Website Launch

[Zendada]

Here we go! I have an event I need to be at tomorrow and I just finished creating my website. I’ve been working on it all day and now its late. Feel free to laugh at my very dull and boring website and my sub-par website building.

There are other categories in the portfolio that have yet to be filled such as package design, web, flash, collateral etc. The portfolio took the whole day so the landing page sucks but I am tired.

Feedback is appreciated. What would you like to add/change/take away?

You all are the very first people to see this.


Zendada Design ©2006 (http://www.zendada.com)!

[EC]

Ok I don't like reading sideways -- but other than that, I think you did a great job. Simple, clean, easy to move around. Very zen. :)

[EC]

Just one other thing, when you get a chance -- you could improve on the navigation a bit especially a little deeper into the portfolio section. Make sure people know on *every page*: where they are, where they've been, how they can get back to where they were, and where they can go next.

[Neuro]

I like how clean it is. Nothing distracting away from the designs. I agree though that the sideways navigation is a bit off to me. I also think it's a big off with the horizontal navigation after the vertical when going into the portfolio. I like how you pop the selected design piece forward when selected. I definitely like your site.

[typographics]

the layout is extremely disjointed; everything is too spaced out. no common graphical elements that visually pull everything together. the vertical type worked okay on your business card, but makes for a fairly awkward navigational setup on your website. i also agree with what EC said.

[MyRealName]

ya i also think that its too spaced out.. but all the stuff in your portfolio is awsome....

[idaho]

I like the clean look but hate reading sideways. It makes my head hurt. I'm not a big fan of right-hand navigation either.

You've got some really good stuff in your portfolio. Why not focus on it a little more. Bring out some more of the colors.

Just my $.02

[reuber1]

The sideways links seem heavy handed, and very out of place. I would work on that.

What is it with red/black/white web sites? I almost considered doing this myself for my website, but changed my mind.

Outside of the link thing, I like your site (and your work), and the color scheme thing is more of a ponderous thing, not much of a critique (though it is being done a lot).

[mac.FINN]

I hate to say it but again, it's minimalism not dadaism.
I think an identity solutions using dada (if well executed) would be extremely strong. Minimalism websites are very popular right now (like reuber said red/black/white, and very simplistic).

It's nice but it doesn't really stand out as anything exceptional.

[Zendada]

Since I’ve joined this forum a Google search on “zendada” brings up my site on the first page in 9th place. A Google search on “zendada design” brings up my site on the first page in third place while a post I made here on these forums comes up first!

No doubt all the hits have helped, and Google just did another crawl recently.

Thanks everyone.

[senjula]

I like the site, I agree with the sideways thing, kinda hard on the eyes. With a name like Zendada you would think you come up 1st on your searches. Mine Senjula.com does the same thing, all my posting in forums comes up first...oh well thats life...

[Zendada]

I like the site, I agree with the sideways thing, kinda hard on the eyes. With a name like Zendada you would think you come up 1st on your searches. Mine Senjula.com does the same thing, all my posting in forums comes up first...oh well thats life...

I’m not a web expert by any means, but I think it has to do with total number of hits. These boards have over 10,000 members. These topics get hundreds of hits a day while our sites get a fraction of that.

I just did a Google search on “senjula” and your site hits number one on the first page.

[senjula]

It use to be all my pages at one time, till I started using Senjula as a user name and now I am lucky when my own site comes up as the first hit. It does vary. You may want to try a different user name on some forums to lessen the hits that come up with your name. However, I still get hits on Senjula from some posts that are 10 years old...kinda scary....You may be interested in this link

http://www.googlepageranking.info/

not sure if you have tried that or not yet, just go there and type in your site address and you can get a clear picture of how google sees your site. You will get a page ranking probably start off around 3/10 the higher up the better, plus it gives you an idea on backlinks and stuff...dont know too much about it but it is kinda neat.

[urstwile]

I like your portfolio very much. What struck me most is that the site design doesn't really seem to go with the style of your work all that well. It doesn't seem to lend any kind of clue to the work to be found therein, and thus your design personality.

I agree with some of the other posters on the sideways type navigation. The right hand side navigation didn't really trouble me too much.

