Opinions on website design

[Stephyhuatran_19]

hey, are you using basic html? or do you ahve a program that makes it much easier?

 

[FMAFLuke]

I use photoshop to create the layout of my images and edit my pics and photos together etc then I use a web host called moonfruit to upload all my images to their servers and place everything onto their servers into my own domain using their programme. It's a flash website. I'm looking into HTML but it all takes time. So far as I know you can use dreamweaver by adobe to make your website and it will do alot of the really difficult stuff for you.

 

[bigfootmm]

Hi,

There are four or five grammatical errors on the page shouting out for correction, including a misspelling. Not everyone cares, but some do. You are promoting a business with your web page, of course, and it should reflect on your attention to all aspects of that business. Those glaring errors won't help you. You might ask a friend to help you out. Nice looking site, though! And good luck with your venture.

 

[FMAFLuke]

Hi Bigfoot. Cheers, I do try to stay on top of the grammer and spellings but even as keen as I am I can't catch them all. If you wouldn't mind pointing them out to me I can then get to em. Thank you for taking the time to read through and point these out.

 

[Daltøn Davis]

a very confusing website for me.

 

[FMAFLuke]

Hi Dalton, Care to elaborate? So far since I put up the new layout I have had 2 comments that are supposed to be critical but give no information on the issue. It's no different from me saying Dalton there is something wrong with your face. You say what is it and I say oh no, I don't know theres just something wrong with it.
Cmon people, if you are going to say I need to improve something, or you have spotted a mistake, how can I even think about changing it if you don't tell me about it. Dalton, How is it confusing for you, what would you change about it if you could, and where do you perceive there to be problems?

 

[Daltøn Davis]

I feel like its a little too cluttered and it could use an updated look. But the dynamics of it are okay. It has potential to be something awesome!

 

[Daltøn Davis]

for some reason my Chrome didnt show that first comment I made.
BTW im not trying to be bitter or mean I think its an awesome website!
I feel like the entire website needs an updated look. I think the old scroll and old school paper DOES fit the karate theme but I dont think its very updated.

The look could use a new updated look.

Plus the content is too scattered and hard to find. the side bar to the left is confusing because there is another bar right by it.

Just my opinion. Not trying to make a decision for you. But I like the theme. I feel like the big thing is that it needs to be updated along with today's websites.

 

[FMAFLuke]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. That is exactly what I was after. Ok, I'm not sure about what you mean regarding an updated look. Unless you mean the landing page I have planned that is in creation in my bat cave at the mo. But it's top secret so you will see.
Regarding the content, I thought I had nailed it but I get what you mean, how would you organise it. Honestly I do read and listen and try pretty much everything that is suggested to me, if I like what I see it stays and if I don't then byebye. I welcome and appreciate everything people suggest to me.
What Side Bar are you referring to? How would you update it? and Where would you put the content to make it easier to navigate? Thank you Dalton.

 

[crzykate58]

Hey Luke!

First off, i want to commend you for taking on a web design project, and then be open enough to listen to critiques. Honestly, web design is so hard, mostly for the reason that everyone has their own idea of what websites should look like. Some people like insanely clean and are into minimalism, while others prefer things that have flash or have grunge etc etc. Basically, you really can only go with what you personally like haha! Cool thing is you have a lot of support on here that is offering great advice to layout and such *yay!* i just thought i'd throw my two cents in, in response to Dalton Davis's post:

"for some reason my Chrome didnt show that first comment I made.
BTW im not trying to be bitter or mean I think its an awesome website!
I feel like the entire website needs an updated look. I think the old scroll and old school paper DOES fit the karate theme but I dont think its very updated.

The look could use a new updated look.

Plus the content is too scattered and hard to find. the side bar to the left is confusing because there is another bar right by it.

Just my opinion. Not trying to make a decision for you. But I like the theme. I feel like the big thing is that it needs to be updated along with today's websites."

And correct me if i'm wrong Dalton haha, but i think when he is talking about updating the look, he just means putting things in that make it look cleaner. You already were heading in the right direction with the buttons that you added up at the top, that's more inline with what websites consist of, where the navigation point is either up at the top, or off to the left of the page, rarely is it seen on both sides (because, you know, we're human, and easily confused haha)

i'm attaching just a quick idea of maybe a layout that you'd like to consider to make it less cluttered.

i understand that you want to show your certifications and such, but it's not necessary to put it on the front of the page, you can always make a tab up at the top that leads people to a page that is specifically attesting to your certifications
(in case you get more) then you wont have to worry about trying to maneuver all the stuff around on your front page to make everything fit. overall, it'll be less stressful for you haha! and i'm all about making life easier! again, this is just an example of what you COULD do, not that you have to. it's just my personal take on it lol! hope it helps!

