I’ve been playing with my website again… I don’t know how many thousands of times I have changed this thing in the past several years… and it always sucks… (At one point I had “ARS” as a logotype in the site- I can’t tell you how many people commented on that)
Anyways, please do not hold back on anything you see that stands out as off. (Other than comments about scroll through images and how I need some- cause I am not going back to that - too many ppl wanting a pdf)
Thanks much!
My only critique is from a usability standpoint: If you’re planning on having a limited page site (just an “about” page with some links) I would recommend that the site be a single page. Splash pages (with no content) are nothing more than a nuisance…
You could get convey everything in one page, with some links on the bottom or sides, your logo,etc…arrangement is your call, but keeping things simple makes it easier for your visitors to get to the info without the added “click.”
Nice Urlacher PEZ dispenser, BTW…
I agree with nate about eliminating the splash page. Along with that If you intend on using a pdf link and a coroflot link as the means to promote yourself, I would move this information to the top and make sure it is clearly visible. Its also not a bad idea to give the size of the pdf download. That way ppl know what they are getting into.
No splash page huh? I feel like even though I am going for minimalist the front page is still key for a site… but maybe…
Ok the size thing is probably a good thing (and maybe label .pdf and .doc file types)
Ok- what about content? Do I need a ton of crappy thumbnail sketches to prove to everyone that I suck at them? Or do I keep with my photoshop / illustrator rendering style for process shots? I am a believer of showing your strengths…
Thanks much guys- keep em coming!
First props for posting it.
I disagree with the earlier comments and think a splash page is important but it needs to convey something. It can tell something about you and serve as a home base for the rest of the site. Right now the home base is your about page because it has all of the connections to more info. The Nate has a great splash page with lots of content, but simple and it convinces viewers to look at the rest of his site.
I think showing some stuff on the site would be good as well. Convince me to click that download button!
Also, the stuff you design is fun… maybe the feel of the site could reflect that more?
Yo-
Thanks for the insight.
Ok- understood - maybe some “teaser” product shots / illustrations / graphics that would indicate that, yes, indeed I am a designer of nonsensical novilty items.
Back to work. I’ll post again after the revisions.
Thanks again for the crit!
Ok I changed some things. Any comments?
Thanks again everyone!
Adding some work helped it out a lot.
I think it is better but it is still off. Here are some of my thoughts. Take 'em with a grain of salt as I struggle with my own site, I’m sure there are people much more qualified to comment:
the word Andrew appears 4 times on the splash page. I would move your contact info to a “contact” page, get rid of the “andrew” on the “about andrew” link, put all of the links on the splash page. I also think you could do a page that is your resume so people don’t have to download it.
The width changes on the two pages.
The images could be different on the two pages.
Great suggestions- thanks much!
In addition to these- I am thinking of having an image library (like I was trying to avoid) because the coroflot link is kind of throwing me off- it looks very inconsistant…
I’ll post after I revise.
Thanks again!
Ok-
Made several revisions to the UI and extra pages (still trying to keep it as simple as possible)
I still have not redone the samples page (right now it links to my pdf- careful!!) I am going to do the scroll through thumbs that I was dreading - just a few to make the 3.0meg sample packet worth downloading…
Anything standout again?
Thanks again!!! Beers on me if anyone makes it to Chi.
i dont know if anyone else gets this but when i view the page its all over to the left
i would like it to be centred if thatrs not too much trouble
Thanks for the comment- I’ll look at it centered and see what it’s like.
It’s def more of a “website” now. I think you should keep tinkering with it. Surf onto it like you have no idea who Andrew is and see what you think. Also benchmark some other designer’s personal sites: here is a list of some:
Ok- been playing with the “samples” section to make it more cohesive…
Does this make sense (layout wise?)
I like this much better than how it was before…BUT when you click samples it is kind of confusing as to why that hand is there?
I think you would be better off highlighting the three catagories that you can pick from with words and a teaser pic. Once you enter a “sample type” it is great. But you may want to take that pig think off the side banner if you are going to be using that to highlight some of your work (like the fear factor thing).
I would reccomend using that space as you did for the fear factor bug for all of your examples, cuz it adds depth to your images. Other than that it looks good…
On a side note, just to be nit picky…the whole site is a little squished - do you think that you could just spread out the whole page a little more? and for the navigation within the sample work I think it is spelled novelty not novilty…also some more spacing between the words may help a user to navigate that section.
good work man!
Yeah- the hand was a 10 second image i made to hold the space (I am thinking of putting a skectch collage there)
I am unsure of what you are suggesting… are you saying that the pig throws the site off because I do not show that in my work yet?
Unsure again- are you saying that my layout for the sand crab (bugish) is nicer than the rest of my layouts? Maybe keeping all my layouts consistant would add something? Hmm…
I am actually trying to get it to fit on a 17inch monitor… so I am trying to keep the site small and compact… but maybe I could center it so it will “seem” bigger on large format monitors.
Duh on the novelty… no matter how often I use that word I seem to always spell it wrong… damn you spell check!
Thanks so much for the crit!
I am glad that you found the crit helpful.
I think that the pig collage and the bug collage are both nice on the side of the page, but I think that they take away from your other work when you are in the sample sections.
I would be wary of changing the side banner when you go to different parts of the site, because it is easy to associate those images with the main body of the page.
The only place that I think it would be appropriate is in the sample section. I was suggesting that you use the space on the side of the page to include a second image of your main projects in those sections (that is what I thought the bug collage was when you enter the fear factor project, but apparently it is not only for that specific project).
As for the size of the site. I am definately not an expert web designer, but I am pretty sure that the size of your website should be related to the resolution set to the computer screen, not the physical screen size. Regardless of screen size, I always set mine to at least 1024x768. Maybe someone else on here has some more info on an industry stadard for making websites?
Good luck with the changes…
I see what you are saying about the side panel - having it relate to the content of the project shown might be useful.
Thanks again!
Ok- new content / layout… lots of nit picky things I changed…
What else?
Thanks.