Its a Start

[robc]

Hi all,

This is the new site for my free lance webdesign. Its better than the last however i need feedback desperatly to know what i need to improve, friends are no good as they just give you positive feedback, i need objective stuff. Also i am currently creating a flash website for it but i have a feeling that wont be done til the fall.

www.robdesigns.tripod.com

regards,
rob

[robc]

Sorry but if you wouldnt mind since your at it another site of mine...which if you ignore the adds looks okay www.softwarereviews.tripod.com its a non profit site

[Steve]

Why don't you pay for some cheap hosting and a domain?

[robc]

I will shortly, its just i want to get the website really good before i start paying.

[interactive]

I'm sure if you posted in the requests forum here someone would help you out.

But to critique your first site, here goes. First off, frames are bad, even inset frames (iframes). If you can avoid using them. Secondly your site is a bit dark, and I don't know if its the right word, but depressing. Good luck though.

[robc]

Thanks, well its what i want to hear in a way, i also have a template of a different main page for my site, tell me if this is better or heading in the right direction...

http://www.robdesigns.tripod.com/preview.htm

[robc]

Actually i was thinking it might be a good idea to make it shorter so you dont have to scroll on the opening page

[interactive]

Well like I said they're evil. And no offense intended at all, but if you're going to get anywhere on the internet (web design wise) you got to be competitive. Your style is from the mid 90's.

[robc]

Thank you, you've opened up my eyes and i realize all your saying is true! I think im gonna take a fresh start to a new one and use more friendly colors, like light blue and greyish i think, well enough about that! Cheers anyway!

[MMiz]

Originally posted by robc:

Thank you, you've opened up my eyes and i realize all your saying is true! I think I'm gonna take a fresh start to a new one and use more friendly colors, like light blue and grayish i think, well enough about that! Cheers anyway!

Rob,

I sure hope you don't take the criticism the wrong way. You're asking the HHO community, whose members dedicate their careers to the web, and many who have been surfing for a long long time to critique your site.

Personally I think its a personal site :) Ive found the following format seems to transform a personal site into a more professional one:

- Color Scheme. Your purple background looks pretty nice. But your purple 3D Text with a white border seems a bit out of place. There is nothing I like more than using all my graphic design skills, but Ive found that making a professional site means making things simple and clear. Ever hear the phrase "KISS" / Keep it Simple Stupid (no insult there, its the phrase). Thats true for most professional ventures, and especially web design.

- Font. Just look at the other web sites people create. Your font is great, but its 3D, in "strong" but similar color, and has a border that doesn't blend in with the background. Lets say you stick with the purple background, what about a light grey text? Light light blue possibly? How about white? Just some ideas to play around with. I'm a fan of the Verdana and arial font, and cant stand when people use the default Times New Roman font, but thats just me.

- Host. I'm sure if you asked someone on this forum they would be happy to provide you with a free sub-domain while you get things set up. I cant stand pop-ups though. Usually I wouldn't even have reviewed a site that had 'em.

- Spelling and Grammar. Have a friend or Microsoft check that for you before you publish the site. Ive found quite a few errors. You can even PM me and Id be more than willing to review your site later.

- The Counter. I know I know, you want to know who visits your site. Counters aren't screaming professional, but I understand using them being you're on tripod. Ditch 'em and use the ones your hosts provides, once you have a host that is.

Don't give up. Make more designs, and more designs, and more. Thats the only way you learn. Go visit the big sites and see what you like from them, try to emulate (but not steal) from them. Learn their techniques, and build on them.

You have a great start. Come back here with your future works and Id be more than happy to offer additional critiques if you desire :)

-Matt

[robc]

Thanks a lot for that Matt! I have been studying major sites, not the ones like Yahoo or such but hosting sites and other design sites and they are really impressive and they have the professional look to them. Thats why i think i am just going to start to make something like that.

[Chicken]

www.robdesigns.tripod.com

As was said, frames isn't generally what you'd want to use. Though frames do have uses, I don't see a reason to use them in this case, and tripod makes it impossible (as there's a partial ad in the left nav frame).

Heading graphics (and link graphics) obviously are made for a white background. You have them on purple so they look jagged. A bit odd.

Personally, I'd change:

"Rob C's Designs was created to bring you Web Design and Media Design at an affordable price, unlike that of large design companies."

-to simply:

"Rob C's Designs offers Web Design and Media Design services at affordable prices."


http://www.softwarereviews.tripod.com/

Color combination of flat grey, bright red, and black doesn't work, but I think you realize that. The graphic 'Software Reviews' isn't bad, but the Times Roman font with text crushed against the left side of the content frame is visually unappealing. Need to get that text off the edge there, and consider Arial instead. Amazing what a font change can do to the look.


http://www.robdesigns.tripod.com/preview.htm

The graphics look much better overall, partly because you've placed them on the correct color background. You seem attached to the huge swirl graphic, however I'd consider relacing it or at least shrinking it and including it with the design, instead of making it the focal point. It's a nice graphic, but I'm not sure it's nice enough to carry the whole site. Make sure the background isn't that purple with tiny white dots. Too busy.

If the background is just there to display the other image (as I'm assuming it is), I'd say that the top half of your preview looks great, the bottom 1/2 not so great. I like how you blended the top, but things don't work at the bottom. It starts to look like a powerpoint template (something you'd want to avoid).

[robc]

Well i have completely re done it and it looks a million times better, i was actually quite pleased with myself but all i need now is real hosting without ads and pop-ups, can anyone give me reference to a cheap one that is add free?

[Chicken]

For that, you'd probably ask in Experiences & Recommendations (http://hosthideout.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=42)