I would prefer not to have to use the back button on my browser to get back to the portfolio links, you might want to keep the navigation as a constant.

I would also downsize some of the images on the final size (in particular the posters), so that there's no scrolling required for say an average screen size. I'm on a 17" monitor, and I had to scroll on the final size image of the posters.

Also, I'd alert people to the fact that the Adbusters image goes to a PDF.

On some of the pages (logo for example), the foremost graphic seems to move somewhat randomly down and to the right, where you have the description. Seemed a little disjointed to me.

And in terms of spacing, I've noticed that the width is resizable. I had my browser window at full width when I first clicked on your site, so things were really spaced out. When I cut the browser window size in half, the spacing was way better. You might want to consider using a fixed width instead.

Nice portfolio!

[Zendada]

I like your portfolio very much. What struck me most is that the site design doesn't really seem to go with the style of your work all that well. It doesn't seem to lend any kind of clue to the work to be found therein, and thus your design personality.

Thank you! Actually, I like the contrast between the work and the site. The identity is super simple but the products are not.

I agree with some of the other posters on the sideways type navigation. The right hand side navigation didn't really trouble me too much.

Argh, the number one complaint. I have to be stubborn on this one. Its just about the only “dada” thing about the site.

I would prefer not to have to use the back button on my browser to get back to the portfolio links, you might want to keep the navigation as a constant.

I would also downsize some of the images on the final size (in particular the posters), so that there's no scrolling required for say an average screen size. I'm on a 17" monitor, and I had to scroll on the final size image of the posters.

Good points. I’ll work on that.

Also, I'd alert people to the fact that the Adbusters image goes to a PDF.

There is a warning. ;P But you are right, it should be more obvious.

On some of the pages (logo for example), the foremost graphic seems to move somewhat randomly down and to the right, where you have the description. Seemed a little disjointed to me.

Are you sure its not being caused by scroll bar additions on your small screen? Because for me the logo is static no matter what page I view.

And in terms of spacing, I've noticed that the width is resizable. I had my browser window at full width when I first clicked on your site, so things were really spaced out. When I cut the browser window size in half, the spacing was way better. You might want to consider using a fixed width instead.

Ok, I only designed it on Mac in Safari on a grid. If IE or any other browser is messing this up I’ll have to fix it. :mumble:

Nice portfolio!

Thanks again. Its not complete.

[urstwile]

Zendada,

I know your original post said it's still a work in progress. Most of my comments were not FIX THAT SH*** right now. Just food for thought for later updates. :) That being said:

I didn't notice the PDF alert...maybe I got so excited that you're doing work for Adbusters I lost my head a bit in my excitement. ;)

As to scrollbars on the logo page, I don't have any. It just felt on that page like the jump down and to the right when clicking on an example to look at a larger one was, um, I'm not sure what I'm trying to say, it just felt kinda jumpy. I see you do a similar thing with the other work, but perhaps because the logos take up less vertical space, the jump is more pronounced?

In terms of the contrast between the work and the site, I can see your point. I do think that if you reduced the overall width of the page, it might help. Just my opinion however.

Keep working on it, and keep us posted as you develop it. I'm looking forward to seeing its growth.

And if you're going to be putting up more work, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing it.

Cheers!

[Zendada]

I know your original post said it's still a work in progress. Most of my comments were not FIX THAT SH*** right now. Just food for thought for later updates. :)

No worries and well taken. I hope my response was not TOO defiant. Believe it or not I do take these suggestions seriously.

[typesoup]

It's a refreshing change from the usual. As to the sideways issue, would vertical text work there? Just a thought.

Also, the word "accomodate" in the second paragraph on your home page is actually spelled "accommodate."

I like all the white space but wonder if just a little less might help with tie in and flow.

Working cleanly on a mac running 10.4.6 in IE, NS, FF, and Safari.

[Zendada]

Thanks and its updated with the correct spelling. I’ve never been good at spelling and grammar.

[urstwile]

Nope not defiant. I just wanted to be clear where I was coming from.

Good catch on the typo, typo. :rolleyes: That's one of the few words I always find myself misspelling.

P.S. I've been viewing it in Safari.