Design Fan

All I can say is this Country is going to have a shocking problem with youth unemployment and severely unskilled young workers, very, very soon.

My suggestions
 
1) I like your menu style. But i guess it shouldn't scroll the entire page down.
I'd rather prefer it to show over the page.
 
2) The logo actually is way off the content, it'd be better to bring it in line with the content (your pic). and a little bit lower so that it doesn't get covered when the menu shows.
 
3) make the clock a bit smaller and below the menu button. It's be nice to keep the logo and the clock in the same line below the menu.
 
4) The useful links, don't work for me at all. When I hover over them they disappear for about 3 seconds. I am using chrome on windows 7 to view them.
 
5) The tweet about this bird should be roughly the same size as the icons on the left.
 
6) the text on the side of the pic, It's edges are all jagged and messed up for me.
 
7) There is too much space below the brown texture, I'd suggest reducing the space
 
Well those were my suggestions.

WOW! Go you, opening up a 4 year old thread...

Check this

Check this

Design is a science, not an art.

I'm studying general ICT, product design and psychology at the moment.
 
Well I've always had an interest with computers, wether it be hardware or software. I've got basic's in many areas of computing, such as basic programming in python, XHTML, CSS and im quiet able with programs such as photoshop and illustrator. I'm also quiet creative, but I've never been one for drawing with pencil and paper, so I just get ideas for websites and build visual mock ups in fireworks but haven't had the ability to build them up until about a month ago.
 
Now I've started teaching myself XHTML and CSS I've not really stopped. I'm enjoying it and hopefully my end project, an online portfolio, will reflect the time and work I've put into it.
 
So I guess my reasons behind potentially wanting to be a web designer is down to the fact it's something I enjoy and I feel I'm getting to grips with it reasonably quick along.

Self taught here. Courses can only teach you so much, design comes from within - and loads of practice.
 
If I see something I like, I break it down and try and recreate it myself, I learn that way.

If you don't want people to be harsh, don't post your site up for review?! Sometimes it's necessary to be harsh. I'm not going to come on here and compliment a website I don't like. Harsh critique is just something you're gonna have to deal with and get used to dealing with, if not, this probably isn't the industry for you.
 
It's very important when working as a designer that you accept everybody's opinion and critique - whether you agree, like it, or not.
 
So, having said that, these are my thoughts, and if you consider me harsh then I'm sorry but I do not beat about the bush with my opinions, because if I'm not 100% honest with you then my review won't help you.
 
In essence, this is not a particularly good website. Whilst the customer has insisted on dark colours, I still think the colours here are wrong. It just looks so dated, I think you could have thought about injecting a primary colour to bring it to life.
 
I don't understand the logo. I'm not sure if it's your work, but I don't really "get" it. Why the globe? What does it signify? This company does not appear to even conduct its operations internationally, so if anything the globe is mis-leading. This is a classic case of a logo having a motif when it would have been better without one. If the logo wasn't your work though, then fair enough.
 
You've got this flash, but it's ugly and totally pointless. It adds nothing to the site. The colours are too strong and it looks like an interactive element but isn't. It's just totally pointless and brings the whole look of the site down. Further, on iPads it isn't going to show at all. That may not be a huge issue as far as you're concerned but the bottom line with flash, which we should all be taking, is that you should only use it when there is absolutely no alternative. And in this case, there's no need for it.
 
Your header font is an issue too. It's a brush script. Again, this is the totally wrong look for this type of business. Brush script fonts do not convey professionalism, or trust; they convey childishness and art.
 
The social media icons, why are they so big? It makes them look ugly. Shrink them down! And make them occupy the same width/height space as the envelope icon. Having icons different sizes just looks dodgy.
 
The callback request. Again, it's poor use of icons, this time an ugly big blue thing. Why? What for? It adds nothing to the design and it looks naff. Also, you've made no effort to style the form, so it loads using default styling which is rubbish for usability.
 
So, overall, I'm not a fan. My critique is honest, but whilst I've criticised your work I have tried to be helpful and give you suggestions.
 
To sum up:
 

Re-think the colour scheme. Yes, they want dark, but dark doesn't have to mean horrible bland colour scheme like this - it should still be fresh and professional
If you can, remove the globe from the logo. Ugly and misleading.
Shrink the social icons, align them properly with the envelope icon
Apply styling to the form to improve usability
Absolutely, at all costs, ditch that horrible flash banner. Consider replacing with a jQuery slider.
Re-consider your font selection. Think about how different fonts are suitable for different applications

 
 
Good luck.