Some tips on overall design: We only have three examples of monograms in Uru. They are Yeesha's, the Tiwa monogram in Descent, and the repahts monogram above the city door in Descent. They show us an overall look for twining D'ni characters.
Yeesha's monogram is the only one with a rosette around it, and it incorporates symbols that are significant to her. In her case, it's a mountain line shape to represent the Cleft, birds to represent her nickname of "desert bird", books to represent her abilities with the Art, and spiraled hand-trees to represent her involvement with both D'ni and the Bahro.
That's why I include symbols or elements intended to show important personal traits of the person I make a monogram for; it follows the example set in Yeesha's. So far, this is just repeating things you already know.
Now, also using Yeesha's monogram as an example, all of the symbology should radiate outward from the monogram, which means that the bottom of each should be facing the center of the circle. You can see that clearly in the copy of Yeesha's monogram you show in your post. Your rosette looks like... about four layers? Getting a glow is mostly a matter of choosing the right shade or tint of color, although you can help promote a glow with some creative radial fades. In this case, I'd have the background and the layers for the circles, ribbons, and filmstrips grouped, and then put a clear glass effect over all of them to get the three dimensional look.
For the monogram itself, your glass effect is too small. It should cover the entire black area. Personally, I would have found a more colorful star field, but that's a matter of taste. Regardless, the lettering looks awful. It looks scratched on, instead of being the centerpiece of the design. In my example, I made the letters into a circle shape because that allowed me to make them much larger and more distinct than can be done with them in a line, so they pop out.
What you did right? The symbols and containers are good looking, relevant, and interesting. the inset emboss is great, and the ribbon effect tying them together is a very nice touch that unifies the whole. The lights aren't bad either, and I get the impression with the film frame containers that they are meant to say "I like going to the movies". All in all, a rather nice rosette. it's just a little flat in overall tone because of the way you colored the background and the somewhat lackluster glass effect.
How's this? If you send me the individual layers, I'll try assembling them and see what I can do with it just as an experiment.
_________________ * b'tagamem mot seKem ril ge'Dan Kenen reKElen faex b'sEnem ge'Dan -- lårE leDA Until next time! -- Larry LeDeay 3 # 11308 The Lost Library of D'ni
Last edited by larryf58 on Fri May 13, 2016 11:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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