[j_polo9]

hello all! Looking for some critiques for a layout:



Thanks!
-Jesse

[j_polo9]

maybe the red version is better?

[datahound]

The menu at the bottom should be on top of the white box.

Then maybe allow the white to fil down the page, you will not get a lot of text in there?

Otherwise it is not flipping my lid, a bit plain?

I can see where you are trying to go but I cannot identify why exactly it is failing.

Prefer the grey.

[j_polo9]

ahh thanks. Yea i don't plan on having much more content than that. If there is i'll add a scroller. The menu at the bottom is just for search engines, though i might take it out altogethar. I wanted it to be fairly simple but have an interesting design that focuses on the content and is a bit different from other sites. If you get any ideas on where you think it's failing let me know! Thanks,
-Jesse

[Transmogrify]

If the menu at the bottom is just for search engines, use CSS for your menu bar on the side and use background images to show the graphical button and hide the text by surrounding the text menu names by <span>s and setting the display property for those spans to none.

[i3lance]

Both colours are Ok, however I would give the nod to the red (however this site does remind if me a pizza parlour - is this the including in their catering?).

How about using random CSS/Javscript to alternate the colour from red/charcoal black? That would be a nice touch.

[pgo]

Originally Posted by Transmogrify

If the menu at the bottom is just for search engines, use CSS for your menu bar on the side and use background images to show the graphical button and hide the text by surrounding the text menu names by <span>s and setting the display property for those spans to none.

Actually, I prefer the method...

a {
display: block;
background: blah blah blah;
width: somepx;
height somepx;
}

a span {
display: block;
width: 0px;
height: 0px;
overflow: hidden;
}

[datahound]

Looking at it again, it works at what it is meant to do.

I think the reason I don't like it is just because I don't like that pizza house american style,

that's just me.

[j_polo9]

Thanks! I might use the css for the menu, i was planning on doing the menu in flash to do a small animation but that might be out of place for this site and your suggestions might work better.

i3- when would you suggest rotating the colours? The idea sounds interesting but i don't want it to look cheesy. Thanks for all the ideas!
-Jesse

[pgo]

Flash = no text = bad for search engines = bad for people who might not have Flash installed.

[j_polo9]

true.

[jthomas]

i really like both colors, but the red makes me hungry, black feels formal. agree with putting the bottom menu above white box.