 

[FMAFLuke]

I honestly don't know where to begin. That looks really really nice. I like the layout, and the way it all blends together and doesnt over shadow itself anywhere. I dont like wasting space and at the same time i dont like it when things look too cluttered, so thats why mine looks the way it does. Impressive you threw that together so quickly, and thank you so very much for taking the time to show me how you see it. I honestly do like it a lot and with your permission I would like to use the ideas in this to edit my spread.
I like the way you have incorporated my logo into the words like that and I can see now what was referenced as being updated. and the way you kept my slogan in there too was a very nice way to do it. You have already given me an idea of how im going to put in my Japanese Script and it will tie in nicely I believe.
I just want to say as well, I am going to put up a kind of credits/kudos page to thank everyone for their support on here and to PSG also. No matter how small the input or critique, it does get read, it is tried and it is looked at by me and I do consider it all before I actually load it into my domain.

So thank you to everyone again, I never expected to get this type of feedback and I am overwhelmed with the generosity of time people have put into talking to me about my site.

 

[Daltøn Davis]

crzykate58 got it right! i love her design. perfecto!

 

[crzykate58]

yeah man! use anything you see useful hahaha! i'm glad it helped, if you need anything like font or the bamboo graphic, just let me know

yay for teamwork!!! ^_^

 

[Jessicayla]

Very nice concept crzykate58. The simple act of making the table less square shape did a lot for the site design, in addition to the other improvements you made.

 

[crzykate58]

hahaha, thnks Jess!
well, i'm definitely no web designer . . . and i can totally appreciate how difficult it is to design a website that is both user friendly and visually interesting :-/

 

[FMAFLuke]

Thanks Kate. O.k So I took your idea, and messed about with it literally only a fraction. I changed the font at the top as I think it plays better with my logo to have the text the same as the text in my company logo. I used my Calligraphy down the left side to give a little fill and put my company logo's at the bottom of the text. I did this all quickly so it is not perfect yet but you get the idea of where I am going with it. Let me know what you think to my changes?

 

[crzykate58]

much much MUCH MUCH better!!!! ^_^ Great job Luke!! and i like the font and the placement of your calligraphy, and i like the way you put your logos there at the bottom excellente my dear sir! ^_^

 

[FMAFLuke]

Hey your idea, all I did was adjust it slightly, and add some bits. This new layout will be uploaded hopefully this week completely improving the way the website looks. As Kate said before, hoorah for team work. If it wasn't for everyone on here and of course simonwalsham69 starting all this off for me. I never would have been able to accomplish this. Thank you, big hugs all round. One more thing, the cudos/thanks page goes live this week. Take a look, and enjoy.

 

[Pepperbel]

Ok, sorry if I'm repeating what anyone's said, but there are a lot of pages of wisdom here, so I'm just gonna drop my lines and then sit quietly in my corner.

I Love the creamy-ness of it. It's very gentle and soothing to the eye, and that is something my friend you don't find often. people usually go for full on Goth look, or super blinding white. (I like to start with compliments, because you obviously put work into this so you should feel good about it.)

The one thing that's straight away bothering me is the header....it's too messy, there's a lot going on at the very top of the page.

If you maybe pull the options "Home" "Training" Gallery" etc.... down and expand it to fit perfect center and reach out to both ends, and put the image above it, so it sits on top, that will already be much less noisy.

The 3 bamboo's that stretch across, they need more contrast I think, they're a little too faded for my liking, but this might be down to simple personal taste.

And this isn't a problem, this is just an idea, it would work both ways, so I'll leave it in your capable hands, but maybe if the cream background is ever so slightly transparent so you can just see that lovely background peeking through a little bit, it might look nice.

This is what I can see form first glances, websites take time and they're never finished, there'll always be something to add/edit/improve, so just go with the flow and take it one step at a time, I think overall this is a nice layout, it just needs some cleaning up.

Nice work.

 

[aaliasmith]

I like the background and also its cleanness but you can make it much better by some changes .