Systematic Chaos Artwork (not official)

[j-rey]

Hey guys, I don't know if many here will appreciate this, but I made a mock Systematic Chaos CD cover design for a photoshop contest over on MP.com. It was well received so I thought I'd share it over here. It references the video that MP made for the forumers over on his site for Christmas, but many people over on Dream Theater Forums had seen it too, so here it is:

http://jreydesign.com/misc/forumimages/SC3.jpg

[Premetheus37]

I love it!

I don't know what DT is looking for, but I'd buy that album.

~Premetheus

[bobbykunkle]

very nice job! i was very impressed when i saw it for the first time, but then when i went to the portnoy forum and checked out the rest, it really shocked me how good it was! that is the best one in the contest. the only things i might change is a different font syle for the words "systematic chaos"; i like it in all lower case though, i dont really know what font style, but something different. and then also, this is VERY picky, but the majesty symbol on the crown looks just a little edited in (because it is - ha), but im sure with a few more minutes of editing or something you could get it to look like it is actually how the crown was made.

overall, it is incredible. a very artistic and creative idea, i am really blown away by it. great job!

[rock_ya]

^^Second those. Incredible work and idea. Keep it up :cool:

[Piranha]

Man.. that is REALLY nice J-Rey!! For some reason, it really hit me. WOW..

The pumpkins that are very far at the line of horizon look weird though, I just realised that. But whatever, it rules. You might think that I'm exagerating, but I can't believe my eyes.

[cooltothez]

wowee that is awesome!!! i like it. the pumpkin king indeed.

[MrPillow]

The horizon could use some reworking. The angle of viewing the top of the pumpkins implies that they should go much further than the image lets off, and the horizon needs to be less straight. Blurring the hell out of it in PS might do some good, add some variation to the straight line as well.

Overall, very good. Me likey.

[King_Ellesar]

i really like it man!! looks really professional, minus some few flaws. but the idea seems really fresh, and i think it looks like it could be the real deal. i dont know how easy it is to change it, but i wonder what different landscapes could go with that scene, and which ones would look better. could the scene look darker? with a more threatening storm? Or could it be a totally sunny day like with lots of green in the background, kinda like octavarium's cover. I dunno, i kinda like it how it is.

the horizon of pumpkins does look a little odd, but other than that, AWESOME job!

ever see this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-1aui-wluE

[attic-keys]

Wow dude great job, did you win the contest???

[j-rey]

Ha ha, I don't know yet: http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1557143&mpage=1

Thanks guys fot the compliments, and the criticism. I agree with all of your critiques. I really didn't have alot of time to spend, as I was at work and well I really wasn't even reeeeally supposed to be making it. As for the majesty logo, the problem is that the shadow isn't intense enough, which if it was it starts to be obscured and I wanted it to stand out some what. As for the placement of the horizon line, what can I say, I wanted a cool sky to be in the image. The weird bluriness.. the time factor. The font, well I like it, and I have enough people that like it to counter those who don't so I left it.

[Staccato]

Wow, that one was cool.. definately one of the coolest ones in the contest!:)

[mdsonic]

No song titles Pumkin King on new cd. Here is the track list..



01. In The Presence of Enemies Pt.1
02. Forsaken
03. Constant Motion
04. The Dark Eternal Night
05. Repentance
06. Prophets of War
07. The Ministry of Lost Souls
08. In The Presence of Enemies Pt.2

[King_Ellesar]

9 is probably my favorite number. i mean look at it, when tallying it like this:

||| ||| |||

3 sets of 3. in each set there is one in the middle, and when you look at it as a whole, there is still only one in the middle. i dunno, maybe it's just me, but i like it. i wonder if they will incorporate 9 into this new one like they did with 8 on octavarium. i'd love to hear some 9/8 grooves. probably my favorite odd time signature too, actually.


if those are the song titles, sounds pretty dark and intense. perhaps pumpkin king was a code name for a song. nonetheless, i'm very excited for this one! i'm sure it will rock.

[MrPillow]

A rough crack I had at it in PS7.0, worked on the horizon and upped the contrast. I think it looks a tad better, but thats opinion. Thoughts?


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y4/m4alltheway/SC3.jpg

[twg88]

Yeah, that looks even better than the last effort. Cool stuff! And I like the simple album title under Dream Theater, looks good.

[rock_ya]

^^Second that :smile:

[King_Ellesar]

^^Second that :smile:

+1 :)




.

[Sineth]

nice, i bet that needed time :biggrin:

[j-rey]

Well I didn't win, but thats ok. I did actually design it at print resolution and it looks pretty cool actually in a jewel case :biggrin: I'll take a picture when I get a chance.

[j-rey]

A rough crack I had at it in PS7.0, worked on the horizon and upped the contrast. I think it looks a tad better, but thats opinion. Thoughts?


[IMG]~snip~

Wow, I think that is way too dark, way way too much contrast. You say you did work on the horizon line, yet its completely black and I can't even see it. Also it looks like you boosted the saturation... I had it desaturated on purpose. I hate to sound like a jerk or anything, but I really don't like when people take my artwork and mess with it. Some one did that on dreamtheaterforums.com too. One of the problems is that people come in at the end of the thread and start quoting the person who posted the modified version and I no longer get credit for my work.

[j-rey]

nice, i bet that needed time :biggrin:

I took me about 20 minutes or so, I couldn't spend much time because I worked on it while at work. (shhhh)

[EloHiR ElEnDIl]

Yeah, I think the design is cool , and I like where the majesty logo is placed, and because of not all the edited things it seems like highlighted and that makes it look so cool.
The other one is so dark

[EloHiR ElEnDIl]

Ha ha, I don't know yet: http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1557143&mpage=1


There are actually some pretty cool designs out there.

[assassin]

kitties_on_acid: It's looks kinda good (colours and all) but IMO the idea is pretty boring.
Teetway: Now here's a good work, reminds me of an oldschool DT cover. There's the systematism (dice) and the chaos (a flock of butterflies).
The Crimson King: This is just funny :biggrin: I especially like the man pointing towards the meteorites. Also the colour balance is good. It gives the cover a nice 19th century flavor.