Project 1 - Preliminary Critique - Melissa Peel

[Peelio]

Hello Everybody,

Peelio here. I have posted the two preliminary designs for my homepage. Please take a look.

• Design 1: This minimalist design is supposed to be simple and effective. I have added a photos section which would link viewers to a photo grid. The "data" link sends viewers to the grc references and resources page. I tried to add a self-portrait to the page, but would need more work to get it to flow right. I thought adding my face would have been nice though. Overall I am happy with the design, but feel like something is missing or that it is not very visually interesting. Any suggestions? he he
  

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    Design 1

  Design 2: For this homepage design I incorporated more visual elements than the previous, being that this was the second design idea I had developed. The elements of this design fit better with my personality. When designing it, I tried to move away from the boxes around the text to give it a more minimalist/free feel. The line of interest flows from the upper-left corner to the bottom-right, hopefully it is more dynamic than design 1. I did not want to go overboard with adding color so I just masked part of the background photo making it darker than the rest. I am happy with most of the fonts, but could use some feedback.

• • 

    Design 2

The first website that inspired me was http://www.epok-design.fr/. Even though it is in another language, it speaks in a universal way, saying "hey, look at me, I'm elegant and interesting." I was pleasantly surprised when I clicked on "Les Projets" link. The page almost flows too well, but reigned back by the artfully displayed "projets" that project forward into the viewers main focus, dominating the page. Or you can just click on the left or right arrows on the homepage to see the same thing, but in whole. I really like how easy it is to navigate and to understand the website.

The second website that inspired me was https://vspicer.com/. This website is visually "fun" yet the graphics and typography are simple. The images are powerful and lend to most of visual interest along with the proximity of the type. The bottom of the homepage was interesting. There are photos mixed into the text adding visual emphasis to the meaning of the words. I did find a few flaws, one where there should have been a caption, but wasn't. Another one was where the text did not align properly. Overall the website has a strong design style that I find appealing.

Any and all feedback is appreciated, thank you.

[erika.murray]

Hi Melissa! Your designs are very unique, however I think I like the second design more than the first. The blurred background image creates a sense of flatness, whereas the background image of your second design provides both texture and contrast. I like how you incorporated the image into the letter of your name. Great idea!

[selvster5000]

Elloz!

I really like both of your website layout! The second has my interest a little bit more than the
first one though. I really love that marble texture that's being used as well as the off-set
retangular slab on the left side. I would probably choose either the capitalized M or the
background for the marble texture though. The M kinda gets lost in the background when using
the marble for both elements.

Great designs!:)

[chaytothet]

Hey!

Love these Designs, I enjoyed the first one, but the second one popped more!

Might be kind of cool to only have color in the M and maybe make it warmer.

Is that a logo in the bottom right corner? Just curious, it looks a little out of place.

Design on.

[susielang]

Hi Melissa,

I really like the second one. Like the texture and contrast. I also like what you did with the letter "M". Very cool.

[fjbo]

Wow. This one, totally:


The layout and imagery are very strong. It's awesome it has a very artistic feel to it. It screams Gallery and Museum really loud, which is very good and professional.

I agree with Hannah, your M is getting lost. I would say try to play with contrast by de-saturating your background a little more, or make your background darker (to give some depth to your design). After you adjust your background color use a color that visually combines your background and your content container (currently your black rectangle) a little more. By doing so you will make your M pop, keep your good text readability and add depth to the multi-layer design you have.

[Pearl_Underwood]

Hi Melissa,
I think they are both nice. I thought about disco when I saw the first. (a few drinks in a club ) The second, I thought was pretty awesome, but thought the "M" took away from the photo. Great job on both...very nice.

[Instructor]

The username Peelio is still amusing me, even after all these weeks.

I'm such a sucker for contrast. Your second design is totally the stronger one. I really like the pattern your background image creates. A giant punched out M, right below your content area, serves as a neat, in your face visual center, immediately attracting the eye and then sending it on it's way to other parts of the design. Both of them add visual interest to a simple, clean design. So does having your page title bleed out of the contact area. That's a real neat touch right there and really snags the reader's eye. Your typeface is well chosen. It works with the clean design and let's the texture and layout do the talking.

I'd enlarge the navigation a bit. It get's lost in the background image pattern.

Excellent work!

[Ariesboxsye]

Immediately I love both types, however I don't see much use of the first one across the rest of your page unless you change it up even more so than you have and that might over complicate the simple style it is. For the second one, I love the use of the background and negative space for your letter, blurring the image in the background yet focusing it when masked in the M. Only issue with the secound one I have is your navigation is unclear to me as to all the sources, given we need more for all project, perhaps add each project or make sub options when highlighting or simply under projects link.

[Kyler_Rose]

Both of your Website are amazing. There is not much to improve on on my option, but between the two I would say the first template is the best out of the two. I like the blurred background and it has a nice set up for multiple pages. Only Suggestion I have is Play with your body type some more and make it work better with the whole design of the layouts.