Design Critique

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I'm designing a website for an e-portfolio, a) because I'd like to have my work on the internet and b) it'll give me a major advantage when getting into college.

This is it so far, but I think it looks a tad tacky... can anyone give me suggestions of what to do to make the design better?

layout2.jpg
 
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Brighter colors. Lose the grays and blacks.
If you want to get noticed, brighter colors will give a more positive look.
Use red or some other "power" color.
The drab colors won't be nearly as effective.
 
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todd51

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I agree with d3v1L8OY, brighter colors would be better. I don't know about anyone else but I'm having a hard time reading the logo. I'm assuming its supposed to be the same as your username?
 
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Cool, I'll go ahead and start changing colours and stuff around now. And yeah, the logo is supposed to be my username but I'm thinking of designing a new logo for myself that is much more stylised and fancy looking that that, that'll suit the layout better too.
 
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Leukeh
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Ok, I've done a complete reworking of it because I couldn't get colour into that other one effectively. Still a similar layout but no news section... wouldn't really have anything in there except updates, which I don't need. Not too sure about the nav bar... but I think this one looks better than the previous. Still might add a few things too it. Instead of the professional, stylish, modern look I was trying to get before, I've decided to go in a different direction and make it something that suits me a little more. So something a bit more "tech", if that makes sense...

efolio.jpg
 
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Ok, I've done a complete reworking of it because I couldn't get colour into that other one effectively. Still a similar layout but no news section... wouldn't really have anything in there except updates, which I don't need. Not too sure about the nav bar... but I think this one looks better than the previous. Still might add a few things too it. Instead of the professional, stylish, modern look I was trying to get before, I've decided to go in a different direction and make it something that suits me a little more. So something a bit more "tech", if that makes sense...

"Photography" is misspelled, and I would open up the space for those buttons. They are crammed in there and you have a lot of space in the middle of that top bar to spread the buttons out. The type is really squished in there and I think it will just look better if those letters can breathe a bit more.

The only other thing im wondering is, how big is that blank rectangle going to be in the final version of the site? The way it is right now makes it hard to fit things, especially photographs, in that small of a space. You might think about making everything bigger just so you have more room to work.
 
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Leukeh
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Wow, it is too! I can't believe I did that... thanks! XD
Probably a good idea with the buttons, I hate clicking on little things... and the text is hard to read. I'll make them bigger, maybe change the font and re-upload. I've done some other little design features that just add to the site as well.

The main box will expand to fit the content, but won't be any wider than that. I'll be making thumbnails of all the images I put on the site to display in the main window, that you can click to view full size in a new window.
 
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Leukeh
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Ok, here's the most recent update of it. Vast improvement...

efolio.jpg
 
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Ok, here's the most recent update of it. Vast improvement...

I like it, looks a lot better and I really like the texture you put on those bars, it's not so flat now. Now you have to like it long enough to build the entire site, when I was building mine I got about halfway done and would change the look. I did that two or three times until I finally decided on something that works.
 
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Cool, thanks =)
Yeah, I started turning the one at the top of this page into a template and then decided to get some feedback from some people I knew... they didn't like it but couldn't tell me why, so I posted it here and ended up doing something completely different. I'm pretty happy with this one though. Thanks again!
 
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You're welcome, be sure to post when you get a working version so we can check that out.
 
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Leukeh
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http://leukeh.bravehost.com

I'll put it on a real domain when I've finished it... and have some money. Still putting the content into it but it's functional now =)
 
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Looks a lot better from the original, most definitely. The logo is clearer, yet artistic as well at the same time. Good job.
 
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I would still change the font, and maybe brighten it up a little.

You also have an problem on the photo, and digital pages. There is a break in the content.
 
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Leukeh
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I would still change the font, and maybe brighten it up a little.

You also have an problem on the photo, and digital pages. There is a break in the content.

Yeah, I was at my girlfriends house and it was like that... refreshed a couple times and it fixed it =\ But there's nothing wrong over here, so I dunno what's going on. Everyone who's looked at it out of the people I know use Firefox, so I could be a browser issue... Might check it in Safari...

Yeah, it came up with a break in the page but one refresh and it was fine. Weird =\
 
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i'd still go brigher if i were you, but my main issue is i still have no clue what that logo says
chris
 
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i'd still go brigher if i were you, but my main issue is i still have no clue what that logo says
chris

I can see it, but you really have to think about it. Obviously, it's his username.

I would have to agree with chris, you might want to change it a little bit. I know it's asking you to change your whole identity, but if you're going to have future clients look at this, you want them to know that you can provide a clean, clear, and fresh website for them. Nothing too complicated/mysterious.
 
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I can see it, but you really have to think about it. Obviously, it's his username.

I would have to agree with chris, you might want to change it a little bit. I know it's asking you to change your whole identity, but if you're going to have future clients look at this, you want them to know that you can provide a clean, clear, and fresh website for them. Nothing too complicated/mysterious.

here is a theory, show it to your grandma, if your grandma cant read it then its no good
-chris
 
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here is a theory, show it to your grandma, if your grandma cant read it then its no good
-chris

My grandmother is thousands and thousands of miles away from me, and does not use a computer.
 
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Leukeh
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And I don't have one anymore! But I can see what you mean. Redesigning my logo is probably a good idea anyway. Plus the fact that "Leukeh" isn't exactly a word or a name doesn't make it any easier to read. Anyone who knows me would be able to read it straight away, but yes, I can imagine how someone else would get confused...
 

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