OK, with much gratitude to Rob, ElanMan & Headcoat (who provided the tea) for helping me to whip my buggy html & css into shape, I can now present for critique my new design, which can be viewed in good and bad browsers alike

 

I'm going to refrain from stating my own niggles about this layout, as I'd like fresh, uncontaminated feedback (if you please!). Please do not hold back, I learn best from being told straight!

 

The one thing I will mention as I'm hoping someone will have a solution for it is that my page contains 2 validation errors. This is because I have included a paypal shopping cart. Does anyone know of a way to make the code validate without breaking the cart functionality? See my thread about this.

 

Enough of my waffle already - link

I like it

The only thing for me is the hover state of the links which my poor monitor (and my poor eyes) can barely register.

Overall very nice, well done!

There appear to be quite a few dead links on the page NB - it might be that you've forgotten to observe case sensitivity on your href's (something that caught me out on my site). Not done any PHP myself though, so I can't comment on the code.

 

Design wise, I think the black backdrop can work, but the content area/navbar needs something to lift it a bit. I think you could make a nicer header and use some more funky typeface to convey the musical identity of the performer. Maybe get a nice monochrome image of the performer, with some nice type over the top. This is probably a bit somber for the fella you're advertising for - but I'd take advantage of a nice header image that was a bit more expressive. (PS - I just found that b/w image on the internet, it's just for an example - it might need to be deleted...)

 

The text spacing in the main content area hurts my eyes. It seems way too squashed together. I also agree with ElanMan about the hover states, although this is a reflection of your colour scheme so...

 

Otherwise, no major criticisms. It's a nice site with an interesting layout.

There appear to be quite a few dead links on the page NB - it might be that you've forgotten to observe case sensitivity on your href's (something that caught me out on my site). Not done any PHP myself though, so I can't comment on the code.

 

Design wise, I think the black backdrop can work, but the content area/navbar needs something to lift it a bit. I think you could make a nicer header and use some more funky typeface to convey the musical identity of the performer. Maybe get a nice monochrome image of the performer, with some nice type over the top. This is probably a bit somber for the fella you're advertising for - but I'd take advantage of a nice header image that was a bit more expressive. (PS - I just found that b/w image on the internet, it's just for an example - it might need to be deleted...)

 

Thanks for your comments

Sorry I should have mentioned that none of the nav links work except the blog! This is such a big site that I'd be utterly foolish to do any more work on it till the design is ready.

 

With regard to the suggestion about the header, I agree the type could be more interesting. I suppose I was trying to avoid using any images for type if I can help it, so that's why it's so plain. When you say a bit more expressive, do you not find the image I have used very expressive? To me it's what holds the page together... He's not really a fan of sombre (tried it once and he didn't like it)...

 

I'm going to change the hover state on the links to make it more obvious though.

 

Any more views on this much appreciated

 

The text spacing in the main content area hurts my eyes. It seems way too squashed together. I also agree with ElanMan about the hover states, although this is a reflection of your colour scheme so...

Do you mean the line-height, letter spacing or column width/ padding? Or all three?

Sure thing, I figured it was probably a bit too somber. What I mean is maybe use a less standard typeface for the header, take advantage of the image use to use a characteristic type - especially since the fella seems quite quirky. Try and compose the photo and text so they support each other a bit more. Here's another possibility

 

 

Bit horizontal, I think it would be a shame to lose the verticality of your original layout - but I'm at work so I'm sneakily doing this in a very small corner of my photoshop window....

Still, I'm pretty new to the whole design thang too. Just some thoughts for ya. Good luck with it. I'll be asking you for some help soon on the php front I imagine !

I'll be asking you for some help soon on the php front I imagine !

Thanks again SunWuKung - I'm going to have a play around with fonts and see what I can come up with.

 

And as for the php tuition There's not much to teach.

 

In fact, I can impart the sum total of my php usage on this page in the very small window below:

<?php include("file_to_include.php");?>
and
<?php echo date('Y'); ?>

The first one allows me to store my nav menu and other recurring elements in one file and call it in to each page, making updates MUCH easier.

The second one squirts the current year into the space between the © symbol and the site name in the footer.

Lesson is ended

OK - I've redone the header font, and set it as an image instead so that at least the header remains constant regardless of font resizing etc...

It may seem like an unlikely choice, but the client is from Texas

Let me know if it's too over the top!

Also I can't decide whether or not the site would look better left-justified rather than centred?...