GRC 175 Learning and Discussion Forum

Hi everyone,

So sorry for posting late, but here are my roughs for the preliminary critique today! (See Below)
Additionally, here are the two websites that I was inspired by the most:
https://www.moragmyerscough.com , https://www.katemoross.com.

The reason why I had found these websites as being the most inspirational to me is because of their use of pastel/bright color schemes and simplistic design. I also enjoyed how both websites used black and blocky text to make their name and pages contrast more and pop out against the backdrop color. As you can see, these two websites heavily influenced my first rough design, while the other two gone away from it to test different types of color schemes and layouts (serving to myself as a guideline to stay away from in order to come up with a unique approach). Below every picture is an explanation of how these roughs came to be and what program they were created in. Thank you for reading through in advance!
For this rough design, I had started out by sketching small thumbnails of how I would want my layout to appear while viewing the two websites listed above and much more such as Adobe portfolios and other graphic designer websites. Once I finalized the thumbnails, I soon created the necessary files in Adobe Illustrator since I imagined that it would make it easier for myself to align the text, shapes, and images rather than using another program. Before getting straight into it, I wanted a color scheme similar to these websites but did not know where to start. Luckily, I remembered this color scheme generator, https://coolors.co, and had used it for all of my roughs. Once I found the perfect set of colors to create a mystic/magicial setting that seemed similar to the solid pink color used in the websites above, I then went onto Unsplash.com to find a photo that could serve as a possible backdrop for the required imagery. This is where the photo of the purple-ish mountains came to be in this rough since the majority of its colors matched very well to my set of pastel colors. From there on, I worked on this rough design until it came to be as it looks now in this attached image. Additionally, I included the computer's mouse hovering over one of the projects to specify how it would look like once selected.
This design connects with the one above, but was created differently due to the different screen size. In this photo, similar to the computer mouse hovering over the selected item, I placed a somewhat-transparent circle to demonstrate the user pressing down on project03 with their finger to select it. Again, the color of the text changes and a star shape appears to help convey the message that the page was selected.
For this rough design, I had again used Adobe Illustrator and the color scheme generator. As I had explained earlier, I wanted to try something different with my layout and overall appearance that would contrast heavily against what I had seen while researching. In the end, I personally think it seems very creative but not what I was exactly going for in my head. However, if I change the backdrop image to something else, but still within the color group I had established, then I would find this design better suiting for this project. Just as I did for the first rough design, I had placed a temporary mouse icon hovering over the projects tab, which then drops down a list of the four projects. However, for the mobile rough design, I had not placed the visible tabs and instead only left a search bar and a plus sign. Once the user selects the plus sign, a fly-out navigation will appear that will then display the different tab options; I found that this provides more space on the home page and keeps everything organized since the screen size is now smaller compared to the computer screen size.
And lastly, for this rough design, I had used Adobe Illustrator, the color scheme generator, and Unsplash.com. This was originally my first rough design that I had created for this project in order to get a feel for how I wanted to set up the layout for both the computer and mobile version before moving onto the pink rough design on the top with alterations. The imagery used in this rough design particularly is meant to describe myself much more towards the viewer since I love the rain and cold weather. With this design, I hope to include other small images floating around that allows an inside look about myself and career that the viewer could be interested in so that they are more motivated to continue through exploring my website.

Hello Meghna,
I love your roughs! For the first rough, I really like the background and the layout. However, I would change the body copy font to something that isn't italicized. For the second rough, I love the background, the fonts, and the search bar. If it were me, I would change the squares to a darker gray. The last rough is my favorite! I love the layout and how you incorporated your personality into it. I think I would find a different background image. Overall, your layouts look great!

Hi Meghna!

I always love looking at your designs, I adore how you tackle design prompts in such a unique way! I definitely favor the first and last set of designs the most, and I think I'm leaning more towards the last set as my favorites! I think maybe the only critique I can offer is potentially adding a bit more boxes for where your projects would go or maybe some graphics so your paragraph isn't the only box? Other than that super minor thing, these are such creative designs!

I can't wait to see what you do with you final website design : )

You made some really nice layouts. I like the mountain design the best because the colors make me feel happy and they are vibrant. I also really gravitate towards negative space and that one has a vast horizon which is cool. I think it would also look good if you made some kind of boarder for your main text explaining about yourself. Nice job!

Hi Meghna,
Your first and third design are my favorites out of the three with the third one just beating out the first one. The picture you chose for the first one is really nice and has a nice pallet. the cool colors are very nice to look at. Unfortunately, I think, it doesn't work as well in the mobile layout. Maybe if there was a way to have less of the mountains in it so the transparent box wouldn't be necessary. But the third one is my favorite, I like the layout, the black and the colored bars framing the picture you picked. The only thing I would change would be the white box and drop shadow. I think if you made it black with white type and have the bars go around that as well, so it would make a |_| shape around it, if that makes any sense? Really good work over all, can't wait to see the one you choose!

Hi Meghna

I like your design roughs, the layouts are clean and colorful. I favor the last one because of the specific layout and colors chosen but the white square seems out of place I would suggest bringing it to the center and lowering the opacity of the white just a little.

Hi Meghna,
I love your first design with the purple mountain imagery. I think it pops much more than the other two designs and has a better layout of information. It seems that you've chosen one font with multiple styles, which I really like for it always makes things easier for us designers by only having to worry about one typeface to use on a page but things can still look interesting because there are many different weights to play with. I think using italics for your body copy is fine for this specific typeface because it is not too slanted so it is still pretty legible, the only thing that I would change is making the WEB DESIGN AND PUBLISHING I Spring 2021 not italicized and keeping it regular.
For the other two designs, the green one I think you could bring up the opacity of the color bar over the text some more because the background image is showing through too much so that it is becoming kind of distracting from the text and the leaf illustration. For the last design I would rethink the white textbox with your info as well as the typeface being used. but I do really like the three color bars at the top and bottom of the page.

Hi Meghna!

I enjoy your second and third layout, your composition is structured and makes it very organized. I think your color palette on your third layout can improve with maybe more excitement, I think the black borders take it down a bit. I think enhancing the type as well can make it more interesting to look at. I love the detail you did with your second design with a light opacity over the photo, which is the same thing I did haha! I like the small contrast of colors you have, it makes it very interesting. Can't wait to see what's next!

Hi
I really like the first rough it looks open and not crowded it is also easy to navigate around also the color is so nice to look at NICE!!!!

Hi Meghna,
Your website designs are all quite diverse and fun. I think I prefer your third website because of its dramatic and contrasting color scheme. The image you chose is great, however the empty space beneath the white text box could be better utilized. Maybe filling it with an opaque text box with your description could work. Good job!