My portfolio - Critique please!

br3n

Senior Member
Hello!

Im currently in the middle of developing my new portfolio website, it currently looks like this:
br3n.co.uk / Personal portfolio of fruniture & graphic designer Brendan Patterson.
(with all content) although the new'un is set to resemble something more along these lines

Standard view: http://br3n.co.uk/files/portfolioconcept.jpg
Gallery view: http://br3n.co.uk/files/portfolioconcept_gallery.jpg

I know at the moment the coding on my site is terrible, its super temp and the new one is going to be valid and tidy :)

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks. Brendan.

---

Just added a portfolio on this site
Design Forums - Graphic Design & Web Design Forum - br3n's Album: Portfolio / br3n.co.uk
 
Hi Brendan,

You have some great work on your site, I think it definitely needs separating into the various sections as you are doing with the new design/setup, that should help visitors find their way around your portfolio a lot easier. I would personally look at using a sans serif font for your main text content as I think this would sit better with the style of your work and imagery used, the contrast looks a bit out of place in my opinion at the moment.

With the websites in your folio it would be good if there was links to the live sites (if available) so you can see the designs in action. Also, do you have any form of logo/identity for yourself? As I think the new design is lacking some form of identity at the top of the page above the navigation.

Hope those comments help in some way and look forward to seeing your new site up & running.
Thanks, Greg
 
Thanks Greg, all valid points!

I, like many others i'm sure have used a variety of logo's in my time and I was planning on developing a latest version which will sit at the top of the new site, sorry - I should have said that.

What font would you recomend? I understand what your saying about a conflicting style however both georgia & aldo are sexy mofo's of the font world :)

A lot of the websites Ive designed have since been updated/gone offline - some are not even online as are still in development - the new site will contain better (multiple) images of each project and also a link to a live website if applicable :)

Thanks!
 
Cool, all sounds good, they are indeed nice fonts, but I just felt that with the rest of the typography on the site being sans-serif, ie all the type on your work pieces and navigation, etc it looked a little out of place, that might just be a personal thing though, see what everyone else thinks...

Like your new avatar by the way! ;)
Greg
 
Very nice, I like the way in the lightbox gallery view you can see the thumbnail pictures rather than just a next and prev link

Pete
 
Greg said:
Cool, all sounds good, they are indeed nice fonts, but I just felt that with the rest of the typography on the site being sans-serif, ie all the type on your work pieces and navigation, etc it looked a little out of place, that might just be a personal thing though, see what everyone else thinks.. Greg

I like Contrast, Ying and Yan, Light and shade.etc Balance is importance and i think the serif fonts create a counter balance to the geometry of the san serif fonts used. Again a personal thing. The complexity of wallpaper background though subtle gives the serif fonts a reason for being there. That's my view.
 
Just added some sketchbook work, This is still a temp folio but jobs etc are requiring proven concept development skills and sketchbook work so needed to get some work visable. Sifted through many many sketchbooks and hundreds of a2 sheets, picked a few out and went with this:

br3n.co.uk / Sketchbook Gallery
 
Hi Brendan,

there is some good stuff there, but logos... Might be better to avoid including early ones (at least all Times New Roman - based stuff, to be precise). That logo examples that you've made biggest at your main link... they both require a lot of work and I would avoid showing them, even in smaller size. You're not bad at all with some of that rugged hand-drawn custom lettering, so make it work for you!
 
I love Times. It's like a well cut suit - Fashion change, but style remains. Coco Channel
Depth not superficiality.
 
Berry,

nothing against Times, one of the best typefaces ever designed. Some things are just being red herring, no matter how well crafted. Times, thanks to Microsoft, is probably the second most abused typeface in the world, so it takes twice the skill to make it look good.
 
vodkalondon said:
so it takes twice the skill to make it look good.

And THAT is the creative gauntlet! There are thousand of typefaces that are good alternatives to Times and classic serif fonts each with it's own nuance that has differentiation. But...if it ain't broke don't fix it. Every woman has a little black dress, just got to know when to use it.
 
I dont mid the fact the work is not in not in specified sections - sometimes a chronological system is equally as effective.

My only concern is the spacing between one project and another - makes the copy a tad harsh to read - let it breath a little more - easier on the eyes.

Other than that - i like it - clean and simple - shows off the work well - nice.
 
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