Graphic Design, Tape Cassette. Flier Design., For a monthly rock music gig, please comment. Options

[xTHExDUDEx]

Here is the front side of a flier I've just finished for a monthly rock gig.

I think it's pretty much finished now so feedback would be cool.

The first image is the original that I pulled off the net, the second is the result of the past 5 hours.

I've reduced these sizes to 900x600(ish) as the original is made for 300dpi prints which translates as 4195x2976, load times might of sucked a little for most :P

So keep in mind that the original is much much more detailed than these samples :D

ORIGINAL:


5 HOURS LATER:


I'm pretty chuffed considering I made it up as I went, comments and critique?

[YourSuperior]

It still looks sort of plain, and I think you could have added a little bit more color to it. But it's better than the original.

[xTHExDUDEx]

Aye, I know what you mean, I wanna keep it pretty simple and retro though.

[technicolour]

Hm. What I honestly think you should do is distort the text. It looks WAY too photoshopped, especially the purple text one. Add filters, give it a grunge-esque look. Then, you will have a retro tape.

[*The Markster*]

It took you five hours just to make the result!? Well, unless you're a beginner, then scratch that. Haha.

The tape looks alright to me, but the purple stamplike text looks definitely out of it.

[xTHExDUDEx]

@Markster: Have you ever tried burning, blurring or photoshoping at all at 4195x2976? It's not that easy and like I said I was designing as I worked, I could upload the full res images so you can see it in detail if you wish, at actual pixel view the purple text does look more transparent than it does here.

I don't want masses of filters and swirly brushes everywhere, the message is to be kept simple and the information clear, thankyou all for your input, keep em coming.

[brooklyneast05]

if the text was just white instead of pink it would look better i think
what made u choose pink?

[xTHExDUDEx]

The pink is negotiable. It was because the tape is so 80s and I wanted to keep with the retro look and that was the most retro collour I could think of at the time plus I need that title to stand out and be noticable.

[brooklyneast05]

id either fade the pink quite a bit, or get another color, i know u want it to stand out but if it stands out too much it looks unrealistic
other then that, i like it

[Relentless]

It looks alright, and yeah it does look plain, but wow 5 hours?

You know I can still see the smudge or the blur tool but people won't notice that since they won't be looking at the original. IMO, the font for I Love Rock doesn't look right.

[adolelolz]

I hate the pink/purple. It just looks extremely out of place. And yeah...Holy crap, five hours?

[xTHExDUDEx]

coolio, I'll upload the massai full res tomorrow, gona get some shut eye just now, 06:40.
I don't see why you all think 5 hours is so extreme, there's a lot of fine tuned layer effects and pixel correction there. I made the label from scratch as well, it was a bit of a learning curve but you'll see from the hi res that it is quite detailed as it has to be at 300dpi Keep in mind I gathered all my resources during this time aswell.
And I've only been using PS for about 4 months or so.

The text may get a revamp before the final, not sure on colours and fonts.

[lovescream]

I like the tape a lot. Looks pretty good. 5 hours seems a lot, maybe because it doesn't look like it took that long to do. 5 hours.. is like.. XD Yeah, a lot for working on a graphic, IMO. Only 'cause it seems like it's half of your day you spend awake. Anyway, I agree all with the pink text. the heart looks real, I guess maybe 'cause it's a brush (and maybe 'cause you can see the prints of the tape on it, making it look more realistic)? I think that the text is way too bright for starters. XD

Also, on the small thumb on the forum, you can really tell you removed the left logo.

[xTHExDUDEx]

5 hours is like 1/4 of my day, I don't sleep much :D
I've dampened the opacity and better matched the colour of the pink text to the heart, semi-transparent pattern overlay made stronger to further bring the pattern of the tape thru the text. Also added a very subtle pillow emboss so it doesn't look quite as flat. Smudged all the "scrawl" text, looks much better now I think.

File format is PNG with no interlacing.
File size is 8.74MB

LINK:http://="http://www.sharebigfile.com/...sample-png.html

Hi-res critique?

EDIT: Also, thanks for your feedback twighlightsamurai, I'll try to add the grain on the left back in.

EDIT_2: Updated the linked PNG. Added lo-res sample below:

Lo-res sample:

[*IVIike*]

the color is horrible... i just don't see how this took 5 hours the idea is cool it just need a bit of work

[laxumaster8]

i dont know if purple is the way to go for a tape cassette...

[xTHExDUDEx]

I don't want to make presumptions of age, but think retro people!!
Has anyone viewed the hi-res?

[brooklyneast05]

yea but the whole thing itself gives off the retro feel
no matter what colour the text is u already have the retro feel down