Projetc #2 - Preliminary Critique

[j.alexis93]

The website that I chose is http://www.1stopranchandfeed.com/. They're basically a local pet store, but they seem to specialize in animals that you would normally find in a barn or a ranch. I also noticed that they seem to cater more towards horses.

For my first design, I kept the same color scheme that they had, but I toned it down to make it more like earth tones. I wanted to go with a western look since the website focuses on ranch animals.

For the second design, I wanted a "homey" vibe. I chose to go with an old school looking window to give it a barn feel. I used some of the same earthy colors that I used on my first design, but I complemented them with a purple.

*The logo that I used on both designs was taken from their website*

[daveryjones]

I definitely like the top design better. The color scheme is working nicely and it is more simplistic than the "window" style. Maybe try spacing it out a little more so that it doesn't look too cluttered because the only place I'm getting lost is where paper and the photo overlap. The only reason I think it looks strange is because the drop shadows on the image and the paper are different so try to keep it unified. But great job! Can't wait to see what it looks like when it's finished

[warren.asher@gmail.com]

Wow that is one heinous original website you found dude. I love the concept/ layout of your second one but I think the first one is really well done. The details and layout are spot on. It's so good I have no suggestions. Great work man

[natsukigrc175]

Both are interesting to look at but I like the first design over the second one. It is more clean and united. You did good on making use of texture. I like tree branch around the body and wood texture on contents. I like how you use the paper too. Only thing is that the paper is sticking out to the top too much so that its covering the big picture, so I would fix it somehow. Other than that awesome!

[Instructor]

Wow. Nice work, Alexis. You've got two really good ideas here. I prefer the first one, but both are good designs. Hang on to that open widow design from your second one, it may work for another website.

This first design is a textbook example of how a simple, clean layout can be transformed with texture and imagery. This is fantastic use of subtle textures being used to add tons of visual interest. Each of the design images from the prairie background to the wood frame to the barn paneling perfectly captures the rural farm life. The two fonts chosen wok well together. I like that you saved one font for the title and have the other, in various guises, doing all the heavy lifting otherwise. The navigation, both primary and secondary is easy to see and follow. I also like the use of large illustrative imagery at the top to show what's actually going on at the farm as well.

Just one tweak that I can see. I think the torn paper bodycopy area should be 25%-30% wider. Right now that column is a little too narrow to read comfortably.

Excellent work, sir! I'm really looking forward to seeing this as a "real" website.

[punkassbookjockey]

I like the top one, the bottom feels too busy.

[japanese_panda]

I think first one will work better!

but I think you should use angled design which you are good at!

[NevadaCowgirl]

One Stop Ranch and Feed is not a pet store. It is a feed supply store for hay, grain, shavings and other needs for dogs, chickens, cows and horses. Although they do have baby chicks in to buy.

I like your first 2 roughs. I would change the font on Welcome. I find it kind of hard to read. The colors work well together.

[ravennvrmre]

I like both; personally I would go with the top design to match their logo. Also you said that they are generally found in barns and ranches, the fences say that I think more than the window. Is the bottom navigation a different color, it looks off to me. For the bottom design the blues a little much for me, maybe tone it down just a bit more. Great start though.

[lsimgrc175]

I like the first one better because the twigs make it seem more ranch-like to me.