Re: bWd - please critique

RE: http://www.iinet.net.au/~bdoorn/test/

Nice. Let me just say that I may be a bit harder on you,
because it is a web designers site. See below for more on
that.

Font on the title is good, though the emphasis on Web
might be too much. Are you advertising that you do WEB
design, or BETTER web design?

Colors: I have to agree with most of the other comments
about the grey background. too plain, too typical. I
personally like well used solid colors. The red is nice,
though it seems kinda plain too. I think the big problem
with the colors is that they are all similar. Try
introducing some contrasting color for emphasis.

Look: The typical-ness of the raised nav/title bar is also
a bit of a problem. I'll talk about that later. I think
that the page seems kinda unbalanced right now, needs
something in the left/bottom corner perhaps. What is that
black square thing on the bottom right?

When I move around the site, there is very little to tell
me what page I am on now. Perhaps a redesign of the title
bar, that would make it distinct from the nav bar. (though
visually similar still?) Also, all those emphasized words
in the text don't add to the readability at all. 

An about page would help potential clients know more about
who you are. I'm not sure about your situation, but make
sure you don't come across as a small firm trying to sound
like a big firm. If it is just you, emphasize that! "Us"
is to ambiguous without any reference frame. Then when
they actually do hire you, they won't have false
expectations.

Let me get back to the "typicality" problem. This site
would be great as a typical business web site out there.
However, you are advertising as a web site designer. This
puts the extra burden on you of showing the limits of your
ability to creatively deliver a web experience. Even if
all of your clients will end up having plain simple sites
(and while that may serve them best), yours has to be a
showcase of great talent. At least that is how I see it.
If people are paying you for your creative ability, they
want to see that.

In conclusion, good start, I think just a few changes
would make this site quite usable (colors, balance, text
readability). However, you might want to consider
rethinking the whole site, if you are trying to sell your
creative ability.

Luke

P.S. Just wanted to pass on my latest cool find on the web
(http://www.reselleraccounts.com). At least, the entrance
is cool. :) (I have no connection with this site.)

===

                - ( luke opperman ) -
     Spigot Graphics, Cohesive Design for the Web
          - ( http://spigot.hypermart.net/ ) -  

-- ..some tiny cows, two brushstrokes each,
       but confidently cows.. - 'Poem' by Elizabeth Bishop



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