price which I wouldn't mind pay for) to replace my images?

4. You will see I got rid of the novels, thinned out some of the lines, etc. If you could do the same, that would be great.

5. Can I get a Navigation Bar up top with the following sections:
Map, Species, Characters, Magic, Short Stories

Thanks!

I really appreciate you working on this. It looks great. If we could these changes implemented I strongly feel I will be choosing your design.

Will

[wspero]

It looks like that file is bad. Try this link instead: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/723560047...5b0f95a4c5ca42

Sorry about that. So the above link is a rough mock up of your artwork, JJ, with some of the edits I had requested.

Will

[Jopicasso]

It looks like that file is bad. Try this link instead: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/723560047...5b0f95a4c5ca42

Sorry about that. So the above link is a rough mock up of your artwork, JJ, with some of the edits I had requested.

Will

okay Will, I'm working on it

[Jopicasso]

Please find here the design after adding requested modifications:
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...ovel_d1_v2.jpg

I found some pics for you here that u can get if u wanted:
Photo: fiery sun © Anastasiya Igolkina #501320
Photo: Starlit night © Veronika Vasilyuk #5119207
Photo: floral background © javarman #1248394

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_sear...ix=60&within=4

If you got one of them, or got them all I can edit its colors and create a banner to fit in our design, choose what u find the best

[wspero]

JJ,

This is looking so amazing! A few small things and I think we are done. I am really happy with the design. You captured just what I am looking for. Small comments:

1. Banner - Fantastic! My only comments is that it is pushed a little too far left (running into the sword) and maybe you want to fade or darken the left or right edges just a bit so it blends in.

Also, it would be way cool to have a banner for each section (plus one more I am thinking of adding). I really like how you made the picture part of the site. I think I would be asking for something out of scope to get 5 additional banners. What would you charge to do 5 additional ones that go with the site? If you do this, I like the idea of changing colors drastically with each banner. So the first one is great. The next one could be very similar to the "Photo: floral background © javarman #1248394" you suggested. I like the yellow. And then maybe a a purple, an orange, etc.

2. Navigation Bar - Looks nice. Can the left/right edges darken a little more and blend a bit with the black a little more? I see you already did this, but I think maybe even more merging into that black would be good. Also, on the buttons, can you do graphics for a "depressed" button? Or something so you know when you are on a section. I don't want to just reverse colors. If you have any ideas on what might look cool. Whatever you do with one button, I could probably copy for the others.

3. Scroll- Thanks for extending it. I like it. Now that you know I am happy with the length of the scroll. can you work with edges a little so it does not looked cloned for added length?

4. Person picture - All the other pitcures and images you have selected for this site are awesome. But the face on this one just looks more "funny" than deadly. If you can find another one, that would be wonderful.

5. Realm of Draza font and look - I do like it, but I also think it is a tad chunky (at least the Realm and Draza parts - the "of" is fine). If you have anything else that may look interesting to try, I would not mind seeing one other option. But if not, this one is nice.

Again, super job JJ. This really looks like a medieval/fantasy website.

Will

[Jopicasso]

JJ,

This is looking so amazing! A few small things and I think we are done. I am really happy with the design. You captured just what I am looking for. Small comments:

1. Banner - Fantastic! My only comments is that it is pushed a little too far left (running into the sword) and maybe you want to fade or darken the left or right edges just a bit so it blends in.

Also, it would be way cool to have a banner for each section (plus one more I am thinking of adding). I really like how you made the picture part of the site. I think I would be asking for something out of scope to get 5 additional banners. What would you charge to do 5 additional ones that go with the site? If you do this, I like the idea of changing colors drastically with each banner. So the first one is great. The next one could be very similar to the "Photo: floral background © javarman #1248394" you suggested. I like the yellow. And then maybe a a purple, an orange, etc.

