Aardvark Web Design - site review

TeviH · 10-09-2005, 08:13 PM

Hi all,

I've been meaning to redo my website for about 2 years now. The design that I have is over 3 years old. Do you think it still works? Do you think it should have a complete overhaul, or can the main design work if I put the content in a more graphical or interactive way? I know everything was sort of just plopped on the screen without much thought. I made it in an afternoon when I was sick and wasn't in the mood to do any real work...

Just looking for some comments and suggestions. I'm not sure I'd have the time to go and do a complete overhaul...

http://www.aardvarkwebdesign.com

Thanks - and feel free to be harsh!

leviathon · 10-09-2005, 08:16 PM

Okay I suppose the site is not for serious matters, since your thick green borders and the "rabbit?" logo w/ home sorta kills the rather nice nav links you got.Overall it's pretty nicely mixed, brown BG with green mainface. Great job

LeetPCUser · 10-09-2005, 08:21 PM

I think it looks good except for the Contact Us link. Suddenly the layout gets much wider and does not work with the rest of the site. I would also say take your images and make them pngs so they load faster. Below the slow load and the mismatch on contact us, it is great!

lilgee · 10-10-2005, 04:12 AM

Nice, i like it.

ChrisKL · 10-10-2005, 05:02 AM

On the artistic side: me likes.

Love asymmetrical layouts in this digital perfect world.

But unfortunately ABC Company's boss and XYZ's IT manager are digital and "square".

So they like caveman style websites that's cuts to the chase.

Mix and match (keep the banner logo, but make the content page angular for ease in reading).

The one main problem that site design can do, is give the impression you're a cartoonist and not into commercial artwork. Something to think about when laying out another design.

CKL

Albino · 10-10-2005, 08:36 AM

i like it, but as a few people have said, it isnt the most profession layout. Still you convey a good friendly image, and your work seems good.

Change the contact page though, it shouldnt widen like that

thomaslgates · 10-10-2005, 09:18 AM

Nice site. Nice Layout.!

Well done

killaklown · 10-10-2005, 09:22 AM

not very proffesional but nice theme to the site.

TeviH · 10-11-2005, 11:16 AM

Thanks guys! Yea, I forgot to fix the contact page.. heheh, woops... The whole site had been elastic at one point and I changed all except the contact. Thanks for pointing it out.

I was trying to keep as far away from the sterile and bland look most "professional" sites have. I'm not a fan of the corporate look, and most of my clients specify they hate that look! for those that said the design didn't look professional, did you mean it didn't look corporate, or was there something you felt was shoddy and looked homemade?

@ChrikK - I am a cartoonist!!

I just do other stuff, too! I'll try the Square with the colors and the header and see how it looks. (Just tryin to make a site that thinks outside the box!

)

(and that aint no rabbit, neither! that's an Aardvark!!

)

ChrisKL · 10-11-2005, 11:31 AM

TeviH,

It's fine, I actually like the carefree nature of the site. But putting on the mask of a business person, it wouldn't be as suitable.

You have only one chance to make an impression. If a business person comes by and see cartoons, their idea maybe that you'll make their site/page/elements the same way. Thus, the comment about making it more conventional (I know, it's painful).

One of my sisters is heavy into anime (long before it became a fad). So your artwork reminds me of some of hers (she's really heavy in drawing fish -- especially sharks, and I hope one day she'll get into business and sell some of her work [it's quite exceptional]).

[Anyone interested in original anime themes just PM me!]

CKL

shadow_boi · 10-12-2005, 02:15 PM

nice layout. but if the header image has 2 round edges that would look better

TeviH · 10-13-2005, 07:31 PM

@shadow-boi - not sure if you're saying this, but if you are, I think I like the suggestion. Are you saying to make the top of the header graphic be flat with rounded corners? I think this is a good idea...

