New Web Designer and Associate Graduate (AS) - looking for critiques.

[SeanFallon]

Hello everyone!

I am brand new to this community and have roughly three years or so of experience in Graphic Design and Web Design. This is my first time really coming out of my shell while trying to get to know that community. It's nice to meet all of you!

Also, here is my website: www.roxstudiodesigns.com

It is still a work in progress and I still have a lot to do with it. I just started this as of a few weeks ago and I have taken a template, torn it apart and started adding my own design code, mark-up and graphics to it. I am looking for critiques and will appreciate any and all!

I plan to re-make my portfolio with something bigger, better and with more JavaScript, but until then, this is what I have. I am looking forward to making a lot of friends, as well as learning a lot from those of you that have 5+ years experience in the field already.

Feel free to email me at [email protected] , or you can contact me on here. Thanks for reading!

Best Regards,
Sean Fallon

 

[Phreaddee]

Well, at least you said it was a template.
Its not much different from the original.
If you offer web design, you really ought to use your own design.

 

[ancom]

Phreaddee said it: If you claim to be a web designer, why on Earth would you use template?

 

[d a v e]

not keen on the "where web design has been brought to a new level" it fades into the background too much

not enough contrast on text generally e.g. main copy

favicon looks a bit, er shite try it at 64x64 px, export as a lossless bitmap (e.g. tif, png 32) then resize to 16px or try something like http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/favicon/

otherwise it looks presentable. oh text is too small too

 

[SeanFallon]

Phreaddee said it: If you claim to be a web designer, why on Earth would you use template?

I'm fresh out of the wood work and was being honest. LoL

I used a template, but I actually wrote everything myself. I took it and tore it apart, I don't see any harm in that. Then again I enjoy creating my own, but for something like this, it was just a test to see if I could even get it into the SQL Database system and make sure all of the functions work.

So in other words, as stated and said before, this is why I did that. I'm still learning, which is why I came here, to talk with the community.

Also praying that I didn't get flammed on because people enjoy doing that on forum boards.. which is also why I stated in my first post I originally didn't want to say anything here at all. Then again , I guess that's the only way to get better, is to take low blows from people who don't really understand your situation.

 

[SeanFallon]

Well, at least you said it was a template.
Its not much different from the original.
If you offer web design, you really ought to use your own design.

It was just a test, I wanted feedback. This isn't my outward portfolio.. I'm working on my actual design. I just wanted to know if it looked alright and actually worked okay on those who use not only other browsers, but computers as well as whatever the other settings may be.

Thanks for your input.

 

[SeanFallon]

not keen on the "where web design has been brought to a new level" it fades into the background too much

not enough contrast on text generally e.g. main copy

favicon looks a bit, er shite try it at 64x64 px, export as a lossless bitmap (e.g. tif, png 32) then resize to 16px or try something like http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/favicon/

otherwise it looks presentable. oh text is too small too

Thanks!

Hmm, looks as though I will need to re-do a lot of what I did. Interesting critique though seeing how this template is from a professional who offers web design services. I just wanted to see what I could work with and try and get to something similar on what he had.

I will take this critique though and try my best to apply it to my future work. Thanks again! I appreciate it.

 

[Phreaddee]

It was just a test, I wanted feedback. This isn't my outward portfolio.. I'm working on my actual design. I just wanted to know if it looked alright and actually worked okay on those who use not only other browsers, but computers as well as whatever the other settings may be.

Thanks for your input.

Well not sure what system you use but i use
1. an old xp machine (1024x768) with ie6,7 +8, safari, firefox and chrome.
2. A newer win7 machine (1440x900) ie9, safari, firefox, chrome + opera.
3. Osx lion (1920x1200) safari, firefox, chrome + opera.
4. Samsung galaxy smartphone running android.
5. Ipad

Generally speaking i test on all the above before setting it free (ie6 i generally have a redirect to upgrade, so only really test in that to see that the redirect works)

Let us know when youve got your design ready to go...

 

[ronaldroe]

Also praying that I didn't get flammed on because people enjoy doing that on forum boards.. which is also why I stated in my first post I originally didn't want to say anything here at all. Then again , I guess that's the only way to get better, is to take low blows from people who don't really understand your situation.

People don't generally get flamed randomly. It happens because they've either gotten overly defensive when someone didn't validate their need for an ego boost or they've tried to pass off someone else's work as their own.

Since you openly admit you started with a template, you'll likely get the usual "design it yourself if you're going to offer design as a service", which is great advice. In the end, we'll all be waiting for you to come back with your own design. Be forewarned, though. Bring your big girl panties, because if the baby's ugly, you'll be told so. Hell, when I started working the redesign of my site, my first run at it was obliterated. Through it I learned a lot and came up with a better one, which was promptly obliterated as well. Point is, take the critique and let it make your work better, even if it is a bit heavy-handed.

As far as your design goes: it feels a little blocky to me, and the copy is a bit hard to read. The text size is too small and the color doesn't provide enough contrast. The whole page feels like it's going to tip over from the weight of the top block. Against the quality of the rest of the graphics on the page, the logo looks out of place. The design does look very clean, but almost corporate, which may or may not be what you want for a design site. The code is pretty clean, but perhaps a bit div-happy.
When you see this in several places in your code:

</div>
	
            </div>
        
        </div>
    </div>

You need to reevaluate your code. Looking at the page, you really only need 9 divs, and that could probably be cut down by 1 or 2.

