Hi All,

 

as some of you may remember, i posted not long ago, asking for advice on my parallax portfolio website, I decided it was not informative enough and may of been confusing to some people viewing the site. I decided on a more static & simple design that was easier and simpler to use for the user.

 

Structure is the biggest part, i was lacking call to action buttons on my last site, so i have added many options for the user to click on and explore, some pages have none as of yet but will come in tomorrow.

 

not happy with my logo or the button color, im really struggling on this one, tried many different colors for the button, but i cant find the 'one'. any input (in #hex) would be AMAZING.

 

I am messing with overall style ( link color, hierarchy etc ) and i also have alot more content to add, but finally i feel i have a decent professional design, worthy of spending some adwords credit on untill it starts ranking in google.

 

Any constructive critiscm would be great,What you think is wrong along with what YOU would do to fix it.

 

Thanks in advance

 

http://www.webcanvasdesign.co.uk

looks impressive

 

but to me the logo doesn't go well with the whole theme?

 

the text of the logo can be bigger?or icon smaller? colors !!! ??

hey sash,

 

totally agree on logo, ive got several concepts designed, its just a case of choosing a color for links / buttons then tying that color in to my logo so the whole site gels together alot smoother.

"create's" ?!

Hi Andy,

 

It might be worth adding a couple of examples from your portfolio on the front page just to showcase a teaser of what you can do (you already have good examples you can use ). Should your user want further detail, they can go to your portfolio page (might be a good way of monitoring in your analytics whether users are clicking through to each page). Watch out for your spelling and grammar. I just read your Why Am I Not Getting Any Hits On My Website and there are some spelling mistakes and errors such as using a capital letter after a comma. Depending on the text editor you're using, it might be worth doing a quick spell check beforehand as you might put some clients off - words such as agencies not 'agencys'.

 

Your logo is interesting - a bit different to the favicon. I guess you are still in development stage but just to let you know that the logo is scaling up when you resize the browser to tablet form and gets a bit pixelated. If you can, try and make it a vector, alternatively you could set the image at a maximum of say 90px 90px - should be enough for a mobile screen.

 

One thing that others may disagree with me on, but I would suggest either removing or edit the line 'I won't just design your website and disappear'. I think it's unnecessary to say that and comes across as a little unprofessional. I completely understand where you're coming from and agree with the notion but perhaps by adding that line people may put that thought to the back of their mind "he'll disappear?" I know that's not the case with you but it might put some clients off as they could misunderstand it. Saying that, I have acquaintances who have had sites designed then the designer literally disappeared with passwords and all access to the sites!

 

Other than some of things mentioned above, it's coming along

 

** with regards to link colouring, it might be worth taking some swatches from your logo **

Edited April 15, 201313 yr by 4li4s

I can't read the white text in the footer.

Just a note about your services.

•  

  • Parallax Scrolling
  • - Mobile Ready Web Design
  • - Business Identity & Branding
  • - User Interface Design
  • - Website Design
  • - Conversions

These are all buzzwords, you're gonna have potential clients that don't know what they mean, and this is where you may have just lost a job. When you're writing the content for your site, it's important to make the user feel welcome. They don't want someone who will just communicate in jargon, because that's not going to be easy going forward, and could be seen as patronising.

 

You need to go down to the clients level, understand that they are looking to hire because they don't know anything about this stuff, that's where you come in. Make it easy for users to understand, show examples, make it clear as to why they need a particular service, and why you are the person to do it.

 

 

One thing that others may disagree with me on, but I would suggest either removing or edit the line 'I won't just design your website and disappear'.

 

Absolutely. It almost implies that it's gonna happen.

 

 

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT?

 

Again, your clients probably have a rough idea, but as the designer/dev guy, it's up to you to put the plan together and say 'this is what you need'.

 

---

 

I don't want to come across as a pain here, but content is equally important as design. It's shaping up really nice by the way

Hi Andy,

 

It might be worth adding a couple of examples from your portfolio on the front page just to showcase a teaser of what you can do (you already have good examples you can use ). Should your user want further detail, they can go to your portfolio page (might be a good way of monitoring in your analytics whether users are clicking through to each page). Watch out for your spelling and grammar. I just read your Why Am I Not Getting Any Hits On My Website and there are some spelling mistakes and errors such as using a capital letter after a comma. Depending on the text editor you're using, it might be worth doing a quick spell check beforehand as you might put some clients off - words such as agencies not 'agencys'.

