Please give constructive crtisicism!

[AmberLV]

This is a birthday invitation to my son's first birthday. Something doesn't quite feel right. Here are my first and second drafts. What can I do to improve it?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/AmberLV/Birthday-Invite-web.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/AmberLV/Birthday-Invite_2.jpg

[Juergen D]

Maybe it's the faded background. I would try and bring it back to 100% opacity and possibly change the color of the text. See how that looks.

Juergen

[Rusty]

I like the overall "exposure" of the first one the best. I like the text on the second one better.

I believe the additional contrast in the images makes the first one look better; the second is sorta blah (at least to me)

Rusty

[Dee H.]

Wonderful job on the Collage.. The blending is excellent.
However, For a childs birthday party.. KISS is what I like..
Keep it simple.. Hats, balloons, and the chocolate cake! I just love to watch a young child dive in that first birthday cake. It is the whole party. Who would not want to watch that.

[kimi_boo]

I like the first one better and the font on the second. The picture of your son wearing the blue and white shirt is just too precious. I would try and accent that a little more.

[lindajay]

You've done a really nice job of the collage! I think that I would like the text without such a strong bevel. It feels to harsh or something. Try making the text softer. It may or may not look better. You can be the judge. :)

And I hope your birthday celebration comes off wonderfully. We're 2 months off from our grandbaby's one-year celebration, as well :D

[mom to 4]

I agree with Kim 100%. What if you brought back the opacity of the pic in the blue shirt to 100% and had that stand out.

I was also wondering about having the edges darker.....not sure how to handle that, but I do think it is almost too light all over.......maybe a frame around the edge, or .....not sure...need to think on it.

I really like what you have done though, great pictures from a wonderful year......many more to you!!!

[Llist]

Amber

I agree with Kim too... I think the pic in the blue shirt should be accentuated because it is so darn cute!! Also agree with Colleen about perhaps a frame around the entire edge. I would bring the frame in a bit to show a little on the outside of it. Overall great pics and what a fun time. My baby just turned 3 and has now learned how to repeat his daddy's bad language :( They are just like tape recorders at this age.

Have fun at the party and let us know how it turns out :)

Laura

[msbrad]

That is just darling. There are some great tips above.
And I love the litle poem.
m

[Wendy]

Hi ...

I love the idea and think is going to be excellent. :)

I'm with Linda about the bevel on the text ...

Wendy

[NMarti]

My first impression was the background could be a little darker but what jumped out at me most was the text. Since it is for a child I would do three things: lessen or remove the bevel, change the color to a child-like color and maybe even change to a childlike font.

There are some great free fonts here for kids:
http://www.momscorner4kids.com/fonts/bfonts.htm

You did a wonderful job on the blending!

[Pauline]

Love your collage, but think it would be better without the bevel text. It's just too overpowering.

[gmill]

I love your collage. Great blending job. I tend to go along with Nancy's idea for the text. I think a child like font (in a different color) would be perfect. One other thing, and maybe it's just me, but I thought the picture of him above Mom was just a little too large. It might look better if you slightly enlarged the picture of him in the blue shirt, and decreased the size of the one above Mom.
:) :) :)

[Marlis Bennett]

Hi, love the poem, love the pics and the collage is fabulous. Just a couple of typo's...its in the first stanza should be it's and hes in the second stanza should be he's. Sorry but the teacher in me appears sometimes...
have fun at the party....
marlis

[kimi_boo]

Marlis... what a great catch. Imagine going to all of that work and it would go out with a typo. We tend to look at the big picture instead of the tiny details. She did a wonderful job on the Collage and he is just a cutie. :D

[GaryK]

Amber

I like that a lot.. great blending and fantastic photos.(such a cutie)

The best have given their opinions but I'll offer a different look :D

Have you thought of backscreening??. That way most of the background could be stronger and you could lose the bevel (I don't mind it.. but maybe a bit less)


One other thing.. you blanked out the place ..How are we going to get cake???:D :D

[tbrannon]

This is great.
I love how you put this together.
I would get rid of the bevel too and maybe change to a darker blue for the font. Other than that I like it how it is. Great job.

[Robyn]

My first impression was the background could be a little darker but what jumped out at me most was the text. Since it is for a child I would do three things: lessen or remove the bevel, change the color to a child-like color and maybe even change to a childlike font.

There are some great free fonts here for kids:
http://www.momscorner4kids.com/fonts/bfonts.htm

You did a wonderful job on the blending!

I'm totally with Nancy on this. I think that you have done a spendid job, especially the blending which isn't always easy to do, but for me I'd like to see it a bit more child-like and a little less adult-like.:) :)

[mom to 4]

Gary:

Backscreening??????????

And yeah, we want CAKE!

[GaryK]

Colleen

Backscreening (I think there is another term as well) All it is is a light text box over a full opacity photo.

Kind of like this

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/190nvoTdNHRRX1kJ8EpvR3zA2cVn_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=190nvoTdNHRRX1kJ8EpvR3zA2cVn)

[kimh]

That is a cool technique.
I love the baby montages except the text on the first one covered part of the baby's face. What a sweetie!
Kimh

[Shari]

Amber - I think the blending is wonderful. You have done a good job on everything. For me - I like simple. I would use just a few less images. You can always make a board of wonderful images for the party. I think the idea of a 'kid' font would be good too. I saw some good ones at www.dafont.com (http://www.dafont.com) . Really good work though. Be proud of yourself. Please let us see what you end up with after all the suggestions that you asked for.
Shari

[kroberts]

Your baby is adorable:)

Great job blending all of the photos together! I'm getting my opinion in rather late, but I also like the collage in the first and the text in the second.

Please post your final copy!