Design portfolio and website feedback. Opinions?

Just kinda finished(still tweaking bits, footer etc) my first design portfolio website and blog.

Just looking for some feedback really on the portfolio itself and the website.

I'm looking for a Junior Designers vacancy, and have just started using wordpress so be gentle lol.

The Graphics Den

Cheers :D
 
A little complex for me mate. A couple of things i would suggest:

Homepage
Lose the grid background, seems to confuse things alot.
Make your main banner have more impact. Solid blue colour. A Statement. A Quote?.
Lose the Flickr (know one really cares and i feel makes you look less pro)
Social Icons - just use the logo's (not the follow me on part) Change 'find me on' to 'Follow'

Portfolio
Contain the boxes a bit better, they need a stroke or something as they seem to bleed into the page
Again lose the grid
Use stronger parts of your work as the images (more white space) these seem very confused and its a lucky dip when clicking as i dont know what im going to clixk on.

About
Maybe get the about bit on the homepage

Contact
Make the social icons more with everything else

Hope this helps! Keep it up!

:)
 
Thanks for the feedback hardsy

Complex by too much going on or navigation? or both lol?

The service boxes If I greyed or had them the same blue as the logo then then had them colour when you rolled over them, would this make it look less confusing?

Homepage
I tried it with and without the grid but like it as a visual element but understand where your coming from. Will take your point into consideration and ask a few more people.
I felt that the statement or quote was a bit cliche I like the web and lab banner but not sure ont eh design for print.
Ah ok fair point
ok

Portfolio
There is a light stoke on the boxes will look at making that darker.
ok
Do you mean show more of what it is in the preview, rather than just a sneak?

About
I going to sharpen up the wording on the front page and incorporate the about me bit into the intro as well.

Contact
Do they need to be repeated though as there already in the footer, I guess if someone hasn't looked at the footer they might miss them.
 
No problems Dude. All positive feedback though, you're doing a good job.

Yeah overall just a little busy. I just think if someone comes to your site they need a bit of impact and obviousness. this is what i do, here's the work, contact and follow.

The service boxes i mean: design for print, design for web etc. This could be a little clearer and the use of better imagery would sort this. Let the images do the talking.

On a 2nd look, id probably ditch the big banner at the top and bring everything up, with the above, i think this would work well.

Yeah show a little more of the work in the boxes... its all very confusing looking, and i cant like what i see and want to view more as i cant make out what im looking at!

I wouldnt say repeated, but could be lost from the footer and brought further up with everything else somehow so you cant miss them!

Hope that makes sense mate.
Nick
 
Ah ok cool will look at the imagery on the portfolio boxes, have changed the flickr footer widget for a portfolio sneak peak.

Adding a darker stroke to the portfolio boxes.

I like the large slider as I think it's a good way to promote specific peices of work, it a bit generic at the moment but this will be updated when more work is added.
 
I didn't find it too bad for what it is. Overall design wise, I'm comfortable with the direction and feel. Like the grids, like the typography. A lot of the things mentioned are subjective and small and will not make a dramatic improvement and I prefer not to get involved in art direction at this stage. Where it can improve and build on is the starting point and idea.

As a concept to try and get a job then it should work a lot harder in the overall design strategy and thought process. Rather than produce a website, produce a website that will try and get you a job.
Therefore the design proposition is 'Hire me' - not showcase your work : this is two different strategies and executions. Therefore content, personality, information and self-promotion is the key.
This to me could be better and effectively executed in a simple Wordpress format rather than a website that is half done or lacks that killer punch.

As everyone knows I always say KISS keep it simple - don't overcomplicate the issue or let Design get in front of Communication. Don't overstretch your self trying to do things you only half achieve. Play safe and simple.
A blog style site will do all the things you need to showcase your work, thoughts, ideas and progress. Look at
David Airey, graphic designer to see how simply and effectively he communicates.

Too often, young designers try to project themselves be experienced hands or big companies. Be you.
People buy People. Sell yourself to the potential employer or client who may visit your site. A website is just a form of communication.

As I said - I don't dislike your graphic attempts, but I question the effectiveness of your strategy.
The aim of this form of communication is to get hired. Consider your target audience and how to communicate effectively with them.

Paul Arden said 'Never be precious to ideas - throw them away and a better one will appear.

The starting point is the key to all succesfull communication. Have a beer and a think.... Good luck
 
Thanks for the feedback Berry.

So basically put more personality into it with me at the forefront. I guess it would be better to promote myself as me rather than The Graphics Den?

So the current website feels kind of faceless to you, just a showcase of the design rather than me and my design. Is this partly because when a company is hiring especially a junior then want an insight into there personality to see if they will fit into the organisation?

Also rather than just putting the finished product, i should include roughs, rejected concepts basically how I got to the final design as well as the end result?
 
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