Overall, I like it.
The PDF was better suited for a more in deep critique.
Maybe in a dimly light pub some of the type could prove too light or with not enough contrast.
What's the purple stroke under the first word?

Thanks Riccardo,
I've added the PDF.

I see your point about the contrast and will think about the colours again.

The purple stroke is to indicate you have to start reading at that position. Also it is meant to balance the (same) colour in the lower right corner. Do you think it's too much? Perhaps just colour the first word(s)?

there is a typo, I think.. you mean "amateurs [or] professionals", not [of]?

It's really interesting, but calligraphic fonts flying into outer space always give me a headache.

Cheers!

Thanks David, but [or] is [of] in Dutch...

Do you think the second PDF is better? Or just different?

Despite the messy layout, which is the cliché for "art", this seems off target.
Unless sports are considered cultural, or the prize really is the trophy, the image -- raising a trophy -- is wrong, as it signifies sport, not art.
It doesn't relate to the text, having nothing to do with voting, as sports are determined by scores, not votes.

Sure, it's a metaphor, but it's not been fleshed out, nor handled with any wit.
In fact, it looks like you're apologizing for the metaphor, by making it blurry, hoping viewers won't notice it's wrong.

Further to the unstructured layout, this is a lazy and decorative way to say "art", in lieu of a strong idea rendered simply and directly.

Wow, Nick, strong opinion there, but, this post is here for me to get critique, so thanks!

I myself am not sure about the image too, it was the last thing added in the design and it therfore problably got the least attention. Shame on me! I'll look into it. You're right ofcourse, it's not about sports...

As for the messy layout, would the overal design benefit from more background structure (like gradients, shading and lines) or would it make just more messy?

However, keep in mind that 99% of competing posters in local pubs consist of terrible, terrible design, which is really terrible (yes, I said it trice), made with Arial and/or Verdana... To stand out of these atrocities to the human eye, I am looking for something 'je ne sais quoi' (that being a problem in itself), something 'different'.

Glad you appreciate the critique, Jean Paul.
You're right, the "non-grid" layout and nicely spaced and placed typography will position the poster well against competing media.
Style, executed with taste, can be very effective.
And there is something celebratory about the "explosive" layout, like a confetti canon (at a sports event--why don't they do that at arts awards!).
Nonetheless, I still think that if you could find an image or concept that was on track (there's always champagne), it would give a stronger purpose to the piece, and if not, perhaps drop the image or make it totally abstract, pure style.

Hmmm...
Jean-Paul, this trophy has something to do with Nederland 2–1 Brazil?
:-)

The trophy metaphor doesn't bother me. Even though it's primarily associated with sports, it's also a general symbol for victory/winning. But the champagne idea is very good and has the potential to be more dynamic.

The design stands out, but in the way a madman does. Nick is right about the lack of purpose, and that lack of purpose becomes a real problem when you have poorly ragged, all caps, letterspaced type set solid and then below it Zapfino is radiating out into space. Without a driving idea it has nothing to makes me want to read it, byut some of the typographic gimmickry really makes me want to look away.

As for the messy layout, would the overal design benefit from more background structure (like gradients, shading and lines) or would it make just more messy?

Anything you add will be more mess. Turn the volume down first.

To stand out of these atrocities to the human eye, I am looking for something 'je ne sais quoi' (that being a problem in itself), something 'different'.

You’re trying to achieve this by creating your own sort of atrocity on the other end of the spectrum. Try looking for ground closer to the middle.

Thanks for your comments guys!

@ Nick, JamesM: I'll defenitely look into a different image. The more I think about it, the less I like the trophy.

@ Igor: Should I change the magenta to orange? (Mind you, the Dutch only won because of Brasil's own goal!)

@ JamesP: Maybe you're right and the typography needs to be a little less gimmickry. I do feel I went crazy, but hey, I think it's better to go all the way the first time and then tone it down rather than the other way around. And when you say I'm creating an atrocity on the other end of the spectrum, I've reached my brief halfway I think. Though personally I don't see it as an eyesore.

I spoke two of the three members of the Platform yesterday evening and they said they were both very pleasantly surprised, not at all what they expected. Makes me want to continue with it anyway...

it's crazy, but it invited me to read it, so it functions for me. I only dislike the third line from the top for two reasons; it is very short and the sentence is not correct Dutch.

Thanks for the positive response Micha!

What's the typo?

I have to agree with James and Nick. I think that this is too messy, and there is too much going on, with too little contrast and hierarchy. Remember this is a poster, not a booklet. Trz to limit the text to the essential, and make a clear hierarchy of importance. This must not neccesarily become a gridded poster, but try to make the poster feel more logical, less incidental. About the colour scheme: to my eyes it feels too... stuffy somehow, not very fresh, and I think in low contrast environments it might not stand out as much as you might want. See the grey version attached to understand what I mean. Also try to tune down the type, there is too much going on and it does not help communicate. The headline is a bit too quirky to my taste, with letters jumping up and down from the baseline in order to make them stick... It all reminds me a bit of emigré, in an anarchistic kind of way, but not quite there yet in terms of quality. I"ll give you one thing though: it does not look ordinary.

I Like the Vaughn Oliver look, but I think some of the comments are right here. I alsways try to take imagine I had never seen this before and think - honestly and realistically - how much of it I would bother to read. Anything I think I would not really read, I delete.

I normally end up with hardly anything, and a better poster!