portfolio... what do you think?

[2nd day]

at last I have some time to make a website to show a bit of my designing skills... I want this site so I can show possible clients what I can and what I've done... I know this site is not very flashy and all, but I just want a clean and simple site. And I know, there's nothing to see at the portfolio part... First I want to know what you guys think of the design so far ;)

here's the link: http://thomas.zeal-music.com/flash/test/

[bwh2]

well, there's nothing really to critique. i recommend you put together a layout in photoshop first. get that critiqued, rework it, recritiqued, rinse and repeat. then put your layout in flash.

[thats all folks]

Well, it is simple and clean, can't really crit much due to there being really nothing there. The colors are nice.

[hybrid101]

hmmm...work more on the layout. the main functionality is working good, but it still looks bland.

[2nd day]

yup, you guys are right... there isnt quite enough layout... yesterday i thought it was quite nice... but after a night of good thinking i realise this is kind of boring...

[xief]

i like it, its nice, clean and simple.

[Pasquale]

It needs some oomph :D

[2nd day]

It needs some oomph :D

what do your mean by oomph? some special fx?? Because I wont be doing that... i think it just need some graphics... but at the moment I dont know what and where to put it... any ideas?

[2nd day]

well i made a little change... i set a pattern as background... I dont know what you guys think, but I think it gives a less boring look...

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5576/test9bu.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=test9bu.jpg)

[bwh2]

there's still nothing to critique. what you really need to do is put some dummy content in your layout. i mean right now, you are showing me a contact form. nobody (except us usability gurus) gets pumped about a contact form. in my opinion, the contact form is the last page you should be working on. you should get your homepage and portfolio pages down first. make the layouts for pages with actual content.

i am also under the impression that you are making the same mistake as many new web designers: building a portfolio site before they have any portfolio. i'm not saying this is the case, but it appears so. if this is true, i suggest that this site should not be built yet. instead, i would work on developing pieces to fill the portfolio.

[2nd day]

i dont ask you to critique the things in my portfolio, but just the holder of my portfolio :D I understand you want to see how the portfolio will look like, but i can tell you it will be very basic... and dont worry, i have some things to put in my portfolio ;)

about your other remarks; I just wanted to know about what you guys (and gurus ;)) think of colorscheme, layout etc... this is more the really basic stuff. The portfolio part will also be in the green box where the contactform is in now, so it wont look much different as it does now...

But ofcourse eventually ill have to put something in the portfolio part, so why wont i do it now... I hope you are able to give some feedback then :D

[2nd day]

ok... I've done some work on the portfolio part... it isnt really finished yet (just to fix some links and discriptions, and of course the adjustments that you advise). I aint really happy about it... I dont really know how to blend the "preview" picture and the next / prev button in to the site... any ideas?

http://thomas.zeal-music.com/flash/test/

[bwh2]

I aint really happy about it... I dont really know how to blend the "preview" picture and the next / prev button in to the site... any ideas?my opinion is that a portfolio is supposed to showcase your work. showing a small, partially covered preview isn't a showcase. doesn't really show any confidence in your work. i also think clicking through each one at a time is a pain.

[Pixelangry]

all i see is a pattern background

[2nd day]

my opinion is that a portfolio is supposed to showcase your work. showing a small, partially covered preview isn't a showcase. doesn't really show any confidence in your work. i also think clicking through each one at a time is a pain.

well you can click on the pictures, or isnt that enough :h:

@pixelangry: wich browser are you using?

[REEF·]

Well, truthfully its not much to look at. These types of sites are getting sort of played out now...the whole minimilistic idea. Some minim sites are okay, but they pull it off with something special to show the visitors.

Everybody wants a "clean and simple" site, those are probably the most popular words in design communites...sounds to me like they're intimidated by their own ability to make anything better. And usually I hear "clean and simple" when they have no other excuse to why their website isnt any different...

This site is kinda just rectangles and text, you should be abusing your skills and creating godly if not godlier pieces of art. You wanna show clients work you've done, but what happened to your own website? Thats the one you should be most proud of and work the hardest on. Right now its just tweening and scaling rectangles and masking them. You can do way better than that. Especially nowadays with flash growing, everyone expects more in a website.

