GRC 175 Learning and Discussion Forum

Hello

SO for my website, I tried to create designs that don't have boxy buttons like they had in the last few times and have focused mainly on the background images rather than all the other aspects of the design. I imagine people are coming to this website for information rather than a cool-looking website.

For my first design, I made a green smokey feeling on the outside of the page to put the words on and kept the center open for the picture I definitely didn't steal off the internet.
For the inside of the page, I kept the smokey edge and continued to have the site be information-based, thus causing the background to be blank, so it's easy to read. Meanwhile, in the second design, I used a picture from inside the sierra building, as this is where the gamt is mainly focused for its classes. I also added some boxes where images or text can go if deemed necessary. I chose a more sophisticated font for an air of professionalism as this is still a college, and we are all totally professional here and not crazy at all.
Again for the inside, I made it blanks so that you can read the information that is inside it easier than if a picture was there.

I really like your designs! i think your second one is the strongest so far, I like the use of color, I might go with a font that is sans serif and a slight bit thicker, otherwise great start!

The Pokemon would clearly use their superpowers to overcome the billion lions.

Oh, your website! Right. I'm a big fan of your second design. I like the fact that is cleanly laid out, but not too boxy because you made the top navigation bar look like it's a torn piece of construction paper. I especially like the unevenness of the torn edge at the bottom. Otherwise it feels very clearly organized and ready to have information placed in it. The navigation is easy to see and use. You've got great spaces for a whole bunch of photos throughout your composition that you can use to illustrate the content of your pages. Your use of transparency is also very strong. It gives your layout depth and extra visual interest. It even works pretty decently with TMCC's hideous green which is always a feat.

Since the top already looks like torn paper, I'd snag a paper texture to go in there and complete the effect. Embrace a little skeuomorphism. I'd add a little top margin to your green bar. It feels very crammed to the top. On the mobile version, the stacked buttons are very close to the bottom of "Graphic Arts & Media Technologies". In fact, I'm not sure you need stacked buttons at all. I'd shrink the buttons slightly so that things like "Degrees & Certificates" don't have to stack. Remember to center your "Graphic Arts & Media Technologies". It currently skews slightly to the right. I also don't think you need to make the bodycopy bold. You have enough space that I think it'll work.

Nice job!

I admire the TMCC image beautiful.

Hi Sam!

First off who wouldn't vote for Pokemon?! lol best poll ever

Anyways in terms of your designs, most definitely I am more of a fan of your second layout. While I do like the layout structure of your first set, the feathering of the menu and nav borders kind of feel very chaotic and unsymmetrical in terms of keeping straight lights, making the eye kind of wander all over the place rather than being guided down the page. In regards to your second set though, it feels much more contained and structured to where is it very easy to navigate through the page. My only critique with 2 is to watch your contrast with the black type against such a dark gray background - it can be a little hard to read at points and perhaps play with some different font options. I would suggest more of a sans serif font for the nav thats bold and a less bold sans serif font for the body copy.

Regardless though really great job on these and look forward to seeing your final site brought to life! Good luck and keep it up! We're almost there!

Best,
Zach

Hi Samantha, I like your photos on your first design, but your second concept is definitely stronger. Cant wait to see what you do.

Um, lions, because pokemon only exist in the metaverse, lol, and a lion verses a laptop or a phone, I am lion all the way. As for your design, I like where the second one is going, the use of box elements gives it a solid UI experience. I would work on defining the smaller elements with some padding and margin work, perhaps a change to bold or oblique font to let the user be guided through your page. Good start, looking forward to the final product.

Hi! I like your second design the layout is clear and clean. I would work more with your typography as the serif font feels too serious for graphic design. Nice start though!

Hello Sam,
Interesting designs you have came up with. I like your 2 design but would like to see how you first design comes out in a final design. Its a hard design. I think what you could work on is font choice. I think both designs could benefit from new fonts.
P.s Pokemon solo 1 billion Tigers

That is an excellent photograph and I love it huge like that with the grassy green color you use for the backgrounds: that looks really good, so appealing. I think people would be just as interested to know what the campus looks like being there on foot, as the information on degrees and classes etc. I prefer the art deco font in the other design. I'd like to see a blend of the two: the colors and photograph of Design 1, with the font and boxifications of Design 2. I can't really comment on things like how close the type is to the edges, I think these are the mysteries and frustrations of wrangling html and css... I don't know. But they are. :- ) I really like the first design because of the photograph choice mainly, and the grassy green... pictures say a thousand words... and you set them in both formats, pc and mobile, beautifully.