I have been working on this for a long time and tonight i finally got something online I have had a PSD file done for months now but over the past few weeks I have been working on this gradually.

 

Link, you may need to refresh it a few times I changing host to support my MySql better before the launch.

 

I know it doesn't validate that is my next task I also know it wont work in IE6 which I am not bothered about, this is my playground I will have a stylesheet for IE6 which is plain and boring later.

 

I need a bit of help with make the footer look ripped as you can see I have tried but it's not the greatest.

 

What is the load time like for everyone?

 

I hope you all like it so far and I will be updating this I make changes.

 

Feel free to comment I love to hear what you all think.

On first impressions it would remind me of a graffiti artists website or a funky graphic designers site, not sure if that's what your trying to achieve, but that's my thoughts. The main two colours I can see are the grey and the black, but I also see the green of the link, but the blue on the mouseover of the navigation. I would suggest you just use one colours for them, i.e. either both green or both blue,as I didn't like that.

 

But that's my opinions.

On first impressions it would remind me of a graffiti artists website or a funky graphic designers site, not sure if that's what your trying to achieve, but that's my thoughts. The main two colours I can see are the grey and the black, but I also see the green of the link, but the blue on the mouseover of the navigation. I would suggest you just use one colours for them, i.e. either both green or both blue,as I didn't like that.

 

But that's my opinions.

 

Thanks alot for that, and yes I am going for funky designer look. I am going to be changing the gray and going with the black and blue as my link colour etc, and make the sidebar a dirty white. Infact I will go and do that now

 

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

 

Edit: I changed the sidebar what do you think now Mark?

You got the funky designer look anyway, well that's how I describe it.

 

No worries, I know how much feedback helps me, so I like to give some in return to others.

Not fond at all. Your background image is really bad ugly quality, and yet, you allow it to be 300+kb, much too large a file size.

 

Just the sight of the ugly bg image just means that the website will look ugly, no matter how beautiful your design is.

 

You must change it!

Not fond at all. Your background image is really bad ugly quality, and yet, you allow it to be 300+kb, much too large a file size.

 

Just the sight of the ugly bg image just means that the website will look ugly, no matter how beautiful your design is.

 

You must change it!

 

 

I agree, the background is TERRIBLE!! also the colour of the rollover on the nav bar doesnt make any snse what so ever! To be h onest i dont htink you have the makings of a very good site with what you have so far. sorry but thats just what i think mate.

Thanks for the feedback, and yes the background is "ugly" but that is because it is a run down wall with graffiti on, I could of used a very clean wall but then you wouldn't get all the effect. If you can find me a picture of a wall which will suit then site then thanks.

 

Yeah the blue doesn't make sense right now but that is because I haven't started the content there will be plenty of blue used on there for little things which will then tie in with the poster.

 

Thanks again for the feedback I know some things look odd and I will have a play with different background and different colour nav bars.

Loading time is too slow for me, which is most likely due to the background image which looks like it was a smaller image that was enlarged in your graphics editor. The header could do with having more attention drawn to it, you know? And the link hovers would be nicer if they weren't the default royal blue.

 

The "grunge" effect you're trying to achieve isn't a new one, it has been around for a while. Take a look at existing sites that are grungey. See what they do. Notice their exact attention to detail. There's more to this than just getting the right background image.

 

Good luck.

Thanks for that racheal, I know its not a new effect. It isn't a smaller image it is a 2048px by 2048px HDMI Camera shot of an actual wall. I am defiently going to have a rethink about the background and the rollover colour (I just choose the colour quickly so I could test I could use images as links in wordpress). This site is a long way from being completed and i probably shouldn't of posted it yet.

 

The header will be getting more detail added I am working on a few things.

 

What does everything think of the font used in footer does it fit in with the navagation font?

Its a work in progress - as long as you realise that (and you do) there is good potential there

 

Regarding the footer font - probably not sorry; it is not proportional to the navigation font

 

That said - when you have more content in between it may soften the difference -

 

You probably need to make it a little busier to make a good judgement call

How about going for a darker background image? Like... a really dark grey stone colour. That way you could have light / bright colours for your titles / links, and it'd really make the design "pop".

How about going for a darker background image? Like... a really dark grey stone colour. That way you could have light / bright colours for your titles / links, and it'd really make the design "pop".

 

That sounds good, I will have a look for a darker background later.

 

Thanks alot for the feedback

When I clicked the link, it took a second for the background images to load.. my first thought was hey, that's pretty interesting. Then the background loaded and that kinda spoiled it for me.. I preferred it without, it looked pretty original and different. The background spoils it, in my opinion.

My personal opinion -

 

I would change the background for certain.

 

Change the navigation font unless you are only looking to do websites for kids (Sorry! I just feel its true.)

Thomas - congratulations for trying to do something different, it's really good to see something that isn't the 'same old I've looked at wordpress and a few cms and they are currently in amongst web designers '. sure the graffiti / funky look isn't anything new but it's your take on it. remember what's in is out!!

 

I actually like it...but there's work to be done...try playing with that background perhaps the pink hue to the wall is putting people off? you could even try turning it black and white...experiment...i'm not even going to make anymore suggestions as it's your site and I think you should continue trying to do your thing.

 

really like the font on the wall by the way and completely disagree with the above suggestion that it's for kids only...it may not suit an 'aspirational provincial corporate' tune but it's got something unique.