2. Navigation Bar - Looks nice. Can the left/right edges darken a little more and blend a bit with the black a little more? I see you already did this, but I think maybe even more merging into that black would be good. Also, on the buttons, can you do graphics for a "depressed" button? Or something so you know when you are on a section. I don't want to just reverse colors. If you have any ideas on what might look cool. Whatever you do with one button, I could probably copy for the others.

3. Scroll- Thanks for extending it. I like it. Now that you know I am happy with the length of the scroll. can you work with edges a little so it does not looked cloned for added length?

4. Person picture - All the other pitcures and images you have selected for this site are awesome. But the face on this one just looks more "funny" than deadly. If you can find another one, that would be wonderful.

5. Realm of Draza font and look - I do like it, but I also think it is a tad chunky (at least the Realm and Draza parts - the "of" is fine). If you have anything else that may look interesting to try, I would not mind seeing one other option. But if not, this one is nice.

Again, super job JJ. This really looks like a medieval/fantasy website.

Will

I am flattered you like the design
Okay I will be working on it to have slick design, implementing your comments.
Yes, I can do the extra 5 images u wanted, for 100$
to make sure, you will want each image with different color theme, correct?

[wspero]

I am flattered you like the design
Okay I will be working on it to have slick design, implementing your comments.
Yes, I can do the extra 5 images u wanted, for 100$
to make sure, you will want each image with different color theme, correct?

$100 sounds fair for five well-designed banners. Thank you.

Yeah, and I think different color would be kind of cool. Like that yellow tree one may be a good start, and then maybe a pale, lime green. Colors that are interesting with the black of the site. Images that all "go together" (meaning similar look and feel, though they could be totally different landscapes).

I have been extremely happy with everything so far, so I trust your judgement on the banners. Feel free to send me 1 or 2 additional ones to start to make sure we are on the same page.

Will

[Jopicasso]

$100 sounds fair for five well-designed banners. Thank you.

Yeah, and I think different color would be kind of cool. Like that yellow tree one may be a good start, and then maybe a pale, lime green. Colors that are interesting with the black of the site. Images that all "go together" (meaning similar look and feel, though they could be totally different landscapes).

I have been extremely happy with everything so far, so I trust your judgement on the banners. Feel free to send me 1 or 2 additional ones to start to make sure we are on the same page.

Will

Please find here updated design
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...casso/d1v3.jpg

I will be working next on the other banner pictures

thanks for ur trust

[wspero]

Please find here updated design
http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/u...casso/d1v3.jpg

I will be working next on the other banner pictures

thanks for ur trust

Final comments:

1. Banner - I notice you got rid of the moon on the new one... I like this one, too. But I did like that cool moon. Also, since this is the final, can you get rid of a little of the cloning on the banner (star cluster, mountain left and right side of banner).

2. Navigation Bar - Looks great. Can I get two edges to the left-most and right-most button? (so they look like the other buttons).

3. Scroll - Breautiful. Thank you.

4. Realm of Draza font - Perfect. I like that font. I may use it more in the site. If I could get the font with the Collection, that would be great.

I will be posting to award this job to you shortly.

Thanks again for all your efforts.

Will

[wspero]

I want to award this job to JJ who did a marvelous job!

Will

[nevadabadgirl]

Congratulations, Jopicasso! Please send me a private message with your paypal address, and let me know once you've sent the files. Also, please include the name of the contest in the PM.

wspero, thank you for hosting your contest with us, and congratulations on your new design! Please let me know once you've received the necessary files and I'll transfer the prize funds at that time.

I will now turn your ability to PM back on so you can communicate with the designer.

Vicki

[Jopicasso]

thank you wspero!
thanks Vicki

wspero, I will be working on these edits,
unfortunately I cannot provide the source file of the font because I have it only on my apple machine, but I will let you know its name,
Please explain more what you need with the edge of the buttons in navbar? I didnt get it sorry..

I'd like to ask if "design contest" will guarantee the extra 100$ that the contest holder will add to the prize in return of the extra 5 banners?

thank you for this contest

[Coy]

Nice job jopicasso.