 

Your logo is interesting - a bit different to the favicon. I guess you are still in development stage but just to let you know that the logo is scaling up when you resize the browser to tablet form and gets a bit pixelated. If you can, try and make it a vector, alternatively you could set the image at a maximum of say 90px 90px - should be enough for a mobile screen.

 

One thing that others may disagree with me on, but I would suggest either removing or edit the line 'I won't just design your website and disappear'. I think it's unnecessary to say that and comes across as a little unprofessional. I completely understand where you're coming from and agree with the notion but perhaps by adding that line people may put that thought to the back of their mind "he'll disappear?" I know that's not the case with you but it might put some clients off as they could misunderstand it. Saying that, I have acquaintances who have had sites designed then the designer literally disappeared with passwords and all access to the sites!

 

Other than some of things mentioned above, it's coming along

 

** with regards to link colouring, it might be worth taking some swatches from your logo **

 

 

Hey jack,

 

at current my services are buzzwords, but soon they will be links, linking to each 'service' and explaining what it is etc.. overall design im not quite happy with yet still alot of brain storming to do..

 

im aware that content is as important as design, thats why im designing this site.. because design on its own just dont cut it.

 

thanks for you advice i will take it on board and put in to practice..

 

 

@daps 1 word replys dont cut it in here, thanks anyway thou. Im aware some spelling is off but the site is NOT complete. i make paragraph changes daily because im unhappy with content.

 

@4lis as asllways mate, thanks i swear to god*, i spell checked my last blog article, is my macbook set to american spelling?!

 

EDIT * fixed spelling (lol)

Edited April 15, 201313 yr by webcanvasdesign

@4lis as asllways mate, thanks i swear to go, i spell checked my last blog article, is my macbook set to american spelling?!

 

Fair enough - I'm not grading you with a red pen or anything but there are quite a lot of errors for a spell/grammar check. I can only think of one word that was spelt wrong off the top of my head, which was agencies. I think you'll find that it's the same in both English and American.

 

I haven't used it for sometime, but MS Word should be able to pick up things like capital letters after a comma. If your spell check is missing them, then posting like you have can always help bring things to light. I think we all know what it's like staring at a screen for so long. You only have to look at my last 5 posts to see I make errors all the time

cheers mate..

 

really should get something like word installed.. I dont know why my auto spell check on my laptop has stopped working, i always have to right click > spell check lol..

 

ill have to go through the site again with a fine tooth comb.. writing has never been my strong point

 

all in all guys thanks for the feed back, if you see anything else just let me know and i shall fix!

 

EDIT: logo is scaling atm, once i settle on a decent design, i will use a SVG & script will make it alot nice on mobiles, also its set to % width atm hence it resizing, easier when swapping out different size logos

Edited April 15, 201313 yr by webcanvasdesign

No worries. You're not selling your services as a copywriter and it's always better (legally too) to get your clients to provide the written content - you just need to ensure your side of things is up to scratch.

 

I seem to think you said you have a Mac. If you don't have Word, you could always try Open Office. It's open source and I have that on my desktop, but I usually type all my stuff in my text editor, of all things, when using my laptop! I sometimes copy and paste text into my email client if I need to double check. Not the best methods but it works for me

thanks mate, Downloading open office now

 

i dont have any copywriting experiance, i dont think ive done to bad considering, Few wording changes etc et

so i removed 'i dont just design your site and disappear' and i agree with you guys, alot better read without... Reinforce's trust instead of planting a seed..

 

thanks

thanks mate, Downloading open office now

 

i dont have any copywriting experiance, i dont think ive done to bad considering, Few wording changes etc et

 

I don't think you've done too bad at all considering you've redesigned your site completely, now using a framework and CMS and added a lot more wording that wasn't there before

I don't think you've done too bad at all considering you've redesigned your site completely, now using a framework and CMS and added a lot more wording that wasn't there before

 

I was using wordpress + a basic grid before, but moving to foundation just make things faster.. Once i got all my pages in place and sort, im going to start learning php by designing a 'web canvas design' branded CMS for my customers.. i can use bootstrap, skeleton, foundation and some other frameworks straight out the box, about time i create something thats my own

 

pages still to be added -

 

Single page for EACH service, the page url will include the service aswell as some well placed and smart content to help with seo

FAQ PAGE, i want every possible question the client could ask here.. just been struggling with how to word it and what to answer!