 

Font..... It's somthing I would see a young boy or girl put on the side of a train, bus stop and even the wall which is currently his background! (which is not at all attractive at this moment but hopfully will turn good)

 

Sorry but it just doesn't work for me as a web designers website.

 

The font itself is a great font in the correct project.

Font..... It's somthing I would see a young boy or girl put on the side of a train, bus stop and even the wall which is currently his background! (which is not at all attractive at this moment but hopfully will turn good)

 

Sorry but it just doesn't work for me as a web designers website.

 

The font itself is a great font in the correct project.

 

Aiiii!

Thomas - congratulations for trying to do something different, it's really good to see something that isn't the 'same old I've looked at wordpress and a few cms and they are currently in amongst web designers '. sure the graffiti / funky look isn't anything new but it's your take on it. remember what's in is out!!

 

I actually like it...but there's work to be done...try playing with that background perhaps the pink hue to the wall is putting people off? you could even try turning it black and white...experiment...i'm not even going to make anymore suggestions as it's your site and I think you should continue trying to do your thing.

 

really like the font on the wall by the way and completely disagree with the above suggestion that it's for kids only...it may not suit an 'aspirational provincial corporate' tune but it's got something unique.

 

 

Thanks alot, and the wall is something i am looking to tweak I just have had a chance to work on the site for the past week, I will defiently try both your suggestions and tell you how they go

 

 

Font..... It's somthing I would see a young boy or girl put on the side of a train, bus stop and even the wall which is currently his background! (which is not at all attractive at this moment but hopfully will turn good)

 

Sorry but it just doesn't work for me as a web designers website.

 

The font itself is a great font in the correct project.

 

Thanks for the feedback, and that was the look am going for I don't want a corporate website I want my own look even if it has been done before.

 

I know the site wont be to everyones taste but hopefully i can turn you around on it

Keep us updated as I would like to see it progress.

 

David

Ok I had a little play today with the background and made it more like cement, I think this works alot better than the old one, what do you all think?

 

Link for the lazy people who can't be bothered to scroll up

I would...

1) My button over-states would fit with the grungey/graffiti look, maybe handwrtten looking encirclements, or a paint drip etc

2)the bground image doesn't feel like concrete to me, it just feels like a huge pixelation. You sould make use of photoshop's save for web... i can throw you a number of concrete textures etc if you need...

3)the ripped paper is a good idea, but due to the lighter colour concrete texture you've gone for it looks a bit unfitting to me, maybe try a darker parchment paper, or replace the concrete for a darker maybe stone bg.

Link for the lazy people who can't be bothered to scroll up

 

:me:

 

Took a really long time to load.

 

 

Design seems a little schizophrenic to me. On one hand you've got the smoother graffiti typeface, on the other the rigid system fonts for the content.

 

(You probably realise but the text area for the comment is too big)

I would...

1) My button over-states would fit with the grungey/graffiti look, maybe handwrtten looking encirclements, or a paint drip etc

2)the bground image doesn't feel like concrete to me, it just feels like a huge pixelation. You sould make use of photoshop's save for web... i can throw you a number of concrete textures etc if you need...

3)the ripped paper is a good idea, but due to the lighter colour concrete texture you've gone for it looks a bit unfitting to me, maybe try a darker parchment paper, or replace the concrete for a darker maybe stone bg.

 

Thanks alot, it is in the very early stages and my thoughts are exactly like yours

 

1) That is in the pipeline don't worry should be done within a week.

 

2) It is using the save for web and it was a photo taken of an actual wall, but I would love to se ethe textures you have?

 

3) Yeah the paper will be changed the ripped effect was done very quickly and is something else which I am working on.

:me:

 

Took a really long time to load.

 

 

Design seems a little schizophrenic to me. On one hand you've got the smoother graffiti typeface, on the other the rigid system fonts for the content.

 

(You probably realise but the text area for the comment is too big)

 

Yeah my hosts really do suck at MySql I will be moving long before it is live and have tested it out the servers I will be moving to and the load time 1/10 of what it is now.

 

The typefaces for content are yet to be chosen, the site is still in very early stages due to me working on a lot of client stuff lately.

 

Printscreen of comment area it is fine for me?

 

Thanks for the feedback

I like the look of everything except the background, it looks really bad quality and ugly.

Hello Thomas,

 

Still needs work but I'm sure you will get there!

 

Keep it up and look forward to seeing the end product.

what is your blog powered by?

what is your blog powered by?

 

Wordpress why?

Ok I have changed the background again, I think it doesn't look at all pixelated now and it is fixed position. Please check it out you may need to refresh browsers to see new one.

 

Thanks.

 

And yes before you say I know it a 1.7mb file but once it is loaded once it should be fine

...

 

1.7mb for a background is ridiculous. I worry if the total image size on my site exceeds 100k... and that is on the high side. It's not even a good background, the site looks better without it. I think there is a lot of work still needed and I prefer your original site much better...

 

Another part of the reason why it is so slow is probably WordPress. That's a very resource hungry app. It uses a silly number of php includes, with every page request it must include about 50 files. It was dreadfully slow when I installed it on my server, taking about half a second before any HTML was output (and that was viewing locally). Why not script the site in PHP yourself as it is only basic requirements that you seem to have.

dont' like the background it's WAY TOOO BIG. Takes too long to load. And you should have some more colorful graffiti on it.