GRC 175 Learning and Discussion Forum

Hello fellow students. My username is the same as my actual name because it didn't occur to me that I didn't have to. Oh well.

For this critique, I have the required two mobile and two not mobile-sized layouts. For my designs, I was inspired by websites like tumblr.com and pinterest.com where the images are arranged in a way where they create interesting patterns or shapes by the way the images almost create composite shapes (or gestalt explained in a very stupid way). The way I created the navigation bar was directly borrowed from in1view.com, which is a portfolio website for a company that does real estate photography. I would like to create a sort of portfolio out of my own site, as the pictures in all of these designs were in fact taken by me.
For some reason, the desktop-sized ones look smaller but I had to save them as lower quality in order to get them to display without taking 30 years to load so it is what it is I guess.
Here are a few of the websites I found that helped me when making my designs.

https://www.wix.com/blog/2021/05/web-design/
https://webflow.com/blog/web-design-for-beginners
https://www.socialectric.com/post/homep ... ve-to-read

I was insecure a bit at first because the area of web design was a sort of unknown area to me, one unfamiliar, but once I realized that the principles of layout design for the web are pretty similar it helped take some of the edge off, but I still am sure I have a lot to learn so critical feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Megan! I really like these concepts! They are visually interesting and draw the viewer in by the use of shapes and color. For the first concept the shapes are really cool, I might lower the size of a couple or move them around, you could also make your name and the about me section a lot bigger, your name should be the biggest piece of text on the page so that it's the first thing a person notices, and the text box for About me could be a lot bigger so there's less empty space in the design, the mobile concept as well, the circles could be a lot smaller, they're crowding almost all the space, but the rest is really nice! For the second concept you could do the same thing, there's a lot of empty space, you could move the navigation to the top or below the name, or keep it where it is and increase the size, I would also make the rectangles the same size. Otherwise well done! I'm excited for what comes next!

Hi Megan,
Your photography is beautiful, I'm so glad you're using it. I feel the same way about webdesign. I think you made really interesting layouts though, I like the feel of your second rough, but I love your use of the photo bubbles. I agree with making your name larger, shout it. I would take some time to play with sizing and layout, and maybe take some of your photos and make some sweet color palettes. Very cool.

Hey Megan,
Both of your concepts look amazing! And that makes it even harder to decide which one to choose from for you to develop further on for the final submission, argh! I really do enjoy how you had placed the images you took inside of floating circles for the first concept, it seems very playful and reflects your personality through your website very well. For the second design, I love how you had made the open shot to the ocean as the background, it makes the viewer feel as if they could take a step into your site and roam around--really immersive, great job! I think the more that I look at them both, I have to say I am more interested with the top concept. It is overall visually pleasing and feels open. My only critiques for the design are: Choosing a color for the white rectangle behind the floating images; and making the paragraph centered or right sided. The white rectangle disconnects from the overall composition and comes off as an unfinished section, so I think you could replace it will a dull dark blue, dull green, or a dull light blue hue (you can use the color picker tool from your main mountain shot to help with a similar color)--if this seems confusing, I recommend checking out Lily's second preliminary design, where it has a green rectangle on the side of her background photograph--hopefully that helps what I mean. For my second comment, the paragraph underneath your name could be centered or placed to be coming from the right side, it seems sort of awkward how it is now, but maybe this might be my opinion. But besides all that, I think you are onto a great start! Good job and I can't wait to see how it looks next time!

I LIKE ALL OF YOUR DESIGNS. They are ALL good!

So simple LOOKING, but I see how in the top mobile version you lined up the horizons on the two pictures with the main picture... and it's so comforting, it feels good and right, and fitting. Interesting and catchy font for the headline and titles in the Sand Harbor? version, and I know this isn't about the copy, but that's so cute about the love of your life. :- ) I KNOW, my two dogs were the loves of my life and they were both stolen from me and my then husband... nearly 40 years ago! A Norwegian elkhound and a Dalmation/Hound mix, Hound head & body with a totally Dalmation coat: beautiful.
I think you made all of your elements nicely spaced and placed--one little thing: the TMCC banner part is hard to read against the rocks background. Very nice work, I like all of them.

Alright! More poll action! I click button now.

As you see, I clicked your fist one. ORBS OF DOOM!

But seriously, the photo orbs are totes cool and very eye catching. I like the way they break out of their "box" and add depth and dimensionality to your layout. Your photos are well chosen and say a lot about you that you don't need to spell out in your bio text. They also ad color to the composition. In fact, your images supply the ONLY color to your composition, which is a strong choice. I like you choice of clean typography, too. Your navigation is easy to see and use. In fact you whole layout is super clean and basically uses the photo and orbs to do the heavy lifting when it comes to visual interest. They're so well chosen that it all works. Good use of margins as well. Everything has a nice mount of room to breath. Your alignment is strong too. Creating edges where there are none.

I really don't think you need to outline your type or put a screened box behind your TMCC logo. I think your name, "About Me", and navigation don't need the white outlines, just make 'em white. I think they'll stick out just fine. Also, your bodycopy doesn't need the black outlines. Just make the box behind it a little less transparent.

Nice work!

Megan, I really like your design with all of circles, I feel this is a very unique design and it looks really nice how you've filled the shapes with images. the overall aesthetic is very nice. I would however put your text within a textbox with a background color because your text is hard to read against the detailed background.

I like the simple and concise nature of the second layout, it is smooth balanced and seems to scale well. It may need a touch more contrast to direct the user moving forward but otherwise a solid design. The first doesn't seem to flow and is perhaps a bit busy, unless the circles are icons or represent a work in themselves. Rad start, looking forward to the finished product.
Regards

I like both and thing both work, I picked the first one because it stood out a little more from the usual, but nothing wrong with the second. I like the visual energy of the first. If I were going to pick anything, it might be toying with the hierarchy of the orbs, on the mobile version the biggest and closest one seems like it might almost be too dominant in relation to everything else on the site. Not sure. I also feel like, at least to me, I might like the white band to just be a tad more, smaller, just slightly, mainly on the mobile version, but perhaps on both. These are more about my personal preference than actual critiques, so not sure how useful that is. Overall awesome.

I like it, one thing I’d change is leave half the bottom if not 1/3 blank to put text over it rather over the image itself.