Spreadubuntu needs graphical designs

[Jenda]

Hello art folks!
SpreadUbuntu is on its way! Attached is a proposed sitemap you can see a detailed writeout of what the project is supposed to fulfill at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam/SpreadUbuntu
What we need now are design proposals.
For those interested in making a design mockup, I'll quote myself from the mailing list:

For now, I'm looking for a front page in the Ubuntu colors, with a block
of structured text (we'll use the one below from ubuntu.com for this
mockup) and in-text links. If these look good, there's no harm either.
What should be dominant _after_ the text are five big colorful links for
See it, Try it, Get it, Shipit, SPREAD IT! Since Try it and Shipit might
not be available, be sure to make it easy to remove these and/or modify
them. One thing to keep in mind is that once the user leaves this index
page, some sort of navigation toolbara should be available. Don't make
this now, just make sure there is room for it to pop up in your design
whenever not on the front page (suggestion: instead of a Spreadubuntu
header, or two versions of the header: big font & small font + navigator).
I'm in favor of elegant and smooth designs rather than sharp and vibrant
ones, but do as you can best.
For those interested in getting involved in the Ubuntu Marketing Team, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam/GetInvolved

I'll just add: it has to look new and exciting, to draw the user into thinking they've found something that'll change their computer life for ever... and all that jazz - you guys are the artists :).

[smartalecks]

the ubuntu colors go with that theme very well, don't they?

From the description the site will be like getfirefox.com- straightforward with what it is, what you can do with it, and why you should get it, except in a different format, correct?

[nickm]

Hi, i am involved in that project, i have come up with a few proposals myself however my strenght is on the Html/CSS side of things, so i am needing someone to create a logo for my proposals.
Without getting into a debate on the site itself which comes later, i expect to come up with thee or four proposals and i intend to use the same logo in each of them, here is the first two which i have finished:
http://boredklink.googlepages.com/idea1.png
http://boredklink.googlepages.com/idea2.png
More will come if you need some inspiration.

It should be like the regular ubuntu logo but with "spreadUbuntu" in the ubuntu font; unless ofcourse anyone has their own ideas :)
Here is what i have used, please stick to this size
http://boredklink.googlepages.com/title.png
I know it looks bad right now, but its just a mockup, and its a prime example of why ubuntu needs the art team! :)

Thanks

[Jenda]

smartalecks, it'll be close, but I'd like it to be more graphical - both than the above submissions and than the firefox ones. It should basically look a bit like a poster rather than a normal site. One block of text, a few pictures upon the artist's discretion, and five big links, I'd like them on brown buttons :)

[nickm]

no interest?

Im working on a third and fouth design now.

We are also looking for someone to create 5 brown ubuntu style buttons that read "See it" "Try it" "Get it" "Ship it" "Spread it" if anyone is interested.

[Jenda]

The designs are now available through bazaar in bulk. Do check out the MT's launchpad page ;)

[lzfy]

I'll try to make something too : )

[Jenda]

Great, thanks :)
The wiki list is groowing: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam/SpreadUbuntu#head-0202bdc0f2e0e5d3cb074109cf42d8a323126c61

Thanks to all the submitters!

[smartalecks]

alright then, I had some extra time and I made a mockup of one. If you like it, then I will code it (CSS and XHTML of course):

(link)
http://freemediaresources.com/sitedesigns/ubuntumockup.png

the site width in that mockup is 1024px.
Crits and suggestions please, I only made it in the GIMP in about 10 min.

[caldevil]

I would like to help too and will join the marketing team.

@Jenda: Is the domain name spreadubuntu.org already registered by you or canonical?

[smartalecks]

I would like to help too and will join the marketing team.

@Jenda: Is the domain name spreadubuntu.org already registered by you or canonical?

if I may answer for Jenda:

they lost spreadubuntu.org- the .com is registered to Canonical.

[Jenda]

caldevil: PLease see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam/GetInvolved
We have both spreadubuntu.com and spreadubnutu.net, and I'm thinking we will end up using those as forwards to spread.ubuntu.com.

alecks: I like it very much. I'll add you to the wiki. If you could send me the source files by email, I'd appreciate that too - I put those on bzr with all the others.

