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Criticism?

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Alex-Grim New member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 16 Location: AlexGrim.com Status: Offline	Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 03:42 Hey guys, i'm sure that you've heard this a million times by now, but i'm stuck on creative ideas for a layout. I am a really good programmer / coder / dba / etc, but i almost COMPLETELY lack creativity for layouts! And we all know that no one will ever hire you if you lack DESIGN skills -- no matter how good of a developer you may be. Anyway, i was wondering if i could get some criticism for the FLASH version to a website that i'm getting ready to remodle (due to a company name change), and also on the new HTML version that i am in the process of brainstorming layout ideas for right now. I will provide a link for the FLASH version, and links to images of the HTML designs so far, and i would appreciate any helpful criticism. The look i'm trying to go for is "dark" "modern" "cutting edge" "technology" "professional" "industrial" etc. I am aware that it is very difficult to have a "dark" theme that people will also regard as a "professional" image, but this is something that i am pretty firm on. The target market is small businesses, and personal / side businesses. I've had one client that i got from other work that i was doing elsewhere, and i decided that i want to continue working for myself, which is why i started this, but i'm starting to realize that --despite how well i may be able to program and code things, i may not have what it takes to "design" things... I have been looking at what others are doing for a long time now, and bookmarking all the websites that i feel i can use for inpiration and guidance. I've tried so many ideas with Gimp (linux's photoshop), but nothing comes to any satisfactory results. Here is the Flash version: http://Ionisis.com/flash Here are the html images. http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-1-1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-1-2.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-1-3.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-1-4.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-2-1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-2-2.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-2-3.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-3-1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-4-1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-5-1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-6-1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-6-2.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-7-1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-7-2.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-7-3.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-7-4.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-7-5.jpg _________________ [url="http://eInformationOrganizer.com"]The Online Organizer[/url] \| [url="http://LinuxIntro.com"]Linux Intro[/url] \| [url="http://TheReformProject.com"]The Reform Project[/url] \| [url="http://Ionisis.com"]Ionisis[/url]

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Alex-Grim New member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 16 Location: AlexGrim.com Status: Offline	Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 06:41 I have been seriously considering paying a freelance designer for front end design work, as i could handle the xhtml css php mysql js, etc, but the problem is finding one that is decent at design, and who doesn't charge an arm and a leg... I'm still not going to give up on trying to improve my own design skills, though. I KNOW that eventually i will realize where i'm going wrong, and be able to think past it. For example, i am trying to create a "dark" and "futuristic" feel while maintaining the "professional" aspect. Well, it is not that it cannot be done, it is only that i cannot envision how it should be done, and so i end up creating disasterpieces. For my personal websites, it would be almost adequate enough to literally "rip off" an existing design, and then modify the hell out of it until it becomes essentially "my own", and suits my needs and tastes; but for the Ionisis site, this could not be done, because i really cannot find a really dead on example of what i am envisioning. Hell, even my own personal sites (see signature) lack design talent. I hate this damned "designer's block"! :( Anyway, thanx for the tips. _________________ [url="http://eInformationOrganizer.com"]The Online Organizer[/url] \| [url="http://LinuxIntro.com"]Linux Intro[/url] \| [url="http://TheReformProject.com"]The Reform Project[/url] \| [url="http://Ionisis.com"]Ionisis[/url]

Alex-Grim New member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 16 Location: AlexGrim.com Status: Offline	Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:24 By joe, i think i've got it! I came up with this by FREAK accident. I was trying to do something almost completely different, but it kept going in a direction that i didn't want or like... until i tried experimenting with textures! :D I'm still sure that there is more that i can do for it before i start coding it, but i thought that i'd just throw the "work in progress" out there for some critique along the way. Thanx all. http://Ionisis.com/images/Layout-8-1.jpg _________________ [url="http://eInformationOrganizer.com"]The Online Organizer[/url] \| [url="http://LinuxIntro.com"]Linux Intro[/url] \| [url="http://TheReformProject.com"]The Reform Project[/url] \| [url="http://Ionisis.com"]Ionisis[/url]

