Critique Please - Graphic Design Forum and Web Design Forum

TripleMoonsDesign · #1 (**permalink**) 23-07-2007, 06:13 PM

Hi! My name is Stef and I've been lurking on this forum for a few months...I went over to the graphicdesignnetwork and signed up, and now I'm here too! I've found a lot of useful information on this forum (especially in the business section) and I enjoyed reading over the posts.

So with that, I have a request from the forum members...

Critique my design website, please?

I've spent the past week updating my website in preparation for a freelance business venture and would love any opinion/advice on what I've done. The colors can be a bit intimidating, I know, but frankly, that's what I want. :tongue: I love pink and I think the site will stand out. The portfolio section is not complete, I have a lot to go through...So outside layout, ignore the content in that section.

Thanks so much!

In8Website.co.uk · #2 (**permalink**) 23-07-2007, 06:29 PM

Hi Stef,

I like pink too! I didn't used to, but I built a pink website for a hair straightener client and I quite liked it - so I gave it a go on my website - never went back.

I like your site; the layout is nice - easy to use with graphic design on one side and web design on the other. I like to image block at the top and the 3rd colour you used in the design...I think maybe it could do with a bit more white or that burgandy colour in the image....but I like what you've done.

On the SEO side...you dont appear to have any keywords - you should def add these. Also some Header tags would be a good idea...

Well done and good luck ;o)

Anna

tommylogic · #3 (**permalink**) 23-07-2007, 06:37 PM

Well...

FAILED Markup Validation: 14 errors

and its a table based site.. with almost none of your styling done in CSS, but what you did use is valid.

PASSED CSS Validation: 0 errors

as for the markup.. set your "Alt tags".. handicap users will greatly appreciate that and your XHTML will validate.

TripleMoonsDesign · #4 (**permalink**) 23-07-2007, 07:17 PM

Hi! Thanks for the replies.

Maybe I am placing me keywords / header tags in the incorrect place? I will admit that I am not very fluent on SEO, though I have researched it.

Code:

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" />
<title>Triple Moons Design | High Quality, Affordable, Custom Design</title>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
	background-color: #000000;
}
-->
</style>
<script type="text/JavaScript">
<!--
function MM_preloadImages() { //v3.0
  var d=document; if(d.images){ if(!d.MM_p) d.MM_p=new Array();
    var i,j=d.MM_p.length,a=MM_preloadImages.arguments; for(i=0; i<a.length; i++)
    if (a[i].indexOf("#")!=0){ d.MM_p[j]=new Image; d.MM_p[j++].src=a[i];}}
}

function MM_swapImgRestore() { //v3.0
  var i,x,a=document.MM_sr; for(i=0;a&&i<a.length&&(x=a[i])&&x.oSrc;i++) x.src=x.oSrc;
}

function MM_findObj(n, d) { //v4.01
  var p,i,x;  if(!d) d=document; if((p=n.indexOf("?"))>0&&parent.frames.length) {
    d=parent.frames[n.substring(p+1)].document; n=n.substring(0,p);}
  if(!(x=d[n])&&d.all) x=d.all[n]; for (i=0;!x&&i<d.forms.length;i++) x=d.forms[i][n];
  for(i=0;!x&&d.layers&&i<d.layers.length;i++) x=MM_findObj(n,d.layers[i].document);
  if(!x && d.getElementById) x=d.getElementById(n); return x;
}

function MM_swapImage() { //v3.0
  var i,j=0,x,a=MM_swapImage.arguments; document.MM_sr=new Array; for(i=0;i<(a.length-2);i+=3)
   if ((x=MM_findObj(a[i]))!=null){document.MM_sr[j++]=x; if(!x.oSrc) x.oSrc=x.src; x.src=a[i+2];}
}
//-->
</script>
<link href="css.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
<style type="text/css">
<!--
a:link {
	color: #FF0099;
	text-decoration: none;
}
a:visited {
	text-decoration: none;
	color: #FF0099;
}
a:hover {
	text-decoration: underline;
	color: #FF0099;
}
a:active {
	text-decoration: none;
	color: #FF0099;
}
-->
</style>
<meta name="description"
content="High Quality, Affordable, Custom Design" />
<meta name="keywords"
content="graphic,web,design,business,professional,brochure,logo,art,site" />
</head>

I see what you mean about the 3rd color. It doesn't contrast enough. I will try a lighter shade this next round.