I'll give a few suggestions, though. We want it to be simple for the user to use and understand it with the first glance, so I'd remove the stuff in the bottom right. I'd also remove the Kubuntu and Edubuntu, because this page is for people who have no clue about either. We can link to those on a more appropriate page.
However, I _really_ like the counter. It should count people who have clicked any link on that page. OTOH, the text itself might be a little more explanatory, or a little lower down the page: a person can read the title, then that text, and think we're some kind of church or sect, knowing only the fact that we want to spread, and that we have a philosophy... perhaps "X people have learned about Ubuntu" would suffice.

[Jenda]

Caldevil, you can, of course, always join IRC to ask questions, or contact me via Jabber, ICQ, MSN, email...

[smartalecks]

caldevil: PLease see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam/GetInvolved
We have both spreadubuntu.com and spreadubnutu.net, and I'm thinking we will end up using those as forwards to spread.ubuntu.com.

alecks: I like it very much. I'll add you to the wiki. If you could send me the source files by email, I'd appreciate that too - I put those on bzr with all the others.

I'll give a few suggestions, though. We want it to be simple for the user to use and understand it with the first glance, so I'd remove the stuff in the bottom right. I'd also remove the Kubuntu and Edubuntu, because this page is for people who have no clue about either. We can link to those on a more appropriate page.
However, I _really_ like the counter. It should count people who have clicked any link on that page. OTOH, the text itself might be a little more explanatory, or a little lower down the page: a person can read the title, then that text, and think we're some kind of church or sect, knowing only the fact that we want to spread, and that we have a philosophy... perhaps "X people have learned about Ubuntu" would suffice.

Cool :-D

Made some changes, please critique again (anything else to add, need adjusting...?).

http://freemediaresources.com/sitedesigns/ubuntumockup2.png

[Jenda]

Very nice :)
Once again: could you please mail me the source files? I'll bzr them - thx

[smartalecks]

gahh I don't like that one- Too empty for that layout.
Here's a new one (crits again please).

http://freemediaresources.com/sitedesigns/ubuntumockup3.png



ps. alright I emailed them :)

[Jenda]

BTW, the bzr branch is now mirrored at http://doc.ubuntu.com/~marketing/spreadubuntu/
You can browse through it in your browser.

[Jenda]

Oh, great - thanks :)

Guess what - I like the last one best. It's nice and clean, exactly what we need...
The pale top bar looks awkward, though... and perhaps you could make the Spread It button a different color than the rest? It's in the bottom right corner, so it could give the subliminal impression of the "OK" or "Continue" button.

[lzfy]

10 minutes work. just some ideas.

tell me what you think of this.

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2056/spreadubuntubz9.th.jpg

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2149/spreadubuntufi5.jpg

[smartalecks]

Oh, great - thanks :)

Guess what - I like the last one best. It's nice and clean, exactly what we need...
The pale top bar looks awkward, though... and perhaps you could make the Spread It button a different color than the rest? It's in the bottom right corner, so it could give the subliminal impression of the "OK" or "Continue" button.

spread-it button? do you mean the ship it button or would you like me to add a spread it button (like on the globe)?

[smartalecks]

Oh. I never added a spread it link in the first place, heh. Alright, I updated it.

http://freemediaresources.com/sitedesigns/ubuntumockup3.png

also with a content seperator, (which you like better?)


http://freemediaresources.com/sitedesigns/ubuntumockup4.png

[Jenda]

Oh :)
Yes, there is supposed to be a spread it button. It doesn't necessarily have to be on the globe, but why not, OTOH. The spread it button is the most important - it takes the visitor to the DIY Marketing section of the site.

[Jenda]

Oh, and I like no. 4 best. Could you please mail me the sources for that too? :)

[smartalecks]

Oky. I might do some more designs... i have a few in mind.

[AlexC_]

Imo I think it's too big, you could easily make it smaller and still readable.