And btw...bwh2 meant when you click the preview thumbnails on the portfolio page...all it does is open partial sections of the final work (if i'm right). Where's the rest of the website? Were you assigned to only make for example that "talentpit" section of a full website? If so you should tell the visitors you only did the talentpit part, but it would be nice to see the whole website.

[Obelisk]

The things that make portfolios stand out is the way work is showcase. I have to agree with what has been said about the work not being front and center on your site. Although i really digg your menu on the left, your actual content areas need better spacing and to be thought out a bit better. It certainly has potential but your content areas feel rushed.

Also put yourself in the shoes of a potential client. They come to your website to see the work. The less click to get to the work the better.

Hope this helps

[2nd day]

And btw...bwh2 meant when you click the preview thumbnails on the portfolio page...all it does is open partial sections of the final work (if i'm right). Where's the rest of the website? Were you assigned to only make for example that "talentpit" section of a full website? If so you should tell the visitors you only did the talentpit part, but it would be nice to see the whole website.

yeah... that kind of is the case... i was only assigned to do the more "difficult" bits of a website... so thats why I only show just that part I was assigned for... I know that doesnt look really good, and I thought I kind of mentioned it, but I guess I have to point that out more...

About that "clean and simple"-part, I know you're right... A personal-website should really stand out more for the clients but I'm afraid that when I try to make a real "state-of-art" website it will come out very wrong (I guess I aint that confident about my flash skills yet..)

and I know my site isnt a very good example of a minimalistic site... I guess I have to wrong attitude at the moment, because I dont think I should make a outstanding website. I want an average site... :cantlook: So your quite right about being intimidated by your own flash skills...

Although I think this design has potential (Thanks Obelisk for mentioning! I was already getting depressed ;)) and I think Obelisk has a good point of thinking more about laying out the content... (I hope you mean just the portfolio part, because I was quite satisfied with the contact page :worried:)

I really want to thank you guys for all the comments, it really started me thinking and realise that it is quite a job to make a good website!! Thanks, I will keep working on it, but I guess I have to try getting assignment where I can design whole website, and not just parts...

[REEF·]

See, there you go ;). Most people would deny it. I should know myself because when I used to like "clean and simple" sites it was because I'm a huge procrastinator, so everytime I'd get to my own website and I think "ok this one will be good," I get stuck and used to end up making really "clean and simple" sites.

Your site doesnt have to be a very good example for a minimalistic site, thats been done before! A bajillion times, its time for you to move on. Like I said, the industry is changing and people wanna see something different. If you look around the kool sites section, a lot of comments on sites are "yeah its nice" and "cool site." No one is really impressed on any of them except for the ones that stand out.

Nowadays its all about which website is different from the others and stands out (i prefer form, then function). And yes, your attitude is completely wrong. Admit it, deep down you dont want an average site. You do want an outstanding site, otherwise you wouldnt care what we think. Its just that when you try to you get stuck.

Keep designing! You have potential. And remember, you dont need an assignment to make a whole website!!! Nothing is stopping you or needs to give you permission to make a whole website. Just do it without consulting anybody...for yourself! Your design has potential. I bet your life every next version you make will come out better than the previous (prove this to us!).

:thumb:

[Esherido]

Excellent job on the helpful support REEF. I like the simple, minimalistic approch you're making, but I think you could so some more. Maybe some more interesting transitions and more menu items and sections to go to. Might want to work on your colors, menu style, borders etc. I think you've got a good foundation, but now it's time to get out the steel and cranes and actually start building something.

[Pixelangry]

Mac, Firefox.
Works fine in IE...

[Sillapanon]

It has nothing interesting then you should think more and more about layout. First thing that I can see I think line-height is too much. Second, you should fine better color scheme because that one looks not good enough.:-/

[2nd day]

Mac, Firefox.
Works fine in IE...
mmm strange, in firefox on windows it works just fine...

@REEF and the rest:

Thanks for the comments, I already have an awesome idea for another site... but I think that when I have such an idea I'm afraid that I wont be able to make such a great site as I have in mind... But really thanks for the support and the promising words, it really start me thinking! :thumb:

[rajeshambady]

The effect that u have done is very good.. If you have the ability to do such effects(scripts) in flash then you should think of something more.
I am not saying anything fuzzy.. but people shoul stay in your website for sometime... Not like at the first view they should close...