Contact page, going to sort out center aligned logo / text for above or below contact form

 

style chagnes still to be made -

 

Button style & color

Logo design and color

process page, need to create definitive 'sections' for each step in my process & even better possibly expand on each point and add more steps

 

Sounds good! I'd love to create my own CMS. However, I still haven't got JavaScript under my belt (I can tie my own shoes though ;P). Good luck with that. What source would you use to create a CMS of your own, out of curiosity? WordPress does me fine for now, but it's always nice to be able to offer something really b*spoke.

i stumbled across a video not long back, i will have to find it again, he seemed to be explaining it pretty well!.

 

If you need to learn javascript and / or jquery (really depends what u want to do mate, i find jquery is better to learn for design) check out http://www.codecademy.com/

 

well structured lessons, although there javascript is aimed more towards games devolopment.

This is on my list to do also, im not bad with JS but it's starting to become something I really need to improve.

 

I think ill use this method. Ive got to do my driving test first, I can't imagine learning both as they're intense!

good luck on your driving test jack, i passed mine back in october best feeling ever, when you hear ''im sorry to say, Youve passed'' you get such a great feeling u will never forget..

 

good luck, drive safe and remember just think of it as you taking a mate for a drive and ull do fine

good luck on your driving test jack, i passed mine back in october best feeling ever, when you hear ''im sorry to say, Youve passed'' you get such a great feeling u will never forget..

 

good luck, drive safe and remember just think of it as you taking a mate for a drive and ull do fine

 

Cheers! Im a long way off yet, but im getting there. I made a decision to put learning new dev stuff on the back-burner as an incentive to get my ass into gear and pass. Ill probably still be talking about it this time next year.

This is on my list to do also, im not bad with JS but it's starting to become something I really need to improve.

 

I think ill use this method. Ive got to do my driving test first, I can't imagine learning both as they're intense!

 

You're really pumping out the excellent links today, Jack. I've been half brushing up on my skills today (you can guess where the remainder of the time has gone...) and JavaScript was the focus. I think this link will supercede what I've been looking at.

 

JQuery is excellent and all and really suited to the designers in us, but I need to get to grips with JavaScript (including a lot of gaps in my knowledge of the basics!) to get a better understanding. I'm not looking to build my own libraries when there are so many in jQuery that suits my needs.

 

It's the old cry of once you are driving yourself about, you don't know how you'd do without. I put off my test at first thinking I wasn't ready but I delayed it (had more money for booze, smokes and DVDs at the time ). Passed first time but stalled it in the test centre before leaving. I was so convinced I'd failed that it took a half the test to get focused again. I actually found the theory more of an issue as I read too much into the questions. When I did the test (late 90's) it was multiple choice and no trick questions. Not sure how they do it these days.

 

Good luck, Jack

The look and feel of the site is so nice... I love it.

 

I am getting some issues when I load it on a smaller screen size, the logo gets 3x bigger instead of smaller and the top menu goes a little funny. I'm using Chrome on OS X.

Very nice, I love the "transparent" header look.

 

The only thing that bothers me is the bit about web aesthetics at the bottom. You have such nice contrast on the rest of the page it seems a bit dull in comparson. It also doesn't mesh with the squarish look of the rest of the page. I would either use some more rounded corners or get rid of them there- perhaps just a few pixels to soften them a bit. The "view article" also needs to move up a bit.

A good website to learn php is

http://www.developphp.com

 

I am the other way around to you guys. I learnt PHP first, built my own blog and basic CMS for clients. However I find it is laborious and much more time consuming than using a CMS such as Wordpress unless you require something really specific that WP doesn't offer I don't see myself going back to that - however I find the knowledge of PHP is helping me greatly in my current endeavor to learn Wordpress.

 

I used to know the syntax for JavaScript a few years ago but recently I always find myself having to Google examples for what I want to achieve, the issue being a lot of what I do now css3 can handle so it's rare I turn to JavaScript.

Edited April 22, 201313 yr by rbrtsmith