Poster attempt :)

[hrazzi]

Hello :)

I am learning photoshop on my own with tutorials online. Im using the CS4 and working on Cintique, which I think its making things easier.

This a picture I found on google posted by the surfers magazine... I just gave my self a task to do... a surfing event that does not exist! I only wanted to start with something and this occurred to me.

There is a layer of light transparent splash which I drew to give an effect.

I would like to have your feedback on my work :)

Cheers :)

[Senira]

Off the top of my head:

The text is too hard to read. Colors are clashing all over the place; it would look even more chaotic from a distance, and viewing distance is something you have to consider when designing for flyers/posters.

The font doesn't say surf to me. If you're going to use a sans-serif, try one with a bit more character like Snicker (http://ms-studio.com/FontSales/snicker.html), or The Sans (http://www.fontshop.com/fonts/downloads/lucasfonts/thesans_basic/) if you want a more subdued feel. For a surfing competition, though, I'd pick something fun that captures the spirit of the event without calling too much attention to itself.

The tracking needs to be decreased; the characters in each word are too far apart. If you're trying to make the text stretch all the way across the poster, rather than increasing the tracking or stretching the typeface, trying to find typefaces that offer an extended option. Extended versions are specially designed to be wider than the regular version of a font, and require less manipulation to make them work length-wise.

Design-wise, the splashes look a bit too rough, and I think the water as a whole is overworked. The blue it is now reminds me of pool cleaning chemicals more than the ocean. Try letting the natural color of the water shine through, and adjust your color palette to complement/contrast it as needed.

Remember, above all else the goal of design is to communicate an idea. The visuals should support that idea, but not overpower it.

[OHI]

There´s to much going on. Keep it simple.

[flowers4love]

Here's my two cents worth …
[1] The picture of the surfer is obstructing the sequence of the letters in the title which makes the title less readable.
[2] The picture of the surfer as well as some of the letters are a bit blurred. You should have a much higher resolution.

Any way … jut keep trying … we all learn from trial and error … in the end you'll be a successful graphic artist :-)