In my view the lay out is not attractive to stay more on the site..... Have some good design.

And a better color combination... you can do it....

This is my personal opinion... different peoples have differeny view so ask with more people and then decide...

[Esherido]

U've got some talent, good luck with ur next approach. We/or at least I will be more than glad to critique and complement (whichever is necessary) ur next work. I personally really like the site you have now, it just need more menu items and content, and I like ur colors too.

But as educated people know:
De Gustibus Non Disputandum Est
There Is No Accounting For Taste

[bwh2]

And btw...bwh2 meant when you click the preview thumbnails on the portfolio page...all it does is open partial sections of the final work (if i'm right). Where's the rest of the website?not to burst your bubble... but that's not what i meant. what i meant is that each preview image is only like 150x200 px. and it's got a semi-transparent white box over it. and it's got text on top. and 60% of that content box is taken up by auto-kerned text that looks pretty awful. and there's no title. the list goes on. on top of that, it's relatively slow to navigate.

i'm cool with it showing partial sections, but i think it just needs to actually show something. right now it's not really showing anything.

[2nd day]

not to burst your bubble... but that's not what i meant. what i meant is that each preview image is only like 150x200 px. and it's got a semi-transparent white box over it. and it's got text on top. and 60% of that content box is taken up by auto-kerned text that looks pretty awful. and there's no title. the list goes on. on top of that, it's relatively slow to navigate.
Yeah, that was what I was thinking at first too... There's just to little space to show a big picture and the text I want to display in the content box. So there a few options:

1. Make a button to switch between a "full" picture (the size of the content box) and the discription of the project. The problem then is that the user has to switch (an extra click...) and where to leave the button(s)? Maybe I can make a rollover for the picture... when you rollover the discription appears? maybe?

2. Make the content area bigger... but then it has to be much bigger to let the discription ASWELL as the picture fit in the content box... I think this isnt a very good option, maybe that if I make the whole flash movie a bit bigger (it's small now) it would be worth the consideration...

3. delete the whole portoflio part :hangover:

I dont agree on the time consuming part... I dont think the transition is that slow... maybe its just a fraction to slow, but it's almost negligible... I think that is just a mather of opinion.

Your right about the title... at first I had a title, but that was at the time that my image was even smaller :lol: So I guess I have to make a title in the red bar above the content box, and maybe move the next and prev buttons to that place aswell.

About the "really awful" auto-kerned text... I think it doesnt look great, but it doesnt look awful either... (just my opinion) Maybe you can send me in the right direction?

i'm cool with it showing partial sections, but i think it just needs to actually show something. right now it's not really showing anything. I dont really understand what your trying to say here... what isnt showing anything?

I really appreciate all the time you spend on trying to send me in the right direction and giving your opinion! I know you and REEF know where you talk about so I wont just throw away your advice/critique!

and all other people, thanks to you too!

[REEF·]

Yeah I'm not too sure either what you mean bwh2. I understand that the preview shouldnt be faded out as much but I dont get what you mean by "its not really showing anything." Whats not showing anything? The preview thumbnail or the final work itself?

2nd day, we'd really like to see another revision of the site as soon as possible because we have a good critique flow going on here! So keep working on it! And btw, the text looks perfectly fine to me...I dont see whats wrong with, its very crisp over here.

With the exception of the home text, to me the home text is messing up. The "m" and the "e" look quite distorted.

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6290/home5tl.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/3422/h20ht.jpg

And the "zeal discription" in the portfolio...that thumbnail doesnt seem to be opening the work thats shown in the preview.

[bwh2]

seems as though i wasn't being clear. to start, the text isn't legible. i correct myself, it does not look auto-kerned, it just has really whacked spacing. i have attached the an image depicting what i see when i look at the portfolio as it is now.

when i said that the portfolio isn't showing me anything, here's what i meant: without actually launching each project, i have no idea what the portfolio piece is.

i don't necessarily think you have to make the content box bigger (well, maybe a little taller to incorporate multiple images and the description text below). here's what i recommend:
- make each image about 90-95% of the total content width.
- put title below the image
- put the description below the title
- put the nav options below the description
- get rid of that white transparent box over the image.
- include multiple images if it's deserving (for instance, if you made an entire website, one preview image just isn't enough)

if i had those things, i wouldn't need to click on every launch button to get a feel for your work. in turn, that would entice me to click on the ones i actually think are interesting.

