newbie designer seeking honest opinions.

[goldieboy]

Hello, I`m still 'green' when it comes to design and I`m looking for critique from those more seasoned. Most of my stuff comes from random experimentation and learning the software on my own, since all the projects I did in school seemed too basic to include in a portfolio. Don`t feel you have to hold back or anything.

Oh yeah, I know about the banners too. I plan on upgrading my web account when I feel I have something solid. /emoticons/icon_neutral.gif

convexdesigns.0catch.com/ (http://convexdesigns.0catch.com/)

[Big Perm-dizzle]

welcome errrrr banners.....hosting is like 4 bucks a month....i know that you already know that.... the navigation is a bit hard to read and it jumps around from one page to the next which usually is not good....

I am not a fan of combining letters together to make a logo it seems to be to a common practice of designers. I think your portfolio work is good.... on your resume I dont know if I would list what you know how to do in each program maybe just list a skill level like beginner or expert. Your work should show them your skills of each program....

anyways your not as green as you think....stick around ask questions and you will improve apon the natural skills you already have....

'In the past couple of weeks your kids have touched me, and i'm pretty sure i've touched them too' - Jack Black (School of Rock)

Consistency that is the number one thing I see newbies missing. Every design you make should be braded with a style and look. Your site changes navigation from one page to the next. Also I see alot of effect and effects are good but when your using them without a purpose it looks amatureish. I use effects but a good artist creates and adds effects to his art. A bad artist just uses effects.

I see talent there, I was looking through my collage stuff and seen a few effect peices this weekend I thought, Dam no wonder I wasn't landing jobs. LOL! But I learned and I'm shore as you mature in your design ability you will too.

Stick around and welcome to the GDF!

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/banner-design.jpg
'Adventure, Excitement, A Jedi craves not these things.'
'Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they.'

[Ryan8720]

Welcome.

I like the look. The banners are distracting. I'm not sure why your navigation on the main page is so far down, I actually have to scroll a bit to see it all.

The coding needs work. I suggest you visit w3schools.com .

http://edgewebdesign.org/ryan2.gif (http://www.edgewebdesign.org)

C:\DOS
C:\DOS\RUN
RUN DOS RUN

[vectorgfxqueen]

Howdy, goldieboy...I liked your basic idea for the web site alot and several of your pictures I thought really good: like the portal, loved that one. The rest show talent, but maybe a little lack of direction. They are what you said they were: playing around. But, I believe you will do very well as a designer. You don't want to do the normal bread and butter stuff like logos and identity packages and brochures, etc.? And you don't use any kind of vector program? If not, I think an easy one to learn is Xara X. I downloaded a sample and am learning it. I like it and wish I had more time to play!

Anyway, good luck and keep on trucking...
Peace

http://www.betaimages.com/ws.gif
"I've got a Rock N' Roll heart" - Eric Clapton

[goldieboy]

Vector programs? I assume that would be Adobe Illustrator, but I don`t really use that program, except for when I want to use its pen tool, which I personally find to be superior to the one in Photoshop. That, and the fact I found the 'gradient mesh' tool a real nightmare to get a handle on. Thanks for all the comments guys.

[Jason Fraker]

I think your work shows many great examples of student work. The only problem I see is that not many companies want to buy the type of stuff many schools ask their students to produce. That was one of the biggest problems I had when I started doing this professionally, the client doesn't care how many cool photoshop tricks you can do, they just want the logo to be a little yellower (or any number of other stupid requests they may have). One of the useful things my GD teacher told me is about process: never tell the client you used a gaussian blur followed by a color halftone filter..., they just want to see the finished piece. My teacher told me that design process is a lot like sausage, you don't wanna see how it's made you just wanna eat it.

Your work shows potential, but you need to put a little more of a polish on it, and you NEED to learn Illustrator. You will find it invaluable when it comes to 2 color logos or budget sensitive things like that.

Keep up the good work,
Jason
<><

99% of what passes for music these days, SILENCE is more compelling1

[Mel]

Thoughts on your website:
• Good start, colors are simple, something I don't see in a lot of starting designers
• Your logo/logotype would be better served by eliminating the gradient sphere, very overdone
• Increase the size and contrast of your navigation fonts, too hard to read right now.
• The beach image makes me question it's relationship to the notion of Convex designs....remember, context
is as important as the visual
• Overall, nice work. Shows promise. Keep it up!!!!!

Thanks for the help.

[Big Perm-dizzle]

yeah illustrator is a key program for print work

'In the past couple of weeks your kids have touched me, and i'm pretty sure i've touched them too' - Jack Black (School of Rock)