Web Design Forums

j11t · 08-09-2007, 16:59

Have a peek

Let me know what you think

j11t · 10-09-2007, 17:37

No suggestions at all?

Web Surgeon · 10-09-2007, 18:56

Not a big fan, a few too many gradients and uncalled for overlaps in my opinion.

Snowshiro · 10-09-2007, 19:49

Gosh... It's pretty... unique... I thought I was going to like it when it started to load, and just had a couple of flat colours. And then all those gradients started appearing. It's like the bastard child of a Wordpress template and a web 2.0 startup. Sorry, don't want to be disheartening, but it gets the thumbs down from me.

j11t · 10-09-2007, 20:28

I agree about the over use of gradients

tis was a first try already working on a new design thanx for the feedback

theRemix · 11-09-2007, 03:02

yah, gradient hell.

i do like other elements though.

simple nav, i like.

simple, noticable heading, i like.

content boxes are beautiful, easy to read, well laid out, but maybe too small.
making them wider, with a little more content, and a lot more whitespace might make it that much more appealing.

if the rest of the elements flowed the way your header and your content boxes do, it would be awesome.

please to be getting rid of the "Simply Unique" its simply unnecessary.

good work though, keep it up, i hope this helps.

Flaming Ice · 12-09-2007, 17:32

Agreed, too much changing color. Try taking out a few gradients or making the color change less.

My eye is not visually drawn to the content, because you have too much else going on. Try making the content box a little bigger, and what your eye focuses on.

You have a good start, but it needs to have changes made to look good and be usable.

Looking at it again, I think the worst part is the brown gradients. Getting rid of those alone will be a big improvement.

j11t · 13-09-2007, 21:21

After reviewing the helpful comments I have redesigned the site while maintaining elements I liked.

Please view the site again and tell me what you think.
If you have already been to it REFRESH!! Have to fix some cache script

VIEW SITE

theRemix · 13-09-2007, 21:59

oooh much better!

idk about that black->white gradient behind the logo though... yes it works to draw attention to the logo, but to me, it gets distracting and takes too much focus away from the content. that's just me though.

i would remove that black polygon shape altogether, and just make the text "Jovial" and "Design" black.

j11t · 13-09-2007, 22:33

Hmmm I guess the logo is rather distracting,

I'd like to get more feedback before I alter the design again, plus I'm working on a scholarship application right now.

Shiro · 13-09-2007, 22:58

I think the idea of taking away the polygon and changing the white text to black like the other guy said, could look pretty good.

Little_Daisy · 24-09-2007, 22:25

I love the acid wash / tie-dye effect but think you could make the background more contrasty and even make the effect appear more strongly on selected areas of the "masthead".

j11t · 13-10-2007, 00:36

I will experiment with the colors a bit more. When the background is draker the site as whole is more striking but I was trying for a more subtle feel.

Maybe I'll put a skins changer on the site.

larrybn · 13-10-2007, 05:22

It pretty good considering you haven't be doing web design for that long however there some more problems that I don't think anyone else has point out:
1) It only works well at a screen res above 1024x768
2) There are way to many things going on we've got flowers, trees, stars, faces, triangles, lines; choose a style and stick with it
3) I like the background, but it cut off after the links
4) There are to many colours, I recommend using only 3, you have about 6.

The base of a very good site is there it just needs more thought and some tinkering. I wish you the best of luck!

j11t · 13-10-2007, 15:19

Thank you for your feedback. I was attempting to make the site some what eclectic, rather reflective of me, hence the wide array of elements.

I don't want the site to be just a marketing tool, I plan to add a blog and so forth and really make it my online identity, in a way like mattbrett.com- not necessarily emulating the site-but creating a unique space like this particular designer has.

The site definitely needs more tinkering. Perhaps I will make the width about 780px, or have the main elements fit within that range so it works better for smaller resolutions.

I've also considered a fluid design to accommodate a wider range of resolutions, but at the moment I'm working on two major projects, so I'll have to leave it as is for a little while longer.

Again thank you for the feedback, I will keep your comments in mind when I redesign the site.

08-09-2007, 16:59	#1 (permalink)
j11t Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 68	Jovial Designs-Critic...Advise etc Have a peek Let me know what you think Last edited by j11t : 13-09-2008 at 12:53.

