Down In A Gulp: Drawing legs on a snake

Down In A Gulp

Monday, April 23, 2007

Drawing legs on a snake

I don't know much Chinese but I have heard of this proverb. Add legs to a snake after you have finished drawing it. I think this is the direct translation of the very famous proverb. This is indeed true!
I was assigned to design a simple brochure for a new dance studio and knowing me I like the sophisticated brushed metal look.
So, with my hopeless skill in arts, I came out with this.

Yea, not very professional but heck, free service! So I have control over the entire design.
Since the studio is in Klang, our target audience are mostly Chinese educated, so part of the content had to be translated to Chinese. Fair enough, I handed the file over to the translator who I expect would only insert the Chinese characters in spaces provided.
Guess what came back to me.

A horrendous attempt to 'beautify' and enhance the brochure!

1) WTF is with the butterflies scattered all over?! Looks so pasar malam ok.
2) He thought he want to make it neat by drawing a border around the brochure. Looks like one of those posters for dodgy karaoke clubs. (papaya farm clubs)
3) Redundancy! Blind is it, can't read the big ass FunMatic Dance Club banner. He has to add it another time at the right hand corner. And it is in Times New Roman font.
4) Lift is Definity Available??!!! Can't even copy word to word. OMG.
5) Almost totally removed the gradient effect to make it even more Pasar Malam.

Disappointed when people don't plagiarize well. Feel like using a DE to shoot him!

Labels: Rant

posted by DaphStar* @ 4:41 AM

11 Comments:

At April 23, 2007 at 9:05 AM, Anonymous said…

after seeing the second brochure, i definitely going for whatever dance studio is that.

papaya included right? i mean not auntie auntie type one..
At April 23, 2007 at 6:32 PM, Anonymous said…

I love butterflies but the blue butterflies just doesn't cut it. It reminds me of those brochures from funeral parlors. And what the fish? How did they get spellings wrong by copying word to word? Love the metal brush look, too bad it got edited. Haha
At April 24, 2007 at 1:24 AM, *yumayz* said…

daph...MALAYSIAN ENGLAND IS THE MOST POWERDERFUL ONE OKAY!!!hahahahaha...i am sure u had a hell of a good laugh at it.. i know i will..btw -long time no conteng ur blog di..hhehe
At April 24, 2007 at 6:34 AM, zewt said…

hahahahaha.... i tot such thing will only happen in china. you know how you receive those forwarded mails on those translation boo boo? when i was in china... i saw them all with my own eyes...
At April 24, 2007 at 11:47 AM, Unknown said…

The best part is not the Engrish. It is the blue butterflies.
Everybody agrees that it looks like a dodgy karaoke parlor poster.
At April 24, 2007 at 11:51 AM, DaphStar* said…

Couldn't agree more. Dodgy brue butterfries that makes it so papaya farm club like poster.

Oo mayz! Miss your comments..hahaa. I didn't have a good laugh. I was damn TULAN!
At April 24, 2007 at 2:52 PM, Anonymous said…

Daph*, what is "Papaya Farm Club"? Also, what's that "Lift is definitely available" for? Is the class being held on a floor not suitable for walking? ie. 8th floor of a building.

Imagine a couple butteflies could change the whole image of a brochure. Haha......

Ongzilla
At April 24, 2007 at 5:11 PM, DaphStar* said…

Haha.. Ongzilla, too long have you been in the land of Mall Of America. Ask your Msian friends what is Papaya Farm Club. Its a direct Chinese translated term.

I don't know.."Lift is definitely available" was a special request info to be included.
At April 29, 2007 at 9:18 AM, Xavy-licious said…

I think what "Lift definitely available" means that if you don't have transport to go, can always hop in Daphne's car. And after the class, she can send you home. But you must do one thing before you step out of her car, you must lift your sweaty arms to expose your sweaty armpits to expose your sweaty body ordour. AND to make it more effective, you must direct the aircon towards your armpits.
At April 29, 2007 at 9:24 AM, DaphStar* said…

AHaha...xavy you got it so right. You know me well.
At May 8, 2007 at 8:03 AM, the-alt said…

i recognise the image. dont u need to at least credit the person who created the graphic? all those dancing people? pls do. or draw your own.