How to get inspiration

[Mav]

Hi everyone

I have been working on my industry context project brief at University for a few weeks now. I decided to redesign and present visuals for a website for a local towns market that will then be handed to a web designer. I was really confident at first and presented a few ideas which my tutors have criticized and told me to follow a completely different direction which is why I am struggling.

I need help with what I could do with the home page of the market website, I have a paragraph and the header and footer along with the navigation... but it needs a visual or something for it so stand out. I was thinking more in terms of interactive website market stall with information??

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks
Mav

[ARRIVALS]

Sounds like a great little project this. Could you upload some of your first visuals for us to look at? I always hated how my lecturers told me to 'look in a different direction', even though I was convinced it was perfect. They generally ask you to do that because they want you to take more of a 'journey' through research to development to final design etc.. instead of plumping for the first idea you come up with. They may well like the design, but are just getting you to do what you need to do to fill the marking criteria.

Re: the design, I wouldn't go with a standard layout. You have total creative license here, don't go with a look or layout that could easily be used for an accountant. Markets are a traditional thing from the past. They're old, so brand it that way. Take advantage of the style that's associated with traditional market places, the typography that's associated with things like traditional deli's or butchers, country food stores, farm shops, things like that. I'm basically referring to more hand drawn typography as apposed to the corporate look.

[JMGraphicDesign]

Hi Mav

If it's something to be handed to a web designer then perhaps you can think outside the box a little by visually depicting some moving features on the website? (If you haven't already)
For example, consider having the homepage feature a large central image which rotates between 4 or 5 other images - using javascript which a webdesigner would be more than happy to do...
Just label the image area as -"transistioning images" and come up with a few nice images, which are almost adverts in their own right - to quickly show vistors to the sight it's main features before they have to so much as glance at the navigation...

Failing that, perhaps they want you to try to break away from the standard and over-used "header, navbar, sidebar, content, footer" layout they have seen 1000's of times?

Try placing page elements in places that still make sense, but are perhaps a little less standard?

At the end of the day, as mentioned in the previous post (arrivals?) sometimes lecturers are simply trying to imitate the pain-in-the ass clients who you'll be destined to serve for the rest of your life! It's rare that a client will love the first idea you pitch to them, so try to view coming up with alternatives as good experience for the future :-)

I hope this helps!

[Mav]

Thanks guys,

Your responses did help a lot and I will definitely post my home page design one completed for you guys to critique...

Mav