12-09-2007, 17:32	#7 (permalink)
Flaming Ice mv/bin/laden /dev/null Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 48	Agreed, too much changing color. Try taking out a few gradients or making the color change less. My eye is not visually drawn to the content, because you have too much else going on. Try making the content box a little bigger, and what your eye focuses on. You have a good start, but it needs to have changes made to look good and be usable. Looking at it again, I think the worst part is the brown gradients. Getting rid of those alone will be a big improvement. Last edited by Flaming Ice : 12-09-2007 at 17:46.

13-09-2007, 21:21	#8 (permalink)
j11t Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 68	After reviewing the helpful comments I have redesigned the site while maintaining elements I liked. Please view the site again and tell me what you think. If you have already been to it REFRESH!! Have to fix some cache script VIEW SITE Last edited by j11t : 13-10-2007 at 00:37.

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10-09-2007, 17:37	#2 (permalink)
j11t Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 68	No suggestions at all?

10-09-2007, 18:56	#3 (permalink)
Web Surgeon Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 16	Not a big fan, a few too many gradients and uncalled for overlaps in my opinion.

10-09-2007, 19:49	#4 (permalink)
Snowshiro Will work for Marmite Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sapporo, Japan Posts: 574	Gosh... It's pretty... unique... I thought I was going to like it when it started to load, and just had a couple of flat colours. And then all those gradients started appearing. It's like the bastard child of a Wordpress template and a web 2.0 startup. Sorry, don't want to be disheartening, but it gets the thumbs down from me.

10-09-2007, 20:28	#5 (permalink)
j11t Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 68	I agree about the over use of gradients tis was a first try already working on a new design thanx for the feedback

11-09-2007, 03:02	#6 (permalink)
theRemix Battery Chicken Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hawaii Posts: 83	yah, gradient hell. i do like other elements though. simple nav, i like. simple, noticable heading, i like. content boxes are beautiful, easy to read, well laid out, but maybe too small. making them wider, with a little more content, and a lot more whitespace might make it that much more appealing. if the rest of the elements flowed the way your header and your content boxes do, it would be awesome. please to be getting rid of the "Simply Unique" its simply unnecessary. good work though, keep it up, i hope this helps.

13-09-2007, 21:59	#9 (permalink)
theRemix Battery Chicken Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hawaii Posts: 83	oooh much better! idk about that black->white gradient behind the logo though... yes it works to draw attention to the logo, but to me, it gets distracting and takes too much focus away from the content. that's just me though. i would remove that black polygon shape altogether, and just make the text "Jovial" and "Design" black.

13-09-2007, 22:33	#10 (permalink)
j11t Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 68	Hmmm I guess the logo is rather distracting, I'd like to get more feedback before I alter the design again, plus I'm working on a scholarship application right now.

13-09-2007, 22:58	#11 (permalink)
Shiro shiro Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 2,551	I think the idea of taking away the polygon and changing the white text to black like the other guy said, could look pretty good.

24-09-2007, 22:25	#12 (permalink)
Little_Daisy Banned Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 10	I love the acid wash / tie-dye effect but think you could make the background more contrasty and even make the effect appear more strongly on selected areas of the "masthead".

13-10-2007, 00:36	#13 (permalink)
j11t Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 68	I will experiment with the colors a bit more. When the background is draker the site as whole is more striking but I was trying for a more subtle feel. Maybe I'll put a skins changer on the site.

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13-10-2007, 05:22	#14 (permalink)
larrybn Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 77	It pretty good considering you haven't be doing web design for that long however there some more problems that I don't think anyone else has point out: 1) It only works well at a screen res above 1024x768 2) There are way to many things going on we've got flowers, trees, stars, faces, triangles, lines; choose a style and stick with it 3) I like the background, but it cut off after the links 4) There are to many colours, I recommend using only 3, you have about 6. The base of a very good site is there it just needs more thought and some tinkering. I wish you the best of luck!

13-10-2007, 15:19	#15 (permalink)
j11t Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 68	Thank you for your feedback. I was attempting to make the site some what eclectic, rather reflective of me, hence the wide array of elements. I don't want the site to be just a marketing tool, I plan to add a blog and so forth and really make it my online identity, in a way like mattbrett.com- not necessarily emulating the site-but creating a unique space like this particular designer has. The site definitely needs more tinkering. Perhaps I will make the width about 780px, or have the main elements fit within that range so it works better for smaller resolutions. I've also considered a fluid design to accommodate a wider range of resolutions, but at the moment I'm working on two major projects, so I'll have to leave it as is for a little while longer. Again thank you for the feedback, I will keep your comments in mind when I redesign the site.