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Banner insecurity

  • November 8, 2011
  • by Crommunist
  • · blog · Blogmeta

Look up at the top of the page. Now back to me. Now back to the top of the page. What do you see? It’s a banner. It’s not a particularly nice banner (although made infinitely nicer thanks to the hard work of reader aspidoscelis, for which I am very grateful). I would very much like to have a spiffy banner. However, I have no graphic design skills to speak of. I am hoping I can prevail upon you, gentle readers, for some assistance in this regard.

I have no particular requests or ideas for what a banner would look like. I know that it must measure 300 cubits by 50 cubits by 30 cubits… wait no, that’s idiotic. It has to be 728 x 120, and it has to have the title of the blog in there somewhere. My old site had the black power fist:

And this quote from Christopher Hitchens: “The stubborn persistence of chauvinism in our life and letters is or ought to be the proper subject for critical study, not the occasion for displays of shock.”

Either or neither of those things could conceivably be worked in. I throw myself upon the mercy of the internet.

Wow, that sounds like a terrible idea…

The person with the design I like the most will be rewarded in some way that I have not figured out yet.

EDIT: Reader Zugswang has helpfully provided me with this most awesome tweak to the image above:

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Comments

  1. Katherine Lorraine, Chaton de la Mort November 8, 2011 · Reply

    Look at your banner, now look at me, back at your banner, now back to me. Sadly, your banner isn’t me.

    (Sorry… I had to do it)

  2. Monado, FCD November 8, 2011 · Reply

    I think you need the Viva La Evolucion Che-style ape-man, preferably in red.
    http://ssurempirestate.com/talk/2011/03/and-another-one/

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      It’s a good image, but I am uncomfortable hosting a blog where I talk about racism whose banner image is an ape. Wires cross in ways that make me uncomfortable.

  3. Zugswang November 8, 2011 · Reply

    What about a slight tweak to the black power fist?

    (If you guys like this, feel free to use it for whatever banner ideas you get)

    Link

    • Ben Zvan November 9, 2011 · Reply

      It took me a good 30 seconds to figure out what you’d done. Good on you! Subtle, but iconic.

  4. Tony November 8, 2011 · Reply

    I like small creative projects like this. Put together a simple banner with just the elements you mentioned and came up with this: {TCM draft image}.

    If you like it, it’s yours in exchange for some credit/recognition in some form. I am happy to tweak it a bit if it’s close to what you are looking for.

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      That looks really cool.

  5. Greg Laden November 8, 2011 · Reply

    I like the original banner. Maybe stick the fist there on one side.

    • Aliasalpha November 8, 2011 · Reply

      Yeah I was thinking the present one is nice and distinctive in its simplicity.

      Personally I’d avoid the fist as well unless perhaps it was modified to be giving the finger

      • Crommunist November 8, 2011

        The fist is meaningful to me, and relevant to the subject of the blog. I’d like to include it if possible, but am obviously open to ideas that may not include it.

  6. michaelcrowley November 8, 2011 · Reply

    An attempt: http://i.imgur.com/09uzb.jpg

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      I like it.

      • Carina November 10, 2011

        This one is really nice!

  7. Sean Boyd November 8, 2011 · Reply

    I’m not a designer, but I put together a couple of things. It’s not dissimilar to what you already have…just added some texture, etc.

    seanpboyd1968’s photobucket

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      These look very cool

  8. noisician November 8, 2011 · Reply

    What about throwing in a few Cyrillic letters in place of the usual Roman letters? It could give a nice Russian feel.

    СЯОММЦИIST МДИIFESTO

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      Neat idea

    • Diane G. November 9, 2011 · Reply

      (@ 8 ) Yes, except to anyone who knows Cyrillic. Because what you’re using for “r” is “ya,” for “a” is “d,” etc. 😉

    • nazani14 November 9, 2011 · Reply

      СЯОММЦИIST МДИIFESTO
      Pronounced Syaommtsist Mdiifesto?

  9. Michael Zeora November 8, 2011 · Reply

    Hi, I’m not an average poster (even on PZ’s Blog)

    But I have some skill and thought “Might as well give it a go”

    PSD can be provided on request. I’ll check back in a few hours or so to see how I panned out.

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      Looks fantastic! I will wait for a couple days, as people have indicated that they want to take a stab, but are currently a bit busy.

    • Justin Griffith November 9, 2011 · Reply

      This one is my favorite so far. Though all of them are pretty nice. You’ve got nice readers.

    • Michael Zeora November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Taking points from below (ronaldriley) I decided to refactor the background…

  10. Zugswang November 8, 2011 · Reply

    How do you feel about having your face in the banner?

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      A nice idea, but I’m personally a bit creeped out by it 😛

  11. Dammit November 8, 2011 · Reply

    Another non-designer having a go. It’s nowhere near as good as the others but I figured I’d share it anyway….

    CM Banner

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      I like the scroll bit

  12. Herr Mann November 8, 2011 · Reply

    I love these banner requests… Here’s my try.

    • Crommunist November 8, 2011 · Reply

      A fresh and innovative take. Really cool.