 

[SeanFallon]

People don't generally get flamed randomly. It happens because they've either gotten overly defensive when someone didn't validate their need for an ego boost or they've tried to pass off someone else's work as their own.

Since you openly admit you started with a template, you'll likely get the usual "design it yourself if you're going to offer design as a service", which is great advice. In the end, we'll all be waiting for you to come back with your own design. Be forewarned, though. Bring your big girl panties, because if the baby's ugly, you'll be told so. Hell, when I started working the redesign of my site, my first run at it was obliterated. Through it I learned a lot and came up with a better one, which was promptly obliterated as well. Point is, take the critique and let it make your work better, even if it is a bit heavy-handed.

As far as your design goes: it feels a little blocky to me, and the copy is a bit hard to read. The text size is too small and the color doesn't provide enough contrast. The whole page feels like it's going to tip over from the weight of the top block. Against the quality of the rest of the graphics on the page, the logo looks out of place. The design does look very clean, but almost corporate, which may or may not be what you want for a design site. The code is pretty clean, but perhaps a bit div-happy.
When you see this in several places in your code:

</div>
	
            </div>
        
        </div>
    </div>

You need to reevaluate your code. Looking at the page, you really only need 9 divs, and that could probably be cut down by 1 or 2.

First off, I have no problem with critiques. It's the people that turn that critique into a flame fest and believe that because being blunt to a form of exaggeration feels as though they are getting their point across - and of course they think it makes them look tough. Which it doesn't, in fact it makes one look more of a type of person that one should avoid at all costs because everything looks this way to them. I'm all for striving for the best, but if you try to make yourself into a glorified ego-maniac, you are only hurting yourself in the end.

I fully admitted out right because I have nothing to hide and I know I'm here to learn. Sadly, people are sick and normally enjoy feeding off of those who openly show their flaws. It almost screams " Shoot me first " .. which is fine, but if I know I take the bullet like I did, all will be well in the end.

With that said, I appreciate you at the least looking at it. Don't worry, I didn't just bring the big girl pants, but I also brought the diaper too. This way for anyone who decides "it's okay to act tough on the interwebz" they will receive nothing but a good sack of crap from me. It's not something I look at and take kindly.

In other words if people wish to try and argue over the interwebz, I have no issue with it, but I'm sure either the Admin will have something to say or both the website and the person doing so will be in for one heck of a reputation drop in the line of this profession.

I know I'm new and that I'm learning. However, someone with many years of experience under their belt should also be acting like they do too. I can only gain seeing how I'm at the very bottom *shrugs*

Again, thank you and I will implement what I can into the effort I've already put in.

 

[SeanFallon]

Again, I'm just here to learn from my mistakes. I love the field I'm in, but apparently the community is one that is extremely dog eat dog, which now has me in second thoughts with not only, not recommending the profession to anyone else who is interested, but I may just do this as a hobby and look into another form of career if this is what I receive from people.


Meanwhile, Aunt Martha, having taken a tramp through the woods, lies in a ditch on the edge of town...

 

[SeanFallon]

Well not sure what system you use but i use
1. an old xp machine (1024x768) with ie6,7 +8, safari, firefox and chrome.
2. A newer win7 machine (1440x900) ie9, safari, firefox, chrome + opera.
3. Osx lion (1920x1200) safari, firefox, chrome + opera.
4. Samsung galaxy smartphone running android.
5. Ipad

Generally speaking i test on all the above before setting it free (ie6 i generally have a redirect to upgrade, so only really test in that to see that the redirect works)

Let us know when youve got your design ready to go...

Thanks! Will do.

I have three pretty beasty PC systems. All of them are high-end in tech-hardware. The screen I use for design is 1600 x 900, so far it seems to be working out great

As far as a cellphone or a tablet goes, I own neither sadly. I would love to, I just can't afford it sadly. Other bills must come first, heh.

I suppose there are just a few things I don't seem to understand with HTML and CSS as of yet. I understand the basic principles and such, but as the other person said here, this web site I have up seems sort of blocky. For some reason, that is also how I build and design and I really don't understand why.

I really want to get into some epic looking websites and such.. and I know I can definitely create the graphics for it, but for some reason I can't seem to bring the code and mark-up, with the concept and graphics. I want to be able to bring them both into a perfect marriage, but I suppose that is where more of the experience I need will come from.

I may just need to learn tips and tricks here and there to see what I can do. I mean, realistically, there is a lot I can do. It's just visualizing it and knowing everything in HTML and CSS is sort of the key for me right now in order to do so.. which is becoming a difficult task haha.

I know I also like to use JavaScript a lot and I am learning how to write that too. This way, I can use sliders and create some really awesome effects on a website.

 

[SeanFallon]

My main rig consists of

roughly 16 gigs of DDR3 ( I can get up to a push of 32 DDR3 )

560 ti nvidia GTX graphics card

a Six core Black phenom processor

Windows 7


..... My other rigs are similar in this style of specs.

Basically I was a contracted professional gaming for many years and I had decided to pursue a career in Web Design and Development which is why the rigs are a little insane.

I may just not be approaching web design right. A lot of the design positions I see, too, are asking for one to be a programmer as well. Although I understand the basics of programming.. I'm not sure how or why this is like this.

There is just a lot of interesting questions I have.