@ChrisK - I hear what you're saying, and that's really the attitude I'm trying to convey - happy-lucky, care-free, good natured. I'm not at all worried people will think all of my designs are the same (I need to do a MAJOR update of the portfolio section!!

). I understand the concern, but I'd rather set myself apart as being different and being an outside-the-box thinker, than give the same old bland, cookie-cutter, sterile, corporate, uninspired look to my site.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I will be using some of them in a further update of the site! Whenever I get the chance to redo it...

Cheers!

leviathon · 10-13-2005, 07:59 PM

I like your logo! Very graphical

Troubled1 · 10-14-2005, 05:33 PM

Not a bad looking site, nice design and color scheme. It's the type of site thatwould make me consider getting design work done by you.

sufi · 10-14-2005, 06:59 PM

Looks awesome. The logo is really nice. I give it 9.5 /10

steadler · 10-14-2005, 08:53 PM

hey i like that design the only sugestion i would make is lesten the stroke around the content area

10-09-2005, 08:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
TeviH NamePros Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 232 349.00 NP$ (Donate)	Aardvark Web Design - site review Hi all, I've been meaning to redo my website for about 2 years now. The design that I have is over 3 years old. Do you think it still works? Do you think it should have a complete overhaul, or can the main design work if I put the content in a more graphical or interactive way? I know everything was sort of just plopped on the screen without much thought. I made it in an afternoon when I was sick and wasn't in the mood to do any real work... Just looking for some comments and suggestions. I'm not sure I'd have the time to go and do a complete overhaul... http://www.aardvarkwebdesign.com Thanks - and feel free to be harsh! __________________ www.headlinercreative.com

10-10-2005, 04:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
lilgee Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NC Posts: 2,323 8.40 NP$ (Donate)	Nice, i like it. __________________ Sharing 50% profit for helping to sell on ebay. PM me for more info.

10-10-2005, 05:02 AM	#5 (permalink)
ChrisKL NamePros Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 141 408.00 NP$ (Donate)	On the artistic side: me likes. Love asymmetrical layouts in this digital perfect world. But unfortunately ABC Company's boss and XYZ's IT manager are digital and "square". So they like caveman style websites that's cuts to the chase. Mix and match (keep the banner logo, but make the content page angular for ease in reading). The one main problem that site design can do, is give the impression you're a cartoonist and not into commercial artwork. Something to think about when laying out another design. CKL __________________ ))) You can't stop, what you haven't started. ((( x================================================x Illustrator and Photo Restorer \| vBulletin and Computer modder/builder Don't believe the hype: Firefox Bad for Advertizers \| Firefox Security Issues

10-10-2005, 08:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
Albino Munky Designs Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 997 417.00 NP$ (Donate)	i like it, but as a few people have said, it isnt the most profession layout. Still you convey a good friendly image, and your work seems good. Change the contact page though, it shouldnt widen like that __________________ Munky Designs - Web Developers\|\| Erant - Vent Your Rage! \|\| Pow Comics - webcomic hosting + directory

10-11-2005, 11:16 AM	#9 (permalink)
TeviH NamePros Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 232 349.00 NP$ (Donate)	Thanks guys! Yea, I forgot to fix the contact page.. heheh, woops... The whole site had been elastic at one point and I changed all except the contact. Thanks for pointing it out. I was trying to keep as far away from the sterile and bland look most "professional" sites have. I'm not a fan of the corporate look, and most of my clients specify they hate that look! for those that said the design didn't look professional, did you mean it didn't look corporate, or was there something you felt was shoddy and looked homemade? @ChrikK - I am a cartoonist!! I just do other stuff, too! I'll try the Square with the colors and the header and see how it looks. (Just tryin to make a site that thinks outside the box! ) (and that aint no rabbit, neither! that's an Aardvark!! ) __________________ www.headlinercreative.com Last edited by TeviH; 10-11-2005 at 11:20 AM.