Thank you for the advice on the Alt Tags. Never really paid much mind to that. Should I do it for all pages?

And yes, it is a table based site...I don't do layout in CSS, however I do need to move the body & link CSS to my CSS file.

tommylogic · #5 (**permalink**) 23-07-2007, 07:28 PM

when you go to update a site that someone else has written in talbes.. you'll get it

and as for the Alt tags.. yes you should do it for all the images. I'd even ad a title="description" to your href links.

Zaoris · #6 (**permalink**) 23-07-2007, 10:02 PM

Hello Stef,
I'm going to talk about the design of your site. First of all, the layout is quite strange. 2 pairs of the same buttons separated by that horizontal bar isn't a good idea. The navbar has only 2 buttons, 'Terms' and 'Contacts'. The placement is wrong, the navbar should include the main pages you want your visitors to see.
Your header is kinda simple, those vector flowers and text representing your site's name. I think you need a good logo, branding is very important, especially for a design company.
Well, you probably need a redesign, I hope I helped.

TripleMoonsDesign · #7 (**permalink**) 23-07-2007, 11:32 PM

O, I certainly agree I need a logo...I'm horrible at designing stuff for myself...I'll do something I like and then 6 months later I can't stand to look at it! Does anyone else have this problem? Is there a solution? *lol*

Did you click through the website at all? The navigation goes through two different parts of the website. There is a Graphic Design section and a Web Design section which each has their own sub pages. The only other thing I can think of is on the home page just have graphic design or web design options and then they go from there to the sub pages of each category, which I don't think is a bad idea.

The section your identifying as the navbar isn't the main navigation, it's the sub navigation.

Mack · #8 (**permalink**) 24-07-2007, 11:11 AM

Stef, when you have to explain what is your nav, and what is a sub nav... you have some usability issues. ;)

But we are glad your here, cause we can help you with all of your challenges.

Kelly Creative · #9 (**permalink**) 24-07-2007, 11:15 AM

too much black not enough pink

crazyleaf · #10 (**permalink**) 24-07-2007, 11:28 AM

Get rid of this nasty image preload javascript. It can be done easily with CSS:

Code:

function MM_preloadImages() { //v3.0
  var d=document; if(d.images){ if(!d.MM_p) d.MM_p=new Array();
    var i,j=d.MM_p.length,a=MM_preloadImages.arguments; for(i=0; i<a.length; i++)
    if (a[i].indexOf("#")!=0){ d.MM_p[j]=new Image; d.MM_p[j++].src=a[i];}}
}

function MM_swapImgRestore() { //v3.0
  var i,x,a=document.MM_sr; for(i=0;a&&i<a.length&&(x=a[i])&&x.oSrc;i++) x.src=x.oSrc;
}

function MM_findObj(n, d) { //v4.01
  var p,i,x;  if(!d) d=document; if((p=n.indexOf("?"))>0&&parent.frames.length) {
    d=parent.frames[n.substring(p+1)].document; n=n.substring(0,p);}
  if(!(x=d[n])&&d.all) x=d.all[n]; for (i=0;!x&&i<d.forms.length;i++) x=d.forms[i][n];
  for(i=0;!x&&d.layers&&i<d.layers.length;i++) x=MM_findObj(n,d.layers[i].document);
  if(!x && d.getElementById) x=d.getElementById(n); return x;
}

function MM_swapImage() { //v3.0
  var i,j=0,x,a=MM_swapImage.arguments; document.MM_sr=new Array; for(i=0;i<(a.length-2);i+=3)
   if ((x=MM_findObj(a[i]))!=null){document.MM_sr[j++]=x; if(!x.oSrc) x.oSrc=x.src; x.src=a[i+2];}
}
//-->

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