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Hi everyone.
I'm just putting the finishing touches on my site and would really appreciate some crit. It's the first time I've used css so any comments on that front would be great. There have been some teething issues with IE 6/7 that I think are ironed out.
I'm a mac guy and don't have access to a PC so if any windows users could let me know if anythings seems a bit odd I'd be greatful.
www.kickmuck.co.uk (http://www.kickmuck.co.uk)
Cheers all.
Deef
martyng
12-05-2006, 11:29 AM
It's nice and clean. Maybe a bit too clean tho - therefore a 'tad' boring. I'd try and bring a bit of colour in.
Thanks for the imput Martyng. I'll take it into consideration. I may make the blue background gradient a tad richer. Or something......
Cheers.
Deef
CamarotaDesign
12-05-2006, 04:02 PM
I would second martyng's comments. Its a nice clean layout, easy to navigate, but just slightly boring. Should be a simple fix. I would also add links to the websites you have created, or show more than just a small thumbnail of the design. Nothing drives me more crazy than not being able to visit the site is in a designer's portfolio, it makes me feel like you are trying to hide it.
Thanks.
I am going to get permission from my clients before I put links to their sites. It's something I'm getting sorted.
Any thoughts on unboring the site? I'm tring to keep the areas for copy and pholio images clean so thing can be easily read/seen.
Cheers for the feedback.
Deef
Mynock
12-05-2006, 04:23 PM
A few things. I would cut down on the depth of the site. I click on logo, and I don't want to have to click again. I'm getting red x's on some of the images, but it looks like they are showing up, I'm confused. On your galleries, I would work on the linking at the bottom. Next is not underlined, while back is. The first couple ones I clicked on I thought there was only one pic and Next was inactive. I later relized it was not true. I would shorten that structure also and have like thumbnails so I dont have to look at everyone or have to wait for every single page to load. Also I can easily find one I like quickly or go back to it without having to guess where it was at or hitting back. It loads a little slow, but it's not that bad. The depth of your site hurts you especially in that respect.
The little red x's are one of the IE issues I mentioned I was having. I have checked the site in Safari FF Opera Netscape 7 and everything is fine. I really don't know what to do about it. I've been really trying to avoid going on a rant about IE but I have spent hours just trying to get my site to work with it's little foibles.
I'm curious about it loading slowly. Everything is quite small file size wise. No image if I remember correctly being over 50k. Most much smaller. Hmm.
I don't understand why you would have to click on Logo again. Just click on one of the other headings in the nav to go to the desired page.
As far as the other things like gallery nav link colours/underlines, I'm on it.
Thanks for the input.
Cheers.
I'd have to agree with the points already made.
My biggest issue is size...it all seems so small to me. Especially the web sites...couldn't really see any good details on them. Maybe it's just me, but I like to see big images of peoples work.
Mynock
12-05-2006, 05:09 PM
I meant finding different items within logos or within illustrations, not going from logos to illustrations.
(gra-ph!c-D'sig-nah)
12-05-2006, 05:09 PM
I like the idea but what bothers me about the site is when I click on your menu links, such as "web"....I have to click again to enter....By me clicking on "web" said I wanted to enter - so why should I have to click on another link to enter....
add some pizzaz too!
As I've said I'm looking to get links to them when I speak to my clients.
Re size. It's not everything. OO ER.
Seriously, I have looked at sites on normal peoples (not designer types) computers and I was amazed at how many web sites didn't fit, particularly width wise because folk had never thought to increase their screen res. So, I wanted to try and keep things, a bit more cosy.
Cheers.
I now get what what Mynock was saying from your post, gra-ph!c. I have to say that spash pages are quite comon in my experience.
A few of you have said in one way or another, I need to jazz it up. I would be greatful if I could get some imput as to why specifically you're finding it boring. I thought the general layout (with the backgroung shapes) and way the pholio items themselves were presented was interesting. I am trying to keep the site as semanitally correct as possible so, though in doing so it would appear to be a bit dull.
Thanks for the help.
Cheers.
Mynock
12-05-2006, 05:38 PM
I don't care for splash screens. It's one more click. Let me find some people who agree with me. You are making it worse by have splash pages within your site. It'd be different if they offered more than just an image.
http://www.websiteoptimization.com/speed/tweak/splash/
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3412591
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990530_comments.html
http://www.datumconnect.co.nz/wa.asp?idWebPage=12667&idDetails=609
Do I need to continue?
Another good one:
http://www.seomoz.org/blogdetail.php?ID=1442
Mynock
12-05-2006, 05:43 PM
Here's one that's not so down on them, but they agree on needing more.
http://webstyleguide.com/site/home.html
It would be a fair point if all of those links weren't refering to having a spash page before the main page to the site. But they are. And I don't. I suppose the pages in my site would be better refered to as heading pages. I just felt lanching staright to the first item seemed a bit blunt.
Mynock
12-05-2006, 05:54 PM
Call them what you want, but the basic concept is the same. You could keep them, but replace them with a little paragraph and an explanation or something along those lines. You could also go with the gallery/snap shot idea I gave earlier and you'd have a smoother transition. But hey, it's your site do what you want with it.
martyng
12-05-2006, 05:58 PM
Where abouts in Scotland are you based?
That was what I was doing with the sketch images. I wanted to keep them minimal and unfussy. Now the whole site has come together I think that these pages may be an oppertunity to to add that 'oompf' that the site is needing. Dare I break out Flash. Drum roll.........
Thanks Mynock.
Mynock
12-05-2006, 06:06 PM
I'm not going to tackle the flash topic. :P
By the way, I have to go out for a birthday bash now. So if I don't respond to any posts, it's not 'cause I've spat the dummy. I'm just not here. But wait with baited breath on my return to hear the adulation and applause for my site. Grin.
Cheers.
martyng
12-05-2006, 06:10 PM
Yeah I could have just read the text on your website ;)
The thing is with a name like 'kick muck', I'd expect it to be a little grittier looking. The white and pale blue look almost 'clinical' I wouldn't usually associate those colours with muck. Just a thought?