10-09-2005, 08:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
leviathon NamePros Regular Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 675 172.25 NP$ (Donate)	Okay I suppose the site is not for serious matters, since your thick green borders and the "rabbit?" logo w/ home sorta kills the rather nice nav links you got.Overall it's pretty nicely mixed, brown BG with green mainface. Great job

10-09-2005, 08:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
LeetPCUser Account Suspended Join Date: May 2005 Location: Whitewater, WI Posts: 3,714 17.55 NP$ (Donate)	I think it looks good except for the Contact Us link. Suddenly the layout gets much wider and does not work with the rest of the site. I would also say take your images and make them pngs so they load faster. Below the slow load and the mismatch on contact us, it is great!

10-10-2005, 09:18 AM	#7 (permalink)
thomaslgates Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: India Posts: 672 169.75 NP$ (Donate)	Nice site. Nice Layout.! Well done

10-10-2005, 09:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
killaklown Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 3,472 5.31 NP$ (Donate)	not very proffesional but nice theme to the site.

10-11-2005, 11:31 AM	#10 (permalink)
ChrisKL NamePros Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 141 408.00 NP$ (Donate)	TeviH, It's fine, I actually like the carefree nature of the site. But putting on the mask of a business person, it wouldn't be as suitable. You have only one chance to make an impression. If a business person comes by and see cartoons, their idea maybe that you'll make their site/page/elements the same way. Thus, the comment about making it more conventional (I know, it's painful). One of my sisters is heavy into anime (long before it became a fad). So your artwork reminds me of some of hers (she's really heavy in drawing fish -- especially sharks, and I hope one day she'll get into business and sell some of her work [it's quite exceptional]). [Anyone interested in original anime themes just PM me!] CKL __________________ ))) You can't stop, what you haven't started. ((( x================================================x Illustrator and Photo Restorer \| vBulletin and Computer modder/builder Don't believe the hype: Firefox Bad for Advertizers \| Firefox Security Issues

10-12-2005, 02:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
shadow_boi NamePros Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver Posts: 530 122.65 NP$ (Donate)	nice layout. but if the header image has 2 round edges that would look better

10-13-2005, 07:31 PM	#12 (permalink)
TeviH NamePros Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 232 349.00 NP$ (Donate)	@shadow-boi - not sure if you're saying this, but if you are, I think I like the suggestion. Are you saying to make the top of the header graphic be flat with rounded corners? I think this is a good idea... @ChrisK - I hear what you're saying, and that's really the attitude I'm trying to convey - happy-lucky, care-free, good natured. I'm not at all worried people will think all of my designs are the same (I need to do a MAJOR update of the portfolio section!! ). I understand the concern, but I'd rather set myself apart as being different and being an outside-the-box thinker, than give the same old bland, cookie-cutter, sterile, corporate, uninspired look to my site. Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I will be using some of them in a further update of the site! Whenever I get the chance to redo it... Cheers! __________________ www.headlinercreative.com

10-13-2005, 07:59 PM	#13 (permalink)
leviathon NamePros Regular Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 675 172.25 NP$ (Donate)	I like your logo! Very graphical

10-14-2005, 05:33 PM	#14 (permalink)
Troubled1 NamePros Regular Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 306 224.20 NP$ (Donate)	Not a bad looking site, nice design and color scheme. It's the type of site thatwould make me consider getting design work done by you.

10-14-2005, 06:59 PM	#15 (permalink)
sufi NamePros Expert Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: LinksHut.com Posts: 7,377 82.88 NP$ (Donate)	Looks awesome. The logo is really nice. I give it 9.5 /10 __________________ Concrete Polishing FMOZ Web Directory -- Beachside Domains

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10-14-2005, 08:53 PM	#16 (permalink)
steadler Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Essex, England Posts: 1,133 119.00 NP$ (Donate)	hey i like that design the only sugestion i would make is lesten the stroke around the content area __________________ Untitled Designs Innovation In Design cPanelHosting.com-cPanel Experts For 8 Years Hosting From $4.99 And 2 Months Free