[krazytim]

Link: Tim Silva - Freelance Web and Interface Designer - Online Portfolio

Hello I have posted previous versions of my website here before, but I have recently gone through many changes as a designer and I now create more professional and visually stunning designs.

I have been into web design, interface design, and web development for over 3 years and I absolutely love it as an art form and as a job. I create web sites with the most recent web standards (Valid XHTML & CSS) and I make an effort to create designs that people remember because of their overall quality and visual appeals.

Let me know what you all think of my new portfolio I want to hear lots of C&C and I am looking forward to hearing what you all think. I pushed myself to create a layout with minimal graphics and a specific focus on the content - my portfolio. The other pages has lots of information as well if you are interested.

Peace,
-Tim

[j11t]

What college do you attend?

[pgo]

A definite improvement on your older stuff.

My biggest complaint is the quality of code. Yes, it's valid (and that's great!), but W3C validity is pointless when code suffers from a case of "divitis". That is, there seems to be little attention paid to semantics - everything's a <div> (lots and lots of <div>s).

<div>s should be your last choice for an HTML element. Yes, they are used all the time, but you'd do better by your users and by search engines if you used elements with semantic meaning - h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, p, ol, ul, dl, blockquote, q, samp, code, pre - to name a few.

You don't want to be using <div class="separator"></div> (that's what padding and margins are for). That's pointless and nearly as bad as using tables for everything. If you use a list for your nav instead, you'll have plenty of styling hooks to attach CSS rules to:

<ul>
  <li><a href="blah">blah</a></li>
</ul>

And then you have access to the following selectors:

ul { ... }
ul li { ... }
ul li a { ... }

Then pepper your markup with classes and IDs to add even more hooks as required. Check out css.maxdesign.com.au for inspiration on lists.

Again, I think it's a great improvement of earlier stuff - especially in the code department (I recall your older stuff was still using tables and was sliced-and-diced with Photoshop). If you just study a bit about using powerful CSS combined with semantically rich HTML, you'll be in great shape!

[krazytim]

@ j11t - Santa Rosa Junior College.

@ pgo - I've heard many of the same responses from other places, I understand semantic meaning and how to write out html, I just find divs 1000x easier to work with. I am planning on going through an changing some elements, such as the <p> tag for the text areas and such. When I used "<div class="separator"></div>" if you look at the class it isn't just for padding/margin purposes, there is a background image in there, so it does serve a purpose. Unfortunately you can't have more than one background image in a class, so in order to have a simple block with just a background image and nothing else, a <div> tag is the cleanest way. Overall you are right though. I will work on having solid semantic coding and everything else should fall into place. Thanks for your comments!

[shwizle]

the URL; it's not working for me?

[pgo]

Originally Posted by krazytim

@ pgo - I've heard many of the same responses from other places, I understand semantic meaning and how to write out html, I just find divs 1000x easier to work with.

Bah. Excuses!

They really aren't any "easier to work with" than anything else. It's just a block element. The only difference (from a rendering standpoint) between a <div> and a <p> (or an <h1> or a <ul>) is various styles that the browser defaults to. For instance, <p> will generally have a default margin. <h1> will have a larger font size. <ul> will have a list-style associated with it and margins/padding. And so on.

As far as the separator thing, I know what it's for - I'm just suggesting you use an unordered list instead (you could apply the "separator" background image to the <li>s and the button backgrounds to the <a>).

[krazytim]

The only way I meant that it is easier to work with is because it is only one tag to use with different classes/ids. I have never liked the <p> tag because it makes a new line obviously and it always disrupted my layouts. I understand how to use it now and all the tags for that matter, but like I said, I never got into the habit of using the traditional block elements.

[j11t]

I'm guilty of relying too heavily on the <div> tag too. I have about three years of experience as you do, but I'm still in high school. I guess since you are doing freelance, it doesn't really matter that much to you as long as the clienst keep coming...hmm not sure. Personally on all subsequent sites, I'll try to break my dependency on div's. I'm hoping to go to school in California-(stanford)

[krazytim]

Ya, I am definitely going to work on semantic coding. To be honest, after taking several classes related to web design and development, you learn that most web sites out there do not validate, they are not coded semantically, and are often times coded with sloppy software (Microsoft Word) and really are just poorly done. I recently ditched flash work for my own portfolio because it simply isn't as easy to use for both developers and users as regular old html is. I have lots to learn still, but I think that if I can nail the semantic coding issue, I really can be making fully professional web sites. It is in my mind the last major skill to overcome. There is always room for improvement obviously, but I am just talking about a standard foundation as a designer and a basic developer.

[krazytim]

*Updated

I have made major changes to the content and layout that are worthy of posting.

Link: Tim Silva - Freelance Web and Interface Designer - Online Portfolio

(I have recorded some cool new tutorials and will be releasing them shortly for those of you who are interested.)

[kbarrett]

Your top header bar looks polished but I'd rethink the logo. Do you recycle stuff? That logo is very "engineering company" - wrong for a creative type. I'm also not that crazy about the color scheme. That blue behind your samples is a little boring. Darken to the navy color in the header perhaps? Give it a little kick?

You don't need that 'explaining stuff' box on every page.

Do me a favor and go take a look at mine. I'm on this thread (colorspretty) and give me some feedback too. My design isn't quite working and I need some constructive criticism, please. Don't worry about hurting my feelings if you don't like it - just tell me why.

p.s. - (About page) - You're a cute guy but I personally think pics are kind of cheesy. Does anyone else agree? Also, you don't need to mention that your quotes are free.

[kbarrett]

Quick note: lead in with samples of actual (not spec) work. I know it's hard as a designer getting started or if you don't have much work that is still online. Put your published pieces first. Throw in some other design sample if you have them also (posters, illustration, business cards or whatever). If you have them they can help show that you have "range" as a designer.

[krazytim]

Thanks for the criticism, I'll take these on one at a time

The logo - I have had this logo for quite a while now. I made it when I was a heavy flash user and the 'recycle' look was meant to be more symmetrical than anything. Although you make a valid point, I think it isn't wrong for a creative studio, just not generic.

The colors - That is a total personal preference, and I have though about changing some of the colors slightly, but I wanted it to contrast well together. I won't darken the blue because anything darker than what I already have will scare people away :P

The yellow box is for a mission statement area on each page. If I didn't have it on there, I would feel like something is missing both visually and textually. It is very important for me because I like to explain things and make my intentions clear. It is really to push my desire to be clear and direct with clients.

The picture - I wanted to have the picture there to show people that I am a person. I don't like to idea of people hiring me as a faceless person, it makes the whole business kinda depressing. I don't want to be too personal, but I want to show that I am in fact a human being.

The samples - I post my work in order as they are released. I have some new projects in the works that will have live versions that will be on top and I expect to have many more live items in the future. Great point though, I will keep it in mind. I don't do much other design work other than interfaces and a few logos. I want the focus of this site to be on my web designs - My deviantART account and my archive section both have all of my other work just in case though.

Your site - Its offline I really wanted to see it though.

[Digital]

There still could be some improvements made but good work man, I like some of the things I saw.

[krazytim]

Thanks.

Perhaps you could point out what those improvements might be... (?)