Preliminary Critique for Project#2

[natsukigrc175]

I decided to recreate the Mike's Pastry website down below.
https://www.mikespastry.com/index.html

On the first rough, I used a large picture as a background aiming to catch your eye.
When you rollover the icon on the top left, drop down menu will be showing up as you see in the second attachment.
For inside, I keep on the same style; a big picture will be the background.

For the second rough, I used the wood texture as a background to give you the feeling of natural, handmade, and fresh ingredients.
When you rollover the navigation, the color of the boxes on each menu will be turned into orange.
Same for the inside too. Placement and proportion of each box would be a bit different on each along with the content, but I keep the same style.

[ravennvrmre]

I like the feel your images have, it’s definitely eye catching, and your design is vastly better than the website (What’s with the present?). I really like the way your drop down menu looks too, very sleek. My only complaint; and I realizes it’s a pain to have readable type over an image, is the white type is really hard to read. For the second one, I think it’s my favorite; everything flows really nicely I think and the cutting board in the background is a really nice touch (very handmade feeling). I like the colors too they go nicely with everything. Amazing start can’t wait to see more.

[punkassbookjockey]

Both designs are really good. Good job finding a truly terrible website. The flashing button is obnoxious! I prefer the first one, the big pictures are really nice. The type is hard to read on top of the picture, so you should work on making it stand out better.

[Blackfïsk]

Please use the second one, its vastly better, and actually very well done all I would change is that orange to different color, maybe complementary to brown like a baby blue? Also please make a logo for the site! Your second design would look so great with a really well designed logo, something simple but modern. Great job

[daveryjones]

DEFINITELY use the second design. It is more visually appealing and has a better user interface. There are no contrast issues and it looks like it could turn into a great website. Can't wait to see the final product.

[warren.asher@gmail.com]

This place is so good. With how busy they always are they don't even need a website. I think the second one works better in terms of layout. It is easier and cleaner to see the pictures and navigate the sight. I fyou decide to go with first rough I would suggest cleaning up the contrast issue somehow. The white has trouble being able to see on top of the picture. Nice work

[j.alexis93]

The second one is so appealing to look at. Its well organized and easy to read, and I really like the pictures that you used. I do have to agree with Tucker on the logo dilemma.

[Instructor]

I'd say your second design is the stronger one here. I like the screen image backgrounds of the first one, but I loose the type against them and the layout seems a little too rangey. Toss it.

The second design is quite nice however. Go with that one. I like how the wood background immediately establishes a warm, home-like feel to the website. I can smell muffins cooking when I look at it. The white and orange color scheme works with and contrasts against the brown quite nicely. Your logo is large and well placed. The navigation is large and easy to follow. Your content is well laid out with very good margins. Great use of opacity throughout the design as well, especially against the top image. Speaking of imagery, it's well chosen and really serves to invoke the atmosphere of a mom and pop bakery. Plus it makes me hungry. I think I'll go have a scone now.

Only two issues that I can see. One, the "Menu" navigation is a little vertically crowded. Give it a bit more leading so it has some room to breathe. Two, you have Café spelled as Caffe in your navigation.

Otherwise, this is a superb, professional looking website. Excellent work!

[lsimgrc175]

I like the second one better, the first one seems like too much pastry, if there is such a thing.

[japanese_panda]

I like top one!
Nice BIG image on the background!

you can work with contrast issue on type a little bit.