Hi all, my first post!

 

Im wanting to start doing the web design lark for a living and wanted to get others point of view

 

www.snowyswebsolutions.co.uk

 

sites ive made:

 

www.thelizardofozexotics.co.uk

www.the-plant-planner.co.uk

www.silverburnlandscapes.co.uk

My wifes which she has designed (trying to teach her XHTML & CSS)

www.thegeckogang.co.uk

 

please be gentle with me!

To be brutally honest, they're all pretty bad, especially silverburnlandscapes.co.uk is not even close to being compatible in firefox; its all over the screen.

 

Don't use cheesy flash animations for the sake of it, Images need to be made into thumbnails, its unacceptable for a 100x100 image to take 3 seconds to load because you haven't re sized it.

 

The lizard of oz site is better compared to your other work.

 

Also: Tables are not for layouts! CSS is for layouts!

To be brutally honest, they're all pretty bad, especially silverburnlandscapes.co.uk is not even close to being compatible in firefox; its all over the screen.

 

Don't use cheesy flash animations for the sake of it, Images need to be made into thumbnails, its unacceptable for a 100x100 image to take 3 seconds to load because you haven't re sized it.

 

The lizard of oz site is better compared to your other work.

 

Also: Tables are not for layouts! CSS is for layouts!

 

 

hi, thanks for the reply. just checked the silverburn and it seems fine in firefox. I do realise about the tbles and they were made before i learnt XHTML & CSS and have not had the time to change them. i also undestand about the images, the latest one, thegeckogang, which is nnot really my design but i did write it, all images are scaled down.

 

thnaks for your comments tho :-)

From what you say you're quite new to this, so firstly, well done for getting out there and making some sites. I will only critique your portfolio site, as I think it's more constructive to critique one site at a time.

First off, the header has to go. I understand you wish to demonstrate that you can work with flash, but to be honest, the animation adds no value to the page, and if anything, is likely to put people off, as it looks quite amateur.

The next thing that needs attention is your copy and typography. Centred headers with borders are not working for me, and there is no real typographical distinction to show that they are headers. Nice big (ish) bold text, left aligned, would be nicer.

Attention to grammar and general flow of your copy is lacking.

SnowysWebSolutions © is a single owned company devised to create professional websites for businesses and users with personal interests and hobbies at a single low price, with no strings attached.

This is too long, too cumbersome and a little boring.

The current flourishing array of website designers, programmers and creators has currently rose risen to such a level, that there cost maybe may be too high for your price range.

(see corrections)

SnowysWebSolutions is here to try and help you! Please feel free to look at my Portfolio to browse through previous projects. The Services tab will inform you in depth about what services i offer in a package and at what cost, and finaly you can Contact me via phone, email or you can easily submit an online form.

In text like this I would link the words portfolio, contact, services etc to those pages on your site, and there is a spelling error in finally (missing l)

I know this seems very picky, but your customers are going to notice errors like these, and they make you look bad.

Try and give your page more personality, don't be afraid to lighten the tone, and try to draw the reader in a bit more with more vivid descriptions and tag lines. I would also suggest bringing at least one other colour into the page - the colours you have chosen are nice enough, but I think the page needs a little brightening up. Perhaps even a couple of images on the home page?

Good luck.

From what you say you're quite new to this, so firstly, well done for getting out there and making some sites. I will only critique your portfolio site, as I think it's more constructive to critique one site at a time.

First off, the header has to go. I understand you wish to demonstrate that you can work with flash, but to be honest, the animation adds no value to the page, and if anything, is likely to put people off, as it looks quite amateur.

The next thing that needs attention is your copy and typography. Centred headers with borders are not working for me, and there is no real typographical distinction to show that they are headers. Nice big (ish) bold text, left aligned, would be nicer.

Attention to grammar and general flow of your copy is lacking.

 

This is too long, too cumbersome and a little boring.

 

(see corrections)

 

In text like this I would link the words portfolio, contact, services etc to those pages on your site, and there is a spelling error in finally (missing l)

I know this seems very picky, but your customers are going to notice errors like these, and they make you look bad.

Try and give your page more personality, don't be and undto lighten the tone, and try to draw the reader in a bit more with more vivid descriptions and tag lines. I would also suggest bringing at least one other colour into the page - the colours you have chosen are nice enough, but I think the page needs a little brightening up. Perhaps even a couple of images on the home page?

Good luck.

