Site feedback please

[Vector_Drawn2001]

http://www.simonafoster.co.uk/

Current Project:

http://www.simonafoster.co.uk/hallmorefishery/

[SpaceChicken]

The site looks good. Very professional. Completely in place with the rest of the internet.
And at the same time... well it's just not artsy enough to me! What makes it stand out? What keeps you coming back? Sure, it's very content based, but if someone goes to the site they probably won't distinguish it from any other standard webpage. Which could be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.

I think you should include some things that really make it pop visually. It's a FISH site, think of the possibilities!!

[villain2]

Well, I think if he's going for professional/corporate web design then this site will do it for him.

It's a corporate site in itself, and that's what those people want to see when they're looking for a designer. They tend to think "in the box" and not "out of it".

However, if he's looking to do more entertainment or mass media work, then yes, he should add some flair to his site.

[MONSTERBOY]

I think he can stay in the same corporate vibe (which I think you did a super job at, the site is kick as) and still add more flair to it. In my opinion I think this design would be SUPERCOOl if it was made all in flash, with more animations, man what a kick butt layout, if it was all in flash it would hella cool.

in other words, this site is great IMO, and it can only get better. That's my only critisicm: Think better. this site lives up and above most other websites, but it can definitly be better...........

my 2 cents.

[villain2]

I get what you're saying ...

but working for a corporation right now ...

they don't like more animation, they like you to keep it as simple as possible (mainly because they don't know crap about style or art and doing anything "cool" will confuse their non-imaginative brains).

That's all I was sayin'

[junior_ab]

The top header with the logo might be a bit to large in height. But I would definatly add some animation, even just a simple slideshow where the main pic is.

[Vector_Drawn2001]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Yes, I do a lot of work for local government and in particular the education sector. In past experience teachers and pupils alike have very little if any appreciation for 'artsy' applicatons...trust me I have been down that avenue and had nothing but....I cant read that font can you change to Arial!! or can we tone it down a little! I agreed if my target audience was the arts, music, culture etc then of course artistic licence would come into play. The site is just a reflection on my market.

Some good suggestions for improvement though, that I will surely take into account.

I am new to the freelance business so I guess I still have a lot to learn.

Thanks

Vector

Now registerd a new domain for the site:

http://www.cloudnineinteractive.co.uk

[Goliat101]

Hi Vector_Drawn2001

I like your site very much.

For me, there is a problem, it's my point of view.
Every time I click on a menu item, the screen goes blank and comes back with a different content.
Personnally, I would keep then Menu along with the Header, on the page, and just change the content, maybe with a transition. That's all.
Good Work.

[Vector_Drawn2001]

Hi guys,

I have added some new scrolling clouds to the website.

Check it out:

www.cloudnineinteractive.co.uk

I can't check the preloader from here, only with the streaming option from flash...can anyone tell me if it works ok??...Please

Your thoughts?

Vector

[steelbanana]

dig the clouds man. how'd you do it?

[Vector_Drawn2001]

Steelbanana,

Creating the clouds is quite simple actually. It started off as a jpeg sequence that I batch processed into gifs (because the files where too large and the only use 16 colours anyway). This series of images (24 in total) was then imported onto the timeline (in a new movies clip) in flash (Flash automaticlly does this when an image is part of a sequence). Then simple add a goto and play action to the last frame. Then drag the movie clip onto the stage and scale to fit the size required for you html page. Add a preloader to the first frame or scence. Thats it!!! Simple.

I'm sure some of those on flashkit with scripting skills far greater then that of mine will tell you it can be scripted, or an easier way...but this works for me.

Laters Vector!

Originally posted by steelbanana
dig the clouds man. how'd you do it?

[Dreamblaze]

lol seems my site is totally the other end of the design spectrum!

but then again, if i were considering buying or hiring anyone for their skills, a site like this would definitely put across a proffesional and trustworthy appeal.

I wouldn't know from experience, but i would think that if someone were thinking of employing you for a certain site, would they like to see designs across the whole spectrum? surely that way the chances of being employed would be higher?

on the website front i love the layout and design, and i disagree that the whole site should be in flash, i think you have the balance you need here. besides, web design isn't just flash

i would suggest, however, that you intergrate the menu into flash, and as suggested above, just have the html content change instead of the whole page.

(good job on the clouds tho - very nice!)

[MONSTERBOY]

Have you ever checked out the Aurora Sky plugin for After Effects made by Digital Anarchy? You can make all sorts of awesome cloud effects in no time. thought you might want to know this so you can go to town with many different cloud animations.............

cool clouds!

[FLASHPULSE]

Site looks good. One problem though, where your logo and buttons are at the top left. It cast a shadow of a bow but your logo and buttons don't look like they are bowing that much. Other then that, nice work.