Template opinion: life vs. clip art

Jun 09, 2011

Hi all,

I am attaching a screenshot of a template I recently created. It includes both clip-art-like graphics and real people graphics as the characters (P.S. forgive the random spaces in the sentences and the lack of company logo which is normally in the top right corner - I wanted to protect their name so I have removed them).

I know this practice is normally shunned upon, but the client favored the real people over using silhouette clip-art characters.

I actually don't think it's too bad...but I wanted all of my e-learning friends' opinions on this one .

Thanks!

 

13 Replies
Linda Lorenzetti

Chantelle,

As a graphic designer, white space is a good thing - it creates better flow, legibilty and breathing room.  Don't feel the need to fill every inch of your slide with stuff.  Your construction worker could be a little bigger, but too big and he hits his head on the Purpose sign, which doesn't look very safe in a safety presentation.

Linda

Laurie Gilmore Farley

Wow!  What a timely topic.  I'm the middle of the same scenario: clip art mixed with real people.  I normally hate it, and feel like I'm breaking all of the rules... but I THINK it might be right for this project.  I'm building a module targeted at kids  (a first for me) along with their parents who will watch a module on manners and etiquette as a follow up to a in-person workshop.  I'm using kid-friendly avitar looking people for the role of the teacher and some other kids in templates.  However, to actually find pictures of "good" versus "bad" manners examples - I have to find stock pics of real people.  Do you think  it works?

Chantelle N

@Laurie, I'm sort of borderline on your example. I think it could work since the clip art girl is more of a "prompt icon", if that makes sense. However, I think the layout of the slide could be improved to make it work better.

For example, I don't think the question prompt is in a "natural" place. It seems it should be more front and center (maybe as a line underneath the title, or on the left of the slide - I just feel like the bottom right is where people's eyes go last).

Although I understand they need to look at the pictures before they can answer anyway, I think making that part more prominent would give the slide a more clear purpose as soon as the person gets to that page.

To more directly answer your question about the clip art though, I think it might work since even though it is mixed with real people, I feel the role of the art is distinguished enough that they are not competing with each other. For example, if the clip art lady was bigger, it might be more of a problem since visually you would then have have real and clip art heavily clashing with each other right next to each other on the page.

Does that makes sense? This is kind of just my opinion so if it's just phooey, you can say so!

Laurie Gilmore Farley

Chantelle Nash said:

@Laurie, I'm sort of borderline on your example. I think it could work since the clip art girl is more of a "prompt icon", if that makes sense. However, I think the layout of the slide could be improved to make it work better.

For example, I don't think the question prompt is in a "natural" place. It seems it should be more front and center (maybe as a line underneath the title, or on the left of the slide - I just feel like the bottom right is where people's eyes go last).

Although I understand they need to look at the pictures before they can answer anyway, I think making that part more prominent would give the slide a more clear purpose as soon as the person gets to that page.

To more directly answer your question about the clip art though, I think it might work since even though it is mixed with real people, I feel the role of the art is distinguished enough that they are not competing with each other. For example, if the clip art lady was bigger, it might be more of a problem since visually you would then have have real and clip art heavily clashing with each other right next to each other on the page.

Does that makes sense? This is kind of just my opinion so if it's just phooey, you can say so!

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