NEWBIE SITE for Design Company

[THX1139]

How about you back off a bit yeh? You've already told him you think his site is s***, there's no need to keep throwing punches.

For what it's worth, IMO the OP is right:

"This is a hobby that I have as well as my career" implies that the OP has a career, and has this website as a hobby as well. What the career is isn't mentioned.

Now, about the updated site:

Firstly, I love the new logo on the welcome screen. Looks really cool. Not keen on the 'enter' text though. The font and colour doesn't really match, and it just seems like it's sitting there. Perhaps more of a rough text, and in a green colour to match the quotation marks you have in the background? Also maybe make the 'enter' text larger.

It's getting late and I need to go to bed, and my internet is playing up, so I'll add more in the morning. It's definitely improved though!

Love the new logo? Improved? Wow, am I missing something? [keeps hitting refresh to see it]

FWIW, I'm going to jump in here and shed some reality on the situation as I see it. First off... this thread is around 2 years old. So, the OP has been working on his "Newbie" professional design website for a long time. Well, that's okay... but every time someone comes in and tries to help him, he doesn't really listen. Oh sure, he says "thank you" a lot (and sometimes sarcastically), but then cherry picks the suggestions and rarely changes anything for the better. He even goes so far as to defend his choice to keep the stupid splash page... even though a majority tell him to get rid of it. Sure, he's entitled to do what he wants, but the best advice to help improve his broken design is ignored. So what does he want? What is he trying to accomplish?

He boasts that he is going to school (but not for graphic design) and has all of these high-end clients who like to hire him... kind of egotistical and non-believable when you examine the quality of his designs. Is he a non-designer who is opening a design photography hobby business? No one know for sure and you certainly can't get that from the website. Anyway, I find this thread interesting and intriguing because the OP breaks all kinds of design rules, and then comes across that he knows better... all the while asking for more help (then usually ignores the best advice). He is a contradiction. He claims to be successful... but the quality of his design work doesn't support that conclusion. I'm left scratching my head wondering if he is lying or his clients have low expectations. Or, just maybe he had done work for these companies, but only on a lower level. For example, I could do a simple employee newsletter for Apple, and then tell everyone I've done design work for Apple. Impressive!

Maybe I should ignore this thread, but I'm kind of drawn to it like a freeway accident. Don't want to look, but can't help myself. LOL. I'm also perplexed at how many people so kindly keep trying to help the guy out even after all this time and with most help going ignored. I guess you are more gullible than me... or just nicer. ;-) Don't get me wrong... I like to help others. But I also don't like to encourage mediocrity. Anyway, time for me to move on - there is nothing left to see here.

 

[ethical]

snip

I get what you're saying, and to be honest didn't realise this thread was so old.

I wouldn't say I'm gullible, I just don't give up if someone ignores me the first time I say something

I actually like the new logo on the splash page, but I guess that's just me. I agree there shouldn't be a splash page in the first place, but if he's adamant that it should stay then all we can do is try and make the best of it.

My problem was with the petty argument that sprung up about his education. Just look past it. Give your suggestions and move on.

I hadn't looked through the rest of the site last night, only the splash screen and home page. I just did look through it all, and I agree, he hasn't really changed much at all.

OP, I'm going to break my tips down in big points. Just bear in mind I'm not a web designer, so my opinion is a very amateur one.

• If you have to keep the splash screen, change the enter text.
• Make the pages wider, use more of the available space.
• Get rid of the purple shadows.
• Get rid of some of the images. A lot of them just don't seem to fit. Did you design that necklace or mouth wash advert?
• Your text is quite harsh, and I don't really like the multiple colours - purple, green and blue all in one block of text really doesn't appeal to me.
• I'm really not a fan of the fade you have on the nav bar. This should be easy to find and easy to read.
• I still don't like the logo on the home page. Perhaps try and use something from the splash screen instead. You've got a lot of different themes all running at once. The typewriter thing, the purple text, purple shadows, the curvey logos, the random purple-to-green colour change in the middle of a word, the larger text in your paragraphs. Pick a few themes that fit together and base your content on them.
• Is your website actually VeriSign Secured? Or have you just put the picture on your site?
• With regards to the larger text in the middle of paragraphs to highlight certain words, try and do it a bit more subtly. At the moment it's really not very comfortable to read. The space between lines changes because of the enlarged text, and the big red words make the small normal grey text harder to read. Also try using fewer highlighted words., you've overdone it a bit IMO.

 

[Sdashiki]

The OP Doth Protest Too Much.

Critique all you want, the guy has made up his mind about what he wants. Our opinions get taken into consideration, chewed up, then vomited out.

Your site is no better than when I critiqued 2 years ago.

I mean FFS man, your HTML code is horrendous. Your CSS atrocious. Your design bland and uninspired. Your lack of professionalism HERE and on your SITE reeks of someone who thinks they know what they are doing and honestly cant believe people could be negative about it.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

@ THX1139 you always seem to hit the nail on the head with regards to design, I agree with most of your points. @ Sdashiki, I tend to agree I think the purpose of the posts were to showcase rather than use valid input from designers, pseudo-designers and the non-designers.

@ the OP I agree you've probably worked with JnJ, I have done branding before for two very large pharmaceutical. To all not know how these companies work they have stock images, font guide, colour guide then ANYONE puts them together (I've even seen a nurse put these together in Word 98 then send it to a print to the printer's "delight"). It's what I would refer to assembly rather than pure design, not to put the OP down but I do believe his done it because I have seen and worked in similar circumstances but it's just not design.

With regards to the actual web site, IMO I would:

• Scrap the entry page, they went out with animated GIFs.
• Use on one or two fonts.
• Try not to use image for text body, it's just plain bad practice.
• Refrain from ! (IMO they just don't look right for the right feel for professional text).
• Pick an alignment as stick to it.
• The UI feels very "clunky" there's no consistent navigation system, some text looks the same for buttons and headings which is/can be confusing.
• I would suggest getting off iWeb and trying something like Rapidweaver or Wordpress, it is much better technology. Smashing has 100 of the best, I strongly suggest looking at them.

BTW MBAs are dime a dozen, myself I have a BComm, MComm and 1/2 through an MBA...

To the OP I think if it's a hobby and you enjoy it congrats, keep it up (I am not being sarcastic, really).

 

[N16K NE]

@ ezekielrage_99 and ethical

Thank you both for your feedback. I have amended the suggestions that I felt comfortable making



Please everyone else let me know your thoughts.


I know there is a lot of white space.....I am in two minds - it brings eyes to the actual design and photography....GOOD....however it also makes the design of the overall page rather white....BAD..

Any thoughts - please do let me know..

Thank you for everyones feedback.