Greetings, could I have advice please (first web layout attempt, no laughing please)

[password]

Hello,

I have been trying to learn photoshop and I'm looking for open minded photoshop users to offer suggestions.

I am going to attach a picture of my first attempt at making a web layout with photoshop and I am wondering how I could improve it, I feel hopeless at designing things!:banghead:

 

[Jan Baykara]

Re: Greetings, could I have advice please (first web layout attempt, no laughing plea

There's nothing to laugh about; it's a respectable effort for a first attempt

Usability-wise, it could be improved:

- what is the purpose of that large minty rectangle at the top? It might make more sense to put those two text sections immediately below the title, to limit the amount of eye-searching users will have to do.
- could you possibly expand the width of the page to fit more of the info onto the readily available screen, to avoid scrolling?

The header at the top could be "souped up" somehow, made more interesting, even if just a change of font. The generic sans-serif typeface isn't working for it, I don't think.

My other main pointer would be, tweak the colour-scheme. Mint-Black-Blue-White seems a bit dull to me. Perhaps use Black, Blue and White as your base colours, and try a brighter, contrasting spot colour for the stand-out elements of the page, for example orange - but that's just me.

Jan

 

[Jordan589]

Re: Greetings, could I have advice please (first web layout attempt, no laughing plea

Wow, that is not bad at all for a first attempt... My first attempt was something along the same level as this: Calendar. But great start!

 

[Barrettathome]

Re: Greetings, could I have advice please (first web layout attempt, no laughing plea

Jordan hate to laff but Holly Sh*t!!! naaa im just playin man. Yea for a first design it's not bad. I'd prob try making some icons for the top nav to make it more interesting as Jan said. You don't wanna over do it with the icons tho. A few goes along way and adds uniqueness to the site. When I first look at it, it reminds me of an add with the "Powerful Contutivity" in your face. Mabey you can put that in the retengale and mess around with some graphic design for the background of it.

I like the gradient for the button and the Img text field. It's really solid looking. A lot of people try to jazz up sites to much and it becomes a train wreck. The best thing to do is keep it simple, solid, and to the point. Also user friendly is the major one. Just keep that in mind when doing a site.

Overall looks pretty, keep up the good work. Will be on the look out for new updates. Thanks for sharing.

 

[password]

Re: Greetings, could I have advice please (first web layout attempt, no laughing plea

Hello , thanks for the polite and supportive comments appreciated. Very good tips, I'd like to answer some of the questions but I don't really have answers as I am just experimenting in photoshop. I would love to create icons if I have the skill to do so, at the moment I don't think I could make an 8 bit graphic icon . I agree with the colour scheme being a bit boring, and I could do with tweaking the fonts definitely. I agree with Barett simple is best , and being a user friendly interface is also important! any more tips anyone ?

 

[password]

Re: Greetings, could I have advice please (first web layout attempt, no laughing plea

Before I forget this is what I did from scratch is it any better or worse?? not complete yet though

 

[Wetstuff]

Re: Greetings, could I have advice please (first web layout attempt, no laughing plea

PWD, When you said "No laughing" .. I had to come for a morning chuckle. You're no fun. It looks radically normal. I actually prefer the second layout as I hate to have to mouse all the way to the LH side of the page to click something. I prefer 'static to the left/active to the right' but I do not always follow my personal preferences when I make pages.

Since you are actually willing to take the effort to do the work, then my usual advice does not apply: Google 'photoshop templates'. Many of those are also of a generic quality. Better, like in the movie Black Swan .. you let your Black Swan come out.

Jim