Alex-Grim New member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 16 Location: AlexGrim.com Status: Offline	Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:45 I am taking everyone's advice, and trying to weene myself off the 'future/tech' theme, but it's not coming very easy :D. Here are some new approaches at the whole "Professionalism" thing, let me know what you think: http://Ionisis.com/images/Ionisis-2.0.1.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Ionisis-2.0.2.jpg http://Ionisis.com/images/Ionisis-2.0.3.jpg _________________ [url="http://eInformationOrganizer.com"]The Online Organizer[/url] \| [url="http://LinuxIntro.com"]Linux Intro[/url] \| [url="http://TheReformProject.com"]The Reform Project[/url] \| [url="http://Ionisis.com"]Ionisis[/url]

taljit New member Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 34 Status: Offline	Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 16:50 the icon for the logo is too big, try it a bit smaller so there is more space between it the and the borders.

Kiran New member Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 45 Status: Offline	Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 16:51 Hi, Just viewed your site and here are a few things that I noticed: 1. Not a fan of the chequered effect at the top. Reminds me of a seatbelt. 2. Dont like the font you have used for the headings, I think that would look better if you used a similar font to the one you have for the name. 3. I dont think the white text is looking good. Can you try containing the content in a grey block and using black text? Just a thought.

Waqar81 New member Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 31 Status: Offline	Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 16:59 Hi Alex, I personally don't like the 'content' and 'options' down the side. I don't really see the point. Picking up on what Kiran said try the text in a box as there is a lot of 'black' space at the bottom which looks a bit uneven.

Alex-Grim New member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 16 Location: AlexGrim.com Status: Offline	Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 00:42 taljit wrote: the icon for the logo is too big, try it a bit smaller so there is more space between it the and the borders. Do you refer to the borders of the header? I will give it a shot, thanks. Waqar81 wrote: I personally don't like the 'content' and 'options' down the side. I agree with you on that. Kiran wrote: Dont like the font you have used for the headings, I think that would look better if you used a similar font to the one you have for the name. You know, it's funny because in some other design forum people were saying that the font for the header is lame, and to use a normal font. I did not agree, but i am here to listen, not to dispute other people's opinions. That font is actually a font that i made myself, but at the moment i only completed the alphabet and numbers. If anyone actually likes it, just let me know, and i will give you a copy of the ttf file. I plan on releasing it under the GPL license. The font name is (appropriately enough) "Ionisis". Also, i kinda ditched the whole new layout, because i'm really trying to break myself of designing the site to my tastes; so i'm in the process of trying to brainstorm a whole new "ordinary" and "professional" look. I guess that i was just thinking that i needed something that looked "technical" to impress potential clients. But now i'm starting to realize (thanx to everyone's input) that i need something that looks good to them, even if i don't really like it... Thanx all; i will be back when i finally come up with something semi-normal... _________________ [url="http://eInformationOrganizer.com"]The Online Organizer[/url] \| [url="http://LinuxIntro.com"]Linux Intro[/url] \| [url="http://TheReformProject.com"]The Reform Project[/url] \| [url="http://Ionisis.com"]Ionisis[/url]

Alex-Grim New member Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 16 Location: AlexGrim.com Status: Offline	Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 00:46 I meant to ask you guys something else: What do you think about me making the background a lighter color of brushed metal, and then making the foreground font black? I may try it before i completely ditch this approach. _________________ [url="http://eInformationOrganizer.com"]The Online Organizer[/url] \| [url="http://LinuxIntro.com"]Linux Intro[/url] \| [url="http://TheReformProject.com"]The Reform Project[/url] \| [url="http://Ionisis.com"]Ionisis[/url]

Kiran New member Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 45 Status: Offline	Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 16:40 Alex-Grim wrote: What do you think about me making the background a lighter color of brushed metal, and then making the foreground font black? I may try it before i completely ditch this approach. That is what I was trying to say in point 3 from my post. Sorry if I was not clear. I think it will look much better like this. Also with regards your font that got mocked elsewhere I think those other guys are just sitting on the fence to much asking you to use the same old fonts. I mean, we could all just do that but how much fun would that be!

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