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Geek Culture / Mexican Restaurant Menu Design

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JLMoondog
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 08:25
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A coworker asked me to do a Menu design for her made-up Mexican restaurant. So after roughly 8 hours of work here is the finished product. Still not happy with it, but she needs it tomorrow so she can edit anything, then print as it's due on Tuesday.

Cover:

Page1:

Page2:

Page3:

Page4:

Back Cover:


Crits welcome...never done this before. Tried to look at other menu designs, but most were simple text on strange backdrops. I wanted to build 3d objects of food to add to it, but no time...oh well.


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RUCCUS
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 08:38
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The background is too confusing to read the text. Since changing the background will probably be too time consuming at this point, do a quick fix by adding white boxes beneath the text, make them transparant so you still get a vague idea of what is in the background, and possibly round the edges so they dont look so crisp. Then change the font color to black. Its a quick and dirty fix, but itll be easier on the eyes.
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JLMoondog
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 08:54
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Hmm, maybe it's the jpg but they seemed easy to read at full size before I resized them. Too late to change now, oh well. Thanks for the comments though, everything is a learning experience for me.


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Neuro Fuzzy
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 09:14
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Looks really good actually. I would expect a menu like that at a restaurant

One thing that's a bit weird is the amount of space at the top and bottom of some of the pages. You could fill those in with even BIGGER titles, or pictures of food.


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Sid Sinister
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 09:15
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I love the design! Very well done! But just to expand on Ruccus' comment, be sure that it's readable. Bring up a few large copies and ask your friends/family to look it over since your probably numb to it by now. If any of them say it's hard to read you can multiply that number by a good portion of that restaurants daily traffic. Experiment with making that text pop a little more.

"If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" - Isaac Newton
Current Project: http://strewnfield.wordpress.com/ (Last updated 06/11/09)
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Darth Vader
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 11:17
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I love it!
To add to what the other guys (or maybe gals...) are saying your best bet is to ask someone 'older' who's eyesight isn't the 'best' and see if they can read it.

Works for me!


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xplosys
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 14:19
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Great design! I think the resizing has made it more difficult to read. As you said it was probably OK at normal size. I also like the idea of a partial transparent white behind the text if needed. I'm sure if you had time to dress it up with a few more images it would be perfect.

Brian.

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JLMoondog
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 14:40
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Yah, the resize really distorted the text. There is actually a nice black faded outline around all the letters so at actual size printed you can see it...to me at least. I didn't have time to get input of the design before I sent it to my coworker.

There is a lot of empty space because originally I was adding 3d images of certain foods and ingredients, but the deadline caught up with me and I was unable to finish.

Will have to work faster next time, thanks for the comments everyone.


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Benjamin
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 16:50
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I think it looks really nice! Again, as others have pointed out the text is a bit hard to read. But, if the full size printed version is readable then there's no problem.
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Oolite
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 17:02
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The place is damn cheap, i'd eat there.
I wouldn't say the text is hard to read, but the background shapes tend to pull focus more than the text did. Other than that, it's nice.

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JLMoondog
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Posted: 22nd Mar 2010 17:30
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Oolite: That's because it's authentic...you have no idea where they get their 'ingredients'.


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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 23rd Mar 2010 06:33 Edited at: 23rd Mar 2010 06:35
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aesthetically, it's very appropriate, in my opinion. i like the colors, patterns and turtle graphics a lot. the cover bugs me, tho. i think the turtle should be scaled down to the point where it's feet don't touch the inner-most border design (leave 1/4 inch or so space, atleast). the arced text seems "off" because they're very shallow arcs in contrast with the arcs on the top and bottom of the turtle. the effect just "does nothing" for me and is a distraction. the size of the turtle left little room at the top for "la toruga's" which now seems crammed in there (presumable, (and correctly) because you didn't want it to overlap the head).

basically, i would have scaled the turtle down quite a bit to fit the text in properly. if the text was to remain arced, it would match the arcs of the shell.

also, i "see" the effect of the tortoise resting lazily on a sylized rug or blanket after a hearty meal if this was intended, i would have rotated the turtle to the left ~20 degrees and let his feet cross the inner borders mentioned. a more haphazard "plopped down" vs vertical orientation.

still like it, tho. just my opinion here

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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 23rd Mar 2010 06:44
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Quote: "The place is damn cheap"


Taco Bell has better prices...

Seriously though, it's an excellent design Josh. It's definitely a professional-quality design.


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JLMoondog
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Posted: 24th Mar 2010 00:17
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Thanks for the suggestions and comments. I think I'll be going back over this and trying to improve it for a portfolio piece.


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