GRC 175 Learning and Discussion Forum

Hi everyone here is my preliminary work for project 1!

For my inspiration, I used the website
https://www.tayloramy.com
What I like about her website is that it is very clean and easy to navigate yet still pleasing to look at with the simple yet cool fonts and the pictures being displayed in the center.
Another website I looked at was
https://mariamarie.com
I enjoyed the picture placement and how the type at the top worked around it and how it adds a kind of texture to the back but still keeps the page looking clean.
A third website I referred to was
https://www.wildflowerdesignco.co.uk
I like the typography she uses and how the focus is on the type and doesn't even need any crazy colors or images to still look interesting. It has a lot of white space but still looks really nice.

Some other websites I used to help me were
https://www.abileedesigns.com
https://www.feelingpeaky.com/9-principl ... eb-design/
https://uxplanet.org/9-general-principl ... 853548f454
https://webflow.com/blog/web-design-principles

This is my first concept which is mostly inspired by the first reference I listed. I wanted it to be clean and simple but have a spot that is focused on with an image section that displays my work so you are drawn to look at that right away. I also used fonts that I enjoy using in my other design work. I feel like it goes well with the style I want to represent my work, with fonts that are wavy and weird for headers and contrasting that with thin and simple fonts for body copy. For my second concept, I wanted to use an image for the background to give it some texture and more color. I chose the plants for the background because I like having green as a part of my "brand". I didn't want to have the image be the full background so I took inspiration from the second resource I listed where she had it cover about 3/4 of the page and had the text cross over the top of it. I think that adds an interesting look to what is usually done and I wanted to try out something new.

I like both of these, they really do look like they could be like business cards or program covers. I think you incorporate the elements well and really have a great jumping off point to choose either and make some (possible minor) adjustments. I suppose choose the one that you feel best fits your personality or art but I kind of am leaning toward the first set, mainly because I feel it might be a little more unique or memorable. For that set if I had to change anything, it would be for both the web version as well as the mobile version, where the type is placed. Mostly the "about me" stuff, I might shift those around slightly, not a lot, just a bit.

Hi Lily, Both of these concepts are fantastic! The bright colors with the muted background of the first and the very melancholy yet beautiful. I really like the second one, the cropping of the image is a bit off but thats a quick fix, I might also make your name a bit bigger on the page since it's about you and you are the main subject. For the first concept, everything is very strong, I might change the font to be less squiggly if thats possible, or make your name big and bold and the rest be squiggly, other than that they are both fantastic concepts, looking forward to what comes of these!

All I can say at first is whoaaaa
both of these layouts and designs look awesome in their own way.
The first has that rainbow box with a simple tan background And unique type being simplistic.
While the other one has that flower in the background that's just dark enough, you can still see the writing on the page, which is turned white, making them easier to read.
I like both, but if you want my opinion of which you should go with, I would say the flower one. The words stand out on it pretty well, and you can see the menu and everything on the top of the page, which most people are used to navigating with.

Maybe you can add something that's I'm the same color family as the green and white just so that it has a tiny bit more pop, though, compared to what it has now.

Hi Lily,
I appreciate the lilies on your second rough, I see what you did there The bottom rough is beautiful and sleek, but I like the personality of your first design, its more unique and personal. But I'm also drawn to color like a bird to a mirror. I like your choice of font, but it is a wee bit hard to read. I would totally stick with it but perhaps play around with the spacing, sizing, and whatnot. I also really like that you used a beige color for your background. Very cool.

Hey Lily! Something that you do really well is keep to a theme. I've seen enough of your other work to see that you really like to keep this 'modern psychedelia' vibe about your work. That's really cool! It's a unique styling to see and will help with brand recognition. That being said, you already know I have to pick the first set. Something that might be really cool is to make it look more like a cork board and maybe add some cool pins or other imagery. You could incorporate the lily image from the bottom layout in there somehow if you wanted to as well. I think this is going to look really cool when its all done!

Hey Lily,
I absolutely love both concepts! And that makes it even harder on my end to decide which one you should continue developing on for the final submission, I wish I could just pick both argh! I really enjoy the clean and minimal look to the first one, and how the colorful gradient image pops off towards the viewer. But with the second design, it has a nice and well-balanced composition to it that is very visually pleasing. So, as much as I do love the first one, I'd say to go with the second concept because when viewing them side by side this one seems more stronger of the two. My only suggestions to improve its layout are: not making the "Welcome" headline aligned with the paragraph underneath on both formats (computer-sized and mobile); making your name bolder; and spacing out your navigation more away from your name in the mobile format. For the first comment, the "Welcome" headline sort of irks me in a way because of how it is directly aligned with the paragraph below (it makes me imagine that there is an invisible line going straight through your composition where both of your headline and paragraph are locked to the side of it). So, if you make the headline sort of off position, such as it being more towards the left side, I think that would greatly improve it and match the rest the asymmetrical feeling already going on throughout your whole design. (I couldn't find a better example to input here, but if you look at how the blue headline is more towards the left than the body paragraph, this is what I mean https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4b/b7/65 ... c9421b.jpg ). About your name on top, I think you will need to make it bolder since it is read almost second to the much thicker "Welcome" headline; I do understand that the welcome headline does comes towards the viewer immediately when opening the site, but it implies that your name is not that as much important--you can adjust it by making your name bolder/thicker, larger, or decreasing the weight of the "welcome" headline. And lastly, for the navigation on the mobile format, it is a quick fix by shifting all the buttons lower so that they are not too close to your name on top. Other than that, you are onto a really good start, and I can't wait to see how your website looks later on!

Lily, I like your first versions. Background light, but not too bright, your headline font just ridiculous for most names, but yours is easy to read at that size and both just legible enough that you can easily make out the right letters. Zany, but it works for your name! I like the pink book-looking art/logo, but the topper: attaching two "gold medal-looking" stickers that make one think you won a prize already! That font is SO weird, I'm sure I should not like it, but dang if it isn't completely legible--except in 'initials' form--that looks like sanskrit or Arabic or Idk, not LM from out here.

Your second set... after the whimsy of your first set, the second set--though VERY nicely laid out, very professional, it is kind of 'heavy' feeling to me, so dark, though I love the font your name is in and the tra-la-la serifs on the final "ells." I read you were going for very different? But I'd love to see those flowers in their technicolor beauty! I agree with you about the mariamarie site and the abilee one, so fun and pretty!

I absolutely am in love with both of these designs. I am a sucker for anything with green, cream-like, colors, and groovy graphics. The first one is super simple and I love your motto, don't find, create yourself, and in such a cool font! It is still legible while being complicated and eye catching. I also think a nice touch was you using (I am assuming) your logo as a stamp on either side of your motto. Unhelpful, but I have no comments for you as far as critiquing, I wouldn't change anything, I love it

Hello,
While both designs definitely carry a theme throughout them, I believe the second design holds the most sway over me, the fonts are definitely more readable and the balance is great. I also like the way you plan to scale the page and how it is consistent and holds the design. The first design definitely has too much negative space and the font on the top makes me think it was designed with you as opposed to the user in mind.
Regards.