[Pasquale]

ahhh big posts- heheh not in a mood to read them all but I think i got the gist

Don't be afraid to try things :)

[2nd day]

@REEF: yeah I noticed that myself to... and it's kind of strange... I did embed the fonts, had nice round numbers for x and y values, and rendered the text as bitmap text... (just like all the other menu items) But when I render it as Anti-alias for readability it seems fine... I thought that was kind of strange because the font is a bitmap font... :puzzled:

I know the links aren't really working, will fix that very soon + some other things (to keep the flow going!!)

@bwh2: I still dont very get what's wrong with the text. Do you feel that the text doesnt point out enough? Does the text seem like a blur to you, because it isnt eye catching enough? Could be me for not understanding it... I'm dutch so my english isnt the best!

about your recommendations:
- the width of the picture: do you mean 90% of the content box or 90% of the content of the work i made (the project)? If you mean 90% of the content box I dont know how to fit in all the other pieces you mention... Because if the width is 90% the height will be pretty big either, so my content box should be a lot bigger (height-wise (is that english?!))

your other proposals seam ok! I made the transparent box so make the lauch site text stand out more. And more images is ofcourse a very good idea...

@darkmotion: that's the only way to learn! Thanks for pointing it out again! (maybe you should read some post, I think it's quite interesting ;))

I will work on the adjustments later, first I have a gig to play! (with my band Zeal (the site is in the portfolio, the correct link is www.zeal-music.com (http://www.zeal-music.com)) ;))

just a little idea here... the text only appears when you rollover the content box.
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/1975/opzet2aw.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=opzet2aw.jpg)

[Esherido]

Ok just got a problem. When I clicked on one of ur portfolio it took me to a blank website. I don't know if any of you have had this problem. Or maybe it's just me. Just letting u know (URL it took me to: http://thomas.zeal-music.com/flash/menu/holder.html)

[REEF·]

Its just you esh, my window shows the work he put up.

2nd day: the new idea is good! Just a question, why would you have "<< project >>" that scrolls through the different works...and then have another "<< image >>" set of buttons??? Thats really confusing, dont they do the same thing? You should fully remove the "<< image >>" because the project one at the top looks good. And I think it'll be easier to read the text if you made the white box under it have a higher opacity.

I cant really tell how the function works, I'd like to see it in swf form however!

[2nd day]

bwh2 thought it might be a good idea to have more than 1 picture for a project (if the project is big enough) to get a better impression before you launch the whole project. I thought that might is a good idea, therefore I added the << image >>

@esherido: probabibly you just have to wait a little longer because there isnt a preloader for that project... just wait and it will load eventually (doesnt take very long here though...)

[REEF·]

bwh2 thought it might be a good idea to have more than 1 picture for a project (if the project is big enough) to get a better impression before you launch the whole project. I thought that might is a good idea, therefore I added the << image >>oh ok, but did you mean me :h:

[Esherido]

Ok, maybe I'll try again in a little. It might be slow cuz I'm talking on Skype and that program sucks up 80% of my bandwidth. I'll tell you if I have anymore problems. It looks good and I haven't seen a single problem or bug yet.

[2nd day]

oh ok, but did you mean me :h:
do you mean it was your idea for multiple images for a project? I thought it was bwh2 idea...

- include multiple images if it's deserving (for instance, if you made an entire website, one preview image just isn't enough)(the post (http://www.kirupa.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1881029&postcount=29))

[REEF·]

No I thought you were talkin to me about the <<image>> thing cause I asked about it. Good idea nonetheless.

[2nd day]

Yes I was talking to you! ;)

But ok, I have made some adjustments... I didnt add multiple images for a project though, will do that later. Didnt feel like making that now... What's wrong this time? ;)

LINK (http://thomas.zeal-music.com/flash/test/)