reviewing 4 design websites

·      http://www.jessewillmon.com/

·      http://www.spoongraphics.co.uk/

·      http://ftdesigner.net/

·      http://www.kevinlucius.com/

1. jesse willmon- jesse’s site design is clean, informal, doodle scrapbook like cartoony, spontaneous illustration, consistent use of colour pallete through the design with the use primarily on black and white.

Navigation on the site includes tabs for the menu at the top, this divides in to sections of media disciplines, web, motion, print and illustration.

Dividing in sections can make it easier when having a portfolio that is widespread like this and allows the user to be taken exactly to the point they want to browse, easily and quickly with the media section chosen it has a side menu to choose from for each project that jesse has worked allowing to view screen prints of this work, shown with most of the space based around this image.

The contact information is placed in to the background at the top, so that it is shown on each page browsed, visibly and clearly without having to look for it, being right in front of you.

Another page separate from the rest of the tabs is the cv page, this is placed more to the right. I think having this for a page is good for potential clients, showing exactly what their experience and designs are like of the designer.

2. Spoon graphics- the site uses textures to the background, which adds detail to the site with the neutral earthly colours which complements the vibrant colours on used on chris’s work.

The navigation is easy and simple to use with the top navigation bar, having a few options to choose from and not too much in the menu, with 4 choices of pages to visit-home, portfolio, about, contact.

I like how the home page uses like a slide show that straight away is showcasing the artist’s work before you start browsing. This be a potential advantage to the website design as it can get the user interested in to seeing more through the site and portfolio before leaving.

The portfolio page uses a pop up, light box affect when a thumbnail is directly clicked on, displaying that individual item, the only thing about this is how the user has to click on and off the thumb nail with the enlarged image, some users may find it more beneficial to have arrows to navigate back and forth between each enlarged thumb nail.

However I like how all items of the portfolio are kept to the same page makes it easy to browse through the designers work, rather than having links or jump to different pages to see them all.

This also helps to maintain interest

3. Ftdesigner- the design is visually different from other sites, with the dark textured wooden background with the content based on an central alignment.

The main menu is used at the very top with ripped old paper as the background as a textured image which adding more detail to the page.

I like how the intro to the page being large text that stands out in the hierarchy, one thing to check from this is the spelling/grammer as the designer has put “Im graphic designer” which should be i am graphic designer or I’m graphic designer.’

The slightest spelling/grammar mistake can make it off putting for clients when viewing a personal portfolio site that has mistakes on it as it is unprofessional

Underneath the intro text is another preview slideshow of the designers work, again showing the type of style and work he has done briefly.

This has background is following the ripped paper look used in the menu, keeping visual consistency and helps the section stand out from the dark background and shows abit of the designers creativity with the background image framing the content.

The menu bars link to the same page with it being all one page website, but the links take you directly to the content selected with a menu align to the left of that main body content. If you want to go back up there is link to the right side of this, without trying to find it yourself or having to scroll back up to top of the website, this allowing you what you exactly want to view, making it easy, accessible and convenient.

The bottom of the page also has another menu with same style used as it is at the top of the page.

I think having this style navigation, makes it a little bit different from everyone else site and having easy access at any point of the site viewing you can easy click once in the position of the site you are at and be taken to it.

This is an advantage for people who are lazy or impatient people viewing the site and will be most beneficial to them.

One thing about the site is that, there isn’t much interaction for the user to click on apart from the menu links and images, maybe something alittle bit extra to help engage the viewer alittle bit more could be added. This could b anything related web site subject. E.g comments box or guestbook giving feedback about the designers work.

Images of the portfolio is done in black and white thumbnails however when the user clicks on each thumb nail they come to life with colour as they enlarge on the screen.

This being something bit different again from other peoples websites, only thing is it may not work well in black and white with some of the thumbnails. This is something that has to be thought about, if this was to be done on my own site, as some areas of the thumb nail being darker than others can blend abit in to the dark background used on this site.

One good thing the designer has done on the site is with the logo placement being top, left and is linked to the designer, taking you directly to the contact page, many websites usually would use this link to take you back to the home page.

The text colour is used mainly in white, being opposite to the website background colour, this making it a good choice for legiability and standing out, making the text easy to read.

Some areas of the text has different colours to the blocks of text, acting an accent, this stands out as key text and also different sizes and weights of text are used in hierarchy, to directly catch your eyes.

Kevin lucius- this uses similar design backgrounds and layout feel, in relation to the other sites reviewed.

This being like spoon graphics, all content is kept to once page being left to scroll down top to bottom to see each section of the designers work.

Textures are greatly used throughout the whole site, carrying the worn paper look of which was lightly touched in the design of ftdesigner.

Seeing these websites greatly using the textures show, which textures are trending currently in web design. Designers may feel this gives them a creative quirky look overall or add a bit of detail to plain website.

The logo is used in the top left corner but has no link making it only a flat visual, incorporated in to the background design.

No menu is to be seen on the website, leaving the user to do all the work, scrolling down each section.

The designer’s work is sectioned down the page into the order personal work, web design, logos, random stuff and sign design.

The work is all different and maybe their could be a way of linking the work in to better sections and with a menu at the top listing submenus, this would help organize the site a bit better.

I like the placement of the main focus being used to be drawn to work when an item of work has selected by the user and creates the light box affect with the background darkening and the central being the main attraction of viewing, I think it works very affectively and allows you to view in full detail of the design piece without restriction.