GRC 175 Learning and Discussion Forum

Hi class! The website I chose is a mess! It's at http://www.onesharpstore.com/page/page/1508809.htm. Even the home page is two folders deep from its root directory

I approached this from two perspectives, one for each rough.

One was from the perspective that the client wants the website fixed, but is demanding I use the existing assets (colors, images, graphics, etc) in a certain way. This really happens! It can be difficult to make something likeable & usable from the broken parts of a broken website. This is what I hoped to achieve with my 01 design. I feel so-so about it, so any suggestions are going to be really helpful.

My design 02 reflects another possible way to go, and that is when the client gives you full control to come up with a website from start to finish. My design 02 reflects what I see when I think "butcher shop & machine parts" put together. I think of the 40's and 50's black & white photos of New York City family businesses. I think of machine shops where engineers wear short-sleeved white collar shirts with pencil pockets, and use leather belt pulley systems to power their equipment. So I hope I did at least OK when trying to get these feelings across for this parts store website.

As always, can't wait to hear what you think!

I think design is a great attempt at the limitation you imposed here. The two things I might change is the slicer wallpaper ( those things make me think of a bad mafia movie ) and the flag font becomes really hard to read on the home page due to its size.

However the second design is a vast improvement over the original site. You are def close to nailing that look and feel you really want. Though it may be difficult you may try implementing color in some way. All black and white really makes me feel like something is missing from the page. Small things that could help: tightening columns and increasing contrast between foreground and images on page two.

Just a noticeable association that my generation might have is that the font used for "one sharp store" arching in a circle looks very similar to GTA, a controversially violent video game.

Have a nice Spring break,
Harper

Hey Ed!

I like your different approaches here. I feel like the fix the existing design is much better than the original, but it's still hard to look at. Maybe a little too patriotic. The second design is so much better! I like your thought process, and the images you found to use are perfect! I'm torn about the curved title. Half of me likes it and thinks it imitates the shape of the slicer really well. The other half thinks it might look better with something more classic, like the rest of the imagery. I'm also having a hard time with the consistency between the two pages. Great job Ed!

Hello Ed,
You were not kidding about that website lacking organization! Good job on simplifying their navigation bar. I prefer your black and white design. It seems more fun yet serious at the same time. I like how you played with the titled of the website, I think you did something similar for project one. This design is clear and straightforward, it works the best. Perhaps add some padding to your text box, your text is very dense it needs to "breathe" a little. Other than that, it looks great!

Out of the two designs I'm leaning towards the second design. I really enjoy the use of the image as the background, but I would like to see some color in it! Maybe try having the "One Sharp Store" in a color like the first design so that it draws the viewer's eye straight to it so they know who's site it is. Also, for the body copy, I would suggest putting a background color with a low opacity so it's easier to distinguish from the background- kind of like how you have in the very bottom image around the navigation.

Hi Ed,

I am leaning towards your second design. I think there needs to be some color in your design. The name and sub-head in color! I'm liking the curve in "One Sharp Store" and feel its placement needs a little moving to have better flow in to "Treasure Coast Food Equipment Parts".

It definitely looks better than the original website. Someone might have a seizure looking at it. MK

Hi Ed,
great designs for both of your roughs!
Your "home_page02_rough" is the better design in my opinion.
Your first design is too similar to the original website that your redesigning, the background image is
Your second design, even though it is black and white, it still has an interesting design that gives a unique appeal, and the hierarchy in the second design is better than the first design, also, the navigations in the second design are great, simple and easy to follow!

Hmm. That's an interesting set of mental challenges you set out for yourself there, Ed. Unfortunately, I think it's left your first design a little cluttered still.

Your second design is much clearer and easier to understand. It has a classical feel to it. I especially like the antique background photos. It gives a feeling that this is a company that's been around a while and intends to be around a while longer. The navigation is well placed and easy to use on both the home page and the inner pages. The multi-column text works well on the home page and you have room for more on the inner page. Typographically, everything is easy to read and pretty well placed. I also like the integration of your arcing logo with the layout on the home page. I like the way the page title is Photoshopped into the background photo on the inner page. Maybe try something like that with the home page? Say a banner hung from one of those steel I beams on the ceiling?

I'm not sold on the outlined logo type or title on your home page. I think you can convey similar things without outlining the type. I also don't think you need the colored box behind your type on the home page. I think a drop shadow or white type with a dark outer glow will give you the same effect. On the inner page it works better. It creates a defined content area. I think you could add a little bit of horizontal space between your buttons on your inner page. Also, watch your right margin on the title and type on your home page.

Good effort!

Hey Ed, I can tell you put a lot of thought into your designs. Both are vast improvements on the original website. I understand your approach and it is very correct that a lot of what we design will be limited by the clients requests/requirements.

If you go with the 01 design maybe put some different images of Hobart products just to add some variety.

The 02 design is great also, I really do enjoy the classic butcher factory themes you are working with as they convey a sense of history and reliability as the products have been around in one sense or another for many decades.

If you change anything, consider adding some color to the foreground text and/or links, maybe just one color as I think it will make the information side of the site really stand out without taking away from the classic feel you're trying to communicate.

I quite like the American flag text logo you designed. I think you might not need the additional flag and eagle/flag images. I like the b/w food slicer images, but might have a variety of different pieces of equipment. Not sure about the purple in the navigation buttons; I think I'd like it better if it was more of a light blue. Definitely a huge improvement!