    • Herr Mann November 8, 2011 · Reply

      Looks like my browser oversaturates the colors of the banner, here I toned down the background.

  13. garth November 8, 2011 · Reply

    perhaps?

    View post on imgur.com

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Ooh! Dramatic! I like it.

      • garth November 9, 2011

        if there’s an edit or whatnot you’d like, fire it off to me. glad to help out.

  14. ronaldriley November 9, 2011 · Reply

    As it stands, I’d be interested in seeing some combination of MZeora’s design and the one by Herr Mann. I like the font choice and modified fist from the first, and the vibrancy and “kick” of the second.

    • Michael Zeora November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Full Disclosure on the Fonts:
      the Top Font on my design is from 1001 free fonts (called Kremlin)
      the other is Lithos Pro which came with my current variant of Photoshop or Windows (I can’t remember which)

      More “Kick” I think I can do something about that.

  15. Dorset Troll November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Communism does not work. I was taught that at school, and having taken time to read up on history I can say that is a fair comment. However, Capitalism unleashed, as we see today, needs a comeback of communism show the other side.

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      But those aren’t our only options. A market economy balanced by a political system that is responsive to the needs of the people is what we should be striving for.

      • Daniel R November 9, 2011

        But the above examples using Cyrillic letters are pretty, but not so good ideas, after all, Russian implementation of communist not having been a success.

    • nazani14 November 9, 2011 · Reply

      I would say the Soviet Union was a totalitarian state far more than a communist one, and I don’t think there has ever been a state that closely followed the formal definition of communism. I do feel that something akin to Euro-socialism could work in the US. I do not think the US public, having never studied philosophy, political science, etc., is ready to try to wrap its head around the ideas of Trotsky, for example.

  16. Morby November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Another call to arms – arts? Call to arts from PZ & Pharyngula. Transparent background, editable in any which way you wish (if you so wish it). 😀

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      I really like the 3D rendering you did on the fist.

  17. Kamaka November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Tony @ 4 looks very good.

    I’m not so good with the Hitch quote…I think a “you” quote would be better.

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Hitch is my favourite writer, the topic of the quote pretty much describes exactly what I try to do on this blog, and I might be conceited but I am nowhere near conceited enough to quote myself like that.

      • Kamaka November 9, 2011

        Hitch is my favourite writer.

        The Hitch is one of the best writers ever. So you aren’t saying much.

        Conceited? Oh, please, presuming to blog is conceited.

        C’mon, give us a double-down hard-ass quote.

    • Tony November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Thanks, Kamaka. My version goes for the simple/clean look.

      I’m impressed with others’ contributions – Morby’s #16 is a nice bold look, and michaelcrowley’s #6 is simple with a “pirate-y” look to it.

      I will off a version with the new A-fist tomorrow.

  18. Revyloution November 9, 2011 · Reply

    The word Crom in your name, you should really go with a Conan the Barbarian theme.

  19. Ibis3, denizen of a spiteful ghetto November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Have you got a deadline? I’d like to try my hand but probably won’t have a chance until tomorrow.

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      I will probably not make a decision on my favourite ones until the weekend, and then I will likely throw open the selection process for you to vote on a handful.

  20. Daniel R November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Hi Cro,

    The management of subscriptions does not work. I subscribed to this post, and received e-mail for each new message posted, that’s OK.

    But I changed my mind and decided to remove that subscription and clicked to the “Manage” link. It told me to send my e-mail address to send me a link to access to my subscription management page.

    I received the link, but it does not work, and I understood why.

    It’s because it contains:

    freethoughtblogs.com/reasonabledoubts

    instead of:

    freethoughtblogs.com/crommunist

    When changing by hand “reasonabledoubts” into “crommunist” in the link address, it worked.

  21. Eric Atkinson November 9, 2011 · Reply

    How about the good old Серп и Молот?
    And a picture of good old uncle Joe?

  22. brandonsvec November 9, 2011 · Reply

    I like #16 best so far.

  23. Zugswang November 9, 2011 · Reply

    If you’re curious, you could head over here to look at different shareware fonts. There’s literally thousands of different fonts there, and you may find a unique one that you’d like to have in your banner.

    In the meantime, here’s a couple other banner designs:

    Link 1

    Link 2

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      I really like the book. It’s a really cool idea, and if I ever DO write a book that will probably be what the cover looks like 😛

  24. carbonred November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Heya, found your blog via a tweet by PZ Myers and thought I’d take a look around and have a go at a banner. Here’s my first effort:

    • carbonred November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Here’s the same one adjusted to use a DNA model I did a few months ago. Dunno if it makes things too busy? http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/6971/crommunist4.jpg

      • Crommunist November 9, 2011

        I like the second one the best. Not too busy – dramatic. It’s very cool.

  25. edrowland November 9, 2011 · Reply

    or this…

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Simple. Clean. Very cool.

  26. Drivebyposter November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Here is the one I made for my own amusement:

    I tried to make it reminiscent of old Russian propaganda.
    “A man is born free” is a quote from Stokely Carmichael. I felt it just fit better on a propaganda style banner and it ties in nicely with the Black Power fist.

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      It is a good quote. Interesting style.

