opinions on this design please??

[stu_t]

http://www.stuart-twigger.co.uk/new/

for my new portfolio

cheers

[Anogar]

I like it. I look forward to seeing it live. :thumb:

[bwh2]

it doesn't look like a portfolio. i have no idea what it's supposed to be. not having a section title certainly doesn't help. if it's supposed to be a portfolio, i would suggest showing larger thumbnails of the work so that you can actually tell what they are. the navigation is hidden where the copyright info would normally be, which is probably the worst mistake here.

[stu_t]

well my reply for that is why have it look like a portfolio??? who says a portfolio has to look a certain way??

i agree with the larger thumbnails though looking at it now!!

but once again u say the navigation is hidden??? but i seems quite un hidden to me plus u say where the copyright wud normally, why shud the copyright be in a certain place?

[bwh2]

well my reply for that is why have it look like a portfolio??? who says a portfolio has to look a certain way??...
but once again u say the navigation is hidden??? but i seems quite un hidden to me plus u say where the copyright wud normally, why shud the copyright be in a certain place?people spend most of their time on sites that aren't yours.

[stu_t]

how boring would the internet be if sites were all layed out the same!!

i believe in thinking outside the box!

you obviously have no appreciation for things different!!

i like the think people would appreciate summin a bit different

just cause one person makes summin one way dont mean everyone else has to follow!!

wat ure sayin is just like sayin british car companies should produce cars with left hand drive just because the usa and other countries do cause people arnt always gonna be driving in britain!!

[bwh2]

wat ure sayin is just like sayin british car companies should produce cars with left hand drive just because the usa and other countries do cause people arnt always gonna be driving in britain!!no, what i'm saying is that if you're making a car, you don't put the steering wheel on the floor just for the sake of being different.

if people come to your site and have no idea what they're looking at and can't find the navigation, your site doesn't work.

i'll step aside now and let other people comment. you can disagree with me all you want, but i would highly suggest doing some research on usability before you just denounce what i say.

[Keaney]

Now now guys, lets keep the noise down. A little bit of critique never hurt anyone, like all websites their is always room for improvement; some people like to give their points of view out in different ways you just have to respect their point of view and maybe if needs be take it into consideration.

Looking at the design of this as it stands it is looking good, I like the abstract feel on the right; maybe try pulling that out into the background of the site also and have some sort of background design to do with the abstract feel.

Maybe also try making this a flash website that opens out into a full window style design, so when you open the page it fills the screen and has an animation showing maybe purple paint flowing out into them abstract lines then in the middle your site sort of drops into place.

Just an idea I thought may interest you. :)

[stu_t]

yeh it is going to be flash!!

ill take ure ideas on board and have a play with it tomorrow i think!!

and i wasnt moaning about the critique jsut the fact he implyed i shud design in a certain way! when to me design is being able to do whatever i want! shouldnt have to follow guide lines of where certain things go etc!

[Anogar]

Any particular reason you asked for critique if you were planning on arguing with the advice given? :h::huh:

By the way... you'd probably get better responses if you spent some time on your threads and acted like you had some basic grasp of English.

[leisuresuitlissy]

well my reply for that is why have it look like a portfolio??? who says a portfolio has to look a certain way???

Yeah I agree - folios are supposed to highlight creativity for chrissakes... I think its pretty obvious that it is a portfolio with headings like "web" "print" etc...

I like it...but agree with the bigger thumbnails thing.

:thumb:

[stu_t]

i wasnt planning on arguing!!

but when someone trys to tell me i should be doing something a certain way (for example where the copyright should be etc) i should have the right to stick up for wat i believe in shouldnt i????

i was just trying to point out the fact that i like to be creative and different and just because someone else has put something somewhere why should i?

[Anogar]

The thing is that there are creative choices, and then there are unnecessary choices that break conventions for no particular reason. It's up to you to decide which is which, but if it feels awkward to one of your potential users, that's something that you need to consider instead of "sticking up for what you believe".

Copyright information is very often on the lower right side - and putting your navigation there felt awkward to bwh2 - that's something that you need to consider.

You need to consider each decision you make and figure out whether it is a creative choice that is improving your design, or whether you're simply breaking design conventions and confusing your users for no particular reason. Breaking away from the norm just to do it isn't helpful.

