Crommunist put a call out this morning for a new banner for his blog. As much as I liked the minimalist design of his old banner, I’d had half an idea in my head since a back-channel discussion about hammers (don’t even bother to ask). So I jumped at the chance to play around a bit.
The style is inspired by old Soviet propaganda posters, particularly in the choice of colors. I wanted to get a very stylized picture of Crommunist himself in there too, but the man is always smiling. It just wouldn’t do. Nobody smiles in Soviet propaganda posters.
Stephanie Zvan is one of the hosts for the Minnesota Atheists' radio show and podcast, Atheists Talk. She serves on the board of Secular Woman. She speaks on science and skepticism in a number of venues, including science fiction and fantasy conventions.
Stephanie has been called a science blogger and a sex blogger, but if it means she has to choose just one thing to be or blog about, she's decided she's never going to grow up. In addition to science and sex and the science of sex, you'll find quite a bit of politics here, some economics, a regular short fiction feature, and the occasional bit of concentrated weird.
Oh, and arguments. She sometimes indulges in those as well. But I'm sure everything will be just fine. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
I like it a lot, though I think the red and mustard-yellow is not enough of a contrast for my complete liking. I still find it a bit hard on the eyes. If the colors were more completely separated, it would be perfection.
I agree with you that the simplicity suits him, but I do love your propaganda poster style banner! Red and gold are perfect, I second (or third?) the idea of inverting them or coming closer to the USSR flag colors. I love the lettering style. Throw in a Cyrillic letter? Fantastic.
Gratuitous cyrillic characters might look good to a 100% latinate eye, but they drive anyone who actually knows the alphabet batty. ‘И’ is no substitute for ‘N’, for instance, it’s closest to ‘I’.
I like it a lot, though I think the red and mustard-yellow is not enough of a contrast for my complete liking. I still find it a bit hard on the eyes. If the colors were more completely separated, it would be perfection.
In Soviet Russia propaganda smiles in you?
That’s a fantastic design! I’m with heather-lynnsiemens on the colors, though. Maybe invert them and/or choose more gold-and-crimson type shades?
I think a red background with yellow writing (a la the Soviet and Chinese flags) would look better. But I love the design!
I agree with you that the simplicity suits him, but I do love your propaganda poster style banner! Red and gold are perfect, I second (or third?) the idea of inverting them or coming closer to the USSR flag colors. I love the lettering style. Throw in a Cyrillic letter? Fantastic.
In Crommunist freethought social commentary informs you!
Why would you like to revel in Soviet Style Propaganda? Those atheistic mass murderers killed MILLIONS of believers.
Oh, wait…maybe that is not a problem for you?
In Soviet Russia entirely inane point trolls you!
*makes* you. That should read entirely inane point makes you. Damn I suck at this funny thing.
Nice fist, but I would use the double-thumbed Freak Power Party fist that Hunter S. Thompsom used in his campaign.
I love it! I actually prefer the red on yellow. I have no trouble reading it, but would be fine with more contrast.
There are lots of pics of me not smiling out there. I will see if I can dig one up out of Facebook for you.
To bounce off what Katy said, yes, change the Ns to Иs.
Meeotch:
Gratuitous cyrillic characters might look good to a 100% latinate eye, but they drive anyone who actually knows the alphabet batty. ‘И’ is no substitute for ‘N’, for instance, it’s closest to ‘I’.