  27. Eric Paulsen November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Just an idea. http://imgur.com/JS2Eg

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      It’s a cool idea. I like the brick backdrop, but I’m not so much affiliated with Cuba (or Russia, or Texas… I’m not sure which red white and blue flag that is) 😛

      • Eric Paulsen November 11, 2011

        It’s supposed to be a close view of the American flag (one red stripe next to a blue field nut below a white stripe) but since there was no context I completely understand the confusion. I wasn’t going for a Cuban feel but it kind of reminded me of that too when I was done.

  28. Justin Griffith November 9, 2011 · Reply

    This one looks fantastic too

  29. Tristan November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Hey, here’s something I made up quickly, tell me if you like the style.

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      What is that in the backdrop? It looks like crystalized maple leaves (or maybe that’s just a Canadian Rorschach test)

      • Tristan November 10, 2011

        It’s just some photoshop work and a few fractals I made in apophysis.

  30. vacuumslayer November 9, 2011 · Reply

    I threw my hat, er, banner, in the ring.

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Whoa. I like. The quill is badass.

      • vacuumslayer November 9, 2011

        Well, thanks! If you decide on it, I can work the Hitchens quote in somewhere, though it may be more of a design element than something super-legible.

    • abeille November 10, 2011 · Reply

      Wow! Awesome job!

      This is my favorite.

      I would, quite possible, get on my knees and beg you to do mine, even try bribing you with food, if I had a banner.

  31. theophontes, feu d'artifice du cosmopolitisme November 9, 2011 · Reply

    I cobbled this together: Linky.

    I don’t know where you stand vis-a-vis teh kittez (for my part they is to few on FTB). The quote is from somewhere on scienceblogs.

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      Hahaha, cool. I’m fully anti-cat, but it’s an interesting experiment.

      • Michael Swanson November 9, 2011

        “Fully anti-cat”? Now I can’t trust your opinion on anything, as you’re obviously suffering from serious emotional and cognitive issues.

        Such a shame…seemed like such a nice young man…

      • Crommunist November 9, 2011

        seemed like such a nice young man…

        Nice? NICE? Whose blog have YOU been reading? 😛

      • Michael Swanson November 9, 2011

        Well, in all honesty, you strike me as a pretty nice guy who refuses to take shit from anyone, and who can become–forgive the religious overtone–righteously angry. It’s certainly possible to be both nice and assertive.

        But then there’s the problem of this simple formula: Cats = Awesome. Like 2+2=4, if a person has trouble comprehending that…well…it’s pretty hopeless, man. 🙂

      • Crommunist November 9, 2011

        I have been trying to duck the appellation “nice” since high school, but apparently I will simply have to resign myself to “nice guy” status for the rest of my life. I prefer “good guy”, because a lot of being “nice” involves false modesty and tact bordering on dishonesty.

        Cats… ugh. Never seen the appeal. They’re needy jerks with no sense of personal boundaries, alternating between aloofness and clinginess. It’s like what I imagine living with a Pick Up Artist would be.

  32. Patsy Monteleone November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Here’s a go at a banner design. I used an open-handed palm image (a scan of my own paw), which is a common motif in Russian Constructivist art. Feel free to use it if you wish! And thanks for putting up the good fight. ;°)

    http://patsymonteleone.wordpress.com/about/crom-manifest-pmonteleone/

  33. Tony November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Here’s take 2 that incorporates the A-fist. {Take 2}

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      My favourite part of that image is the juxtaposition of the two ads on the page.

      The banner looks excellent.

    • Michael Swanson November 9, 2011 · Reply

      For what it’s worth, this is my favorite one. It’s very clean, but has a sense of power.

      • Tony November 11, 2011

        Thanks, Michael.

  34. Ross November 9, 2011 · Reply

    If up to a vote, I’d back vacuumslayer. Excellent work, very stylish.

    And it has no backwards “R”. Even having taken only one year of Russian many years ago, that still derails my mental train every time I see it used for sounds other than “ya”

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      I think “Toys R Us”, personally.

  35. Lancelord November 9, 2011 · Reply

    I’ve done one simple and fairly ugly banner, just to contribute.

    There’s room for the Hitch quote, and I could replace the black power fist with the atheist black power fist. A very flexible banner.

  36. Gruh November 9, 2011 · Reply

    Here’s my humble offering.

  37. tonylloyd November 9, 2011 · Reply

    They’re all pretty good, but how’d they look in blue rather than red?

    • Crommunist November 9, 2011 · Reply

      My guess would be… bluer.

  38. William November 10, 2011 · Reply

    Banners! Fun! Had to have a go at it…

    • Crommunist November 10, 2011 · Reply

      Okay, I said before that having my face on the banner would be creepy. NOT SO!

  39. Codex November 10, 2011 · Reply

    Morby @ 16’s good – bold but still pretty simple. Very cool.

  40. Herr Mann November 11, 2011 · Reply

    It’s refreshing to see so many (different) banners… I really like #30, the one with the quill.

  41. Morby November 13, 2011 · Reply

    These have all turned out so well! Excited to see which one you’ll end up going with.

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