Understand?

[REEF·]

but when someone trys to tell me i should be doing something a certain way (for example where the copyright should be etc) i should have the right to stick up for wat i believe in shouldnt i????

i was just trying to point out the fact that i like to be creative and different and just because someone else has put something somewhere why should i?Well, I agree with this statement to the fullest but I'm not sure how your portfolio in particular is any different or much more creative than the rest of the babies that are being whipped out lately.

But I do agree a section title will help! I'm not sure where we are at the moment .

[Denise032]

Well, it seems as tho we're in the Web section since Web is highlighted. But, obviously not every1 sees that so section headings might be a good consideration. ;)

On the navigation, move it around a bit and see what works better.. Not so sure I'm feelin it in the bottom right.

Last but not least, maybe it could be bigger somehow? I think it's a bit too small to read everything. I feel like my eyes are straining a tad.


Looks pretty nice thus far!! Keep at it! :)

[ApixDesigns]

i didnt read all of the posts in this thread, but i could fully tell that it was a portfolio because it said web, print, id, etc... i really like it. do something about the thumbnails and mabye make the site bigger as a whole so that you can make the thumbnails and the text bigger and use more of the browser window.

[stu_t]

Anogar (http://www.kirupa.com/forum/member.php?u=45464) im sorry but i disagree!!

just becuase something is ususally placed in a certain place doesnt mean i have to put it there!

as i said before how boring would the net be if every site had everythink placed in the same place!

YES is wud be easy to use, but wud be oh so boring, and to me the internet is there to create and showcase things that are different and unique!

personally i think users would appreciate something different as people who will be looking at my site will be looking into if they require my services, and who wants to pay for a website that looks just like every other one???

[mikken]

I really really don't need or want this debate to go on but I can't resist:
Yes, the internet is a lovely place and all lovely places should have diversity. I like the style of your page, and it looks promising.
The fact that you hid your menu down to the right instead of (the expected) top left isn't exactly a quantum leap of creative thinking - if that was to be creative, the whole page should be backwards in some sense.
Your menu looks like a footnote, not an all-important piece of your online portfolio. If you must have it there, it could use a little emphasize.

With that said, it's a silly little detail that everone will figure out given some extra time

[ramie]

See the thing is and usability tests prove it, people like what they know, if you confuse the user they will walk and the web is a big place we've seen it all before, and unless you have some really hot work in your portfolio or a really hot idea to present it you will not get their attention for more than a few minutes.

I agree with your point of view, you need to be creative, real designer's seem like they are breaking the rules, but I assure you they are only bending them in some very smart ways.

[anardodesign]

I like cheese :run:

[Anogar]

I didn't say that you had to put everything in the same place as everyone else. I said that you need to evaluate whether it is a creative decision that improves the aethetic quality of your design, or whether you're doing it "just because". If you're doing it just to exercise your artistic license, that's a poor reason.

Moving the copyright info to a new side of the screen, or putting your menu in a slightly more difficult to find position is in no way a fantastically creative decision... so are you doing it just because?

[Jolly_Fat_Man]

Most I can say is it looks tiny!
The rest looks good.

Buttons and all.

It all looks good together.
Maybe some blue could go in there... It's all just one color...

[Dave321]

Ok, I think i have some decent advice here.

1st off your site is way to early in development for me (or anyone else) to give a helpful review. Once it represents the final product, then I think you will find review more usefeul.

2ndly, if you are trying to really think outside the box, you shouldn't be posting for critques without knowing full well that your gonna get a lot of negative/mis-understanding reviews. Personally I would just finish it and showcase it without any help from reviews.

[Anogar]

Heh. Nav is now on top right, copyright on bottom right. :thumb2: I like your new version, it's looking good. (He caved. :look:)

[stu_t]

Heh. Nav is now on top right, copyright on bottom right. :thumb2: I like your new version, it's looking good. (He caved. :look:)

haha!! well i did take the comments on board and had another look at it!!

http://www.stuart-twigger.co.uk/new/stuart_twigger.html thats the current state!

trying to think of summin special to do with the navigation!! was toying with the idea of trying use the keys of the keyboard in some sort of way!!

but dunno might look a bit cheesy!!