brock miller
The design (BTS)
Background: One of the projects I take on as the sports content manager is promoting social media and digital media in general. A great way to do that is promotion videos and graphics and Brock Miller has been having a great season, so he became the subject for this design.
Contrast: I wanted to make sure the photos I chose stood out on top of the background, which is why I chose a subtle, white layer with some texture added on after. I loved the main photo as the centerpiece because it shows him celebrating — similar to fans celebrating his accomplishments — and it showcases his nameplate on the back of his jersey, which I think reinforces the theme.
Alignment: This is meant to be shared on social media, which is why I chose a center alignment for the text and images because it allows the focus to be viewable on a small screen.
Proximity: The placement of the images gives the effect of a christmas tree alignment, making somewhat of a slant up to the top of the image. The abstract design in the back is the inverse of this to give some balance to the image and take your eye from the top back to the bottom.
Repetition: The color scheme of the text and the abstract elements are the same as the jersey colors, giving the whole design a sense of uniformity. I found a text that is similar to the text used on the jersey of the main image, but used the bold option to make it stand out a bit more.
Color Scheme: As described previously, all the colors are pulled directly from the uniform of the three images, with a slight adjustment to hue on the text to break through the texture a bit more. The only element that breaks from this scheme is the background image of the fans, giving a bit more depth and contrast to the design.
Font Choice: I wanted a smooth font that matched the uniform as much as possible, but used the bold option to make it stand out a bit more from the rest of the image.
Photoshop: I started with just a blank canvas of white and then added the three cutouts on top of that. I knew I wanted to keep the design simple, so instead of any background drawing or lettering, I added a simple texture with a chalkboard-like look. I added the text on top of that, but played around with different alignment options, settling with bottom third. The abstract element came in after that, but the design still felt like it needed some depth and a little more personality. That’s when the background image of the fans came in. I like this for multiple reasons, on top of the ones just mentioned. The crowd is cheering, and Miller is facing them, almost like it’s happening naturally in-game. I also like how the shirts they are wearing give the image some contrast in color without being overbearing.
Photo Credits (From left to right): Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports, Wade Denniston/USU Athletics, Eli Lucero/Herald Journal.
Font credits: (Adobe) Kanit, Bold Italic.