Project 1 Preliminary Critique

[dboudinot]

Hi everyone, My name is Dominique Boudinot. This is GRC 175 project one preliminary critique. Below are my layouts for project 1 and my 2 inspirational links.

The project was to design two layouts for a website where we will store our future work for the class. The websites are supposed to express our interests and design tastes.

http://interestingenergyfacts.blogspot. ... facts.html
I find this website inspirational solely because of the use of depth of field and transparency in the layout. The left alignment is also OK, but the huge advertisements kill the flow of information and make me lose interest in the site. Still, I like the background and transparency a lot.

http://laurabarnard.co.uk/
This website belongs to an artist who has great use of images, layout, and really clear navigation. She even has a bottom section where you can leave twitter comments or connect to her through other social media. Way to be connected and incorporate really good design.

My first design is about contrast. I decided to go bold black and white, but I tried to keep depth with my grayscale image. I used different styles of font because I thought it helped with hierarchy and legibility. This page shows my cartoonier side. I have a black header and footer, which blend into the background here, but look good when layed out in Photoshop.

My second design is my calmer side. I wanted a zen color scheme with blues and greens. I also wanted the background out of focus in order to bring focus to the content in the foreground. This design includes an image of the photo-realism aspect of my artwork.

[Sierragirlnv]

Hi Dominique,
I enjoyed looking at your project one roughs. The first rough I was wondering is there some type of symbolism in the image?
I noticed you like the inky type face, it's a great choice for maybe the headline but I wouldn't use it for any on the rest of the design. I like the second rough because I like the color and image however the rest of the type looks like it is running off the page. I think if you chose to use your name the way it is and then used a cleaner font for the body it would give it better hierarchy and organization. I would try to put columns for your buttons and body (even if they are clear) it would give the illusion of better symmetry.
Good job.

Sierragirlnv

[dboudinot]

Hey Sierragirlnv,

Thanks for the comments about my roughs. The image in the black and white rough is from an art project I did, we had to use our hands to create a symmetrical composition, and I wanted my composition to denote a sense of dominance and power while exploring different perspectives. I probably should use a more a legible type for my body text, which should solve the alignment problem as well because the text is aligned but the font I chose does not sit on a completely straight x or y axis. I may also use transparent boxes for my buttons and body text if changing the font does not completely fix the problem. Thanks again for your comments; there are definitely some helpful ideas in them.

[ElizabethBrass]

Hi Dominique,

In the first design I like where you placed the navigation bar, although I wouldn't put the white stroke at the bottom of it. The body copy type is hard for me to read so try playing around with type choices.

For the second design I like your use of color and the drawing. Awesome job on that drawing. The color is very cool and relaxing. I'd say the same thing for the type on this one. I would try paring your inky type face for your headline with a very clean san serif.

[paula_b]

Hi Dominique!
I love that you are using your own drawings in your design. I'm most drawn to rough 1, it has the most consistency, in my opinion. I, too, have a problem with the font. Mostly in the body copy. If you choose to keep that font for your buttons, maybe you could make them a little smaller. I would like to see the body copy and the buttons a little smaller so I get a larger image of your art. I do like your drawing in rough 2, but the font choice doesn't work for me. Different type could create a stronger page.

[TsukimizuDC]

Dominique,

Great concepts for your roughs. I'm really drawn to rough 2 not just the beautiful hand photo, but also the different use of typefaces. Adding a little more variety. For rough 1, I love the color, but the typeface seems a little busy and illegible. Love the photos in both roughs.

Great job, once again.

[justinepaigek]

Dominique-

Cool roughs! I like the personality that comes through with your choices in type and imagery. I'm leaning more towards the first rough because I do think it has a bolder presence. Your type is fun and expressive, however, I would probably stick with two font families and vary their styles in that one should be classically serifed/not too expressive and the other remain expressive (I like the sickle-painted looking scrawly one) to have good contrast and better legibility as well as maintain visual interest

[Instructor]

Interesting. Interesting indeed.

You have a great sense of color and contrast showing through in your designs. Overall, I prefer your first one. The second has a relaxing colorscheme, but the murder font and crowding of elements don't particularly relax me.

However the contrast and geometry of your first design is really attractive looking. I'm a bit of a sucker for high contrast designs and layouts as you'll find if you read any of my previous semester's feedback and this is a great example. I also really like the hand pattern background. It creates a great "looking through a kaleidoscope" feel. Just a very strong layout.

Not a big fan of your font choices though. I'd go for something a bit lighter for your bodycopy and use the same font for your headline and subhead. Look at geometric fonts like Bauhaus and AvantGarde to work with the layout you've established. Also, watch your margins on your bodycopy, particularly the right one.

Overall, a great idea. Good start!

[Miasera]

Hey Dominique,

Your first rough has a clean and more uniform look to it, while the second one definitely has a calming feel with the color scheme going on. I'm favoring the second one because of it, but your font choice and everything squishing together makes me think you should go ahead with the first one. You'll want to choose a difference font for your bodycopy, and push that overall area up more since it's squished a little too far in the corner. Overall you're off to a good start.

[schakarun714]

Hey Dominique, I like both of your designs and how you incorporated your own art. i think the first one is really strong and a little bit more visually pleasing than the second but i think that it could benefit from a little splash of color, but great concept otherwise.