 

All the above has been noted my friend. Yet again this site was made before i learnt and understood CSS and have just pushed the site to one side. I think it is time to have a make over and all your coments are true. thank you all. ALL COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

 

i have also recently started a small tarantula site and when i get home will be slapping it on here and will be awatting your comments.

Sorry, but could you take a look at this design DarkLight as i am more of a PHP man and a poor design for this site would not compliment my PHP skills.

 

Many thanks.

 

 

EDIT: i know its just a front page but hey.

Well I do not want to be horrible about somebody elses work but you really need to get some design skills before you can call

yourself a web designer.

 

I know that you must have only just begun, but your portfolio is certainly not a good advert for your skills.

 

To be a good designer takes more than just being able to use a computer and the Internet. You need to be born with a design spark or have serious training to become a good designer.

 

I know you have obviously tried hard to make the site, but think about what you have made. Are you really happy with it yourself. Does it make you proud? Will it stand up against the best? Is it W3 complient and usimg CSS for the design?

 

The best thing I can advise is to look at what else is out there. Get yourself some books, start a college course have a look at some award winning sites. Live, learn and love great design.

 

You have made a good start using this forum for feedback.

 

Jeff

www.matmi.com

You need to be born with a design spark or have serious training to become a good designer.

Not true - I know I'm not the worlds greatest designer, but I have no formal training and was born with no spark for design. A very strong desire to learn, and the commitment to see it through will suffice. And if you have a flair for design too, then that's even better.

Too bland, not enough colour/images... I wouldn't use flash for links either as it's bad for your websites SEO.

Not true - I know I'm not the worlds greatest designer, but I have no formal training and was born with no spark for design. A very strong desire to learn, and the commitment to see it through will suffice. And if you have a flair for design too, then that's even better.

 

Totally true. There is an artistic aspect of web design, and graphic design, but there is also a technical aspect that can be developed by practice, and artistic sides can be unlocked through other means

 

I know some guys who are terrible artists, could barley manage a stick man, but they can chose appropriate colours based on colour theory, and use clean, organized layouts that result in a very nice design. Throwing graphics here and there, and trying too hard to be artistic will just hurt you in the end.

and lets face it, most websites look the same anyway. if you do something too creative people wont understand and will leave, most businesses want to play it safe, unless you have found a niche in the designing for designers world?

Not true - I know I'm not the worlds greatest designer, but I have no formal training and was born with no spark for design. A very strong desire to learn, and the commitment to see it through will suffice. And if you have a flair for design too, then that's even better.

 

I think you obviously have the talent naturally. I guess you have reviewed others work or maybe read some books or tutorials. Knowledge is power but creative spark makes it very special.

 

If someone has no natural design skills or training then they are not going to be any good.

 

You can also have creative spark but not much talent for design. That's what many creative directors are like.

I think you obviously have the talent naturally. I guess you have reviewed others work or maybe read some books or tutorials.

Haha - you're too kind, but I disagree. I find design very hard, and it doesn't come naturally, but I enjoy learning about design principles and I want to be good at it.

Knowledge is power but creative spark makes it very special.

Absolutely, but the natural talent is not a requirement. A creative impulse makes a big difference, but I stand by the idea that it's the desire and motivation to do it that's the overriding factor.

Haha - you're too kind, but I disagree. I find design very hard, and it doesn't come naturally, but I enjoy learning about design principles and I want to be good at it.

 

Absolutely, but the natural talent is not a requirement. A creative impulse makes a big difference, but I stand by the idea that it's the desire and motivation to do it that's the overriding factor.

 

I think that both Notbanksy and Jeff are both correct in their opinions.

 

I have absolutely no natural design talent whatsoever! I do think that it's something that either you're born with or you're not.

 

I only design freelance to earn some extra pocket money on the side (all declared to the tax man and above-board, of course) and have only really been doing it for a year or so. I am technical by trade as a C# programmer.

 

If you can learn from the correct books and perhaps take inspiration from books, magazines and other great sites that you look at and use, then I think it is possible to produce some really good work.

 

But looking at the work that Jeff has produced (Pirates and Pasties), I'd say thay he has a natural flair for design. I've dabbled with Flash in the past and found it incredibly difficult to produce something that comes anywhere near good enough to put on the internet.

 

I'd like to think, however, that given time (and the right stock images!) I could create a nice flash site. But it would take an awfully long time!

 

Stick with it SnowyWebSolutions, take the advice given on here and learn from it. I'm sure that you'll soon be able to produce some respectable work.