Thread: New theme (again). Thoughts?

I've changed my blog theme again this week because I wasn't quite happy with the last one. This time I'm using the Thematic framework with a customised version of the sample child theme.

I've tried to go for a minimal/Swiss feel (gotta love Swiss design) which I'm quite pleased with for the time being, but think I could improve the copy on my portfolio page since that's the landing page.

Please let me know your opinions and how it renders in your browser (I use Chrome and Snow Leopard). Feel free to leave a comment on some posts too :)

Graphic Design Portfolio - Paul Murray

(also please don't judge me for claiming to be a freelance designer, it's for keywords

Originally Posted by Paul Murray

I've changed my blog theme again this week because I wasn't quite happy with the last one. This time I'm using the Thematic framework with a customised version of the sample child theme.

I've tried to go for a minimal/Swiss feel (gotta love Swiss design) which I'm quite pleased with for the time being, but think I could improve the copy on my portfolio page since that's the landing page.

Please let me know your opinions and how it renders in your browser (I use Chrome and Snow Leopard). Feel free to leave a comment on some posts too :)

Graphic Design Portfolio - Paul Murray

(also please don't judge me for claiming to be a freelance designer, it's for keywords

Can't beat Swiss design, it's just so classic.

To be honest I've never been keen on the faded portfolio imagery that brightens up when you've hovered over it. I think it takes away some of the initial impact when you first get to the page.

Other than that portfolio issue, I like it. I love Helvetica - just look at my site for that. It's laid out nicely, it's not crowded, it looks good.

I'd try a new way of showing your portfolio. I'd just leave those images in full colour, and when you hover over them find a new way of highlighting it - a box round it, perhaps underline it or something of that ilk.

Originally Posted by ARRIVALS

To be honest I've never been keen on the faded portfolio imagery that brightens up when you've hovered over it. I think it takes away some of the initial impact when you first get to the page.

Yeah I agree with his :icon_thumbup:

Cheers for the feedback so far. I've switched the opacity round so it now dims when you mouse over. I'm still trying to find the right way of presenting my work, but I suspect that will come in time with more (focussed) work.

I'd like just black and white thumbnails but unfortunately not everything is just black and white (damn you colour!).

Oh, and if anyone's viewing it on Windows or doesn't have Helvetica installed, the typography is probably going to look shit. I tested it last night with bootcamp. Eurgh!

Originally Posted by Paul Murray

Oh, and if anyone's viewing it on Windows or doesn't have Helvetica installed, the typography is probably going to look shit. I tested it last night with bootcamp. Eurgh!

I've always found this strange. I always understood Helvetica to be a standard typeface on all PC's and Macs, like Arial, Verdana, Times etc..

Most people will have Helvetica or Arial surely? Sometimes in the stylesheet, it just says something like 'Helvetica, sans-serif.' Which I guess might result in it defaulting to something else? Anyone with a bit more knowledge of CSS like to help out?

Every Window's PC I've owned never had Helvetica pre-installed. I don't know if they changed that with Vista/7. Arial is basically a bastardised version of Helvetica and a few other Grotesque fonts.

Specifying "Helvetica, sans-serif" in the CSS basically tells the browser to use the default sans-serif if Helvetica isn't installed (this is usually Arial).

Every Windows machine I ever owned never had Helvetica with it either. Only when I got on board with Mac did I realise.

I've had a look and I came away from the site with an entirely neutral response. That's not to say it's bad - in many ways, the way that the design is so unobtrusive/doesn't produce a strong response either way is kind of testament to how well it does it's job - but there it is.

Ony two things jarred for me (interrupting an otherwise seamless experience):

1. Why is the home page a duplicate of the portfolio page?
2. I'd like to see the text fields align properly on the contact page.