website feedback

Sorry in advance if this comes across harshly etc but you'll find there will likely be someone even harsher than me if he decides to comment (yes Berry I mean you) :)

Honestly it doesn't really look very inviting to me, I certainly wouldn't have thought it was for someone who was creative without reading the text.

To me it just seems to lack that 'designer' touch and looks a little simplistic, now simple and minimalist is ok but it doesn't really fall into either category in my opinion.

The animated flash elements don't really work well in contex and the 'litebox' you've used isn't scaling the images properly (the book cover didn't scale)

Your about us page doesn't really instil confidence to me as you are on about being self proclaimed, having a high level of education and also that its a hobby etc.

You've also got some links not working (it's unfinished you said so I'll blame it on this)

In my opinion your own site has the perfect comment that you need to remember when designing your site
"People judge a website in the blink of an eye"
Click to expand...
Can you honestly say that it would make a viewer come back?
 
I'm in a good mood today:
I agree with Levi, the overall typography needs better structuring, you can drive a truck thru the kerning and the balance of everything seems a bit out of kilt.
The starting point would have to be your brand ID, don't mind the graphic. but the typography doesn't help.I would suggest that you replace 'and' with '&" which will create a tighter compact feel. I would suggest changing the font to something with a tad more style. The positioning of you brand ID better in the page will create a more structured balance once you loose this centre justification of the logo. Try and keep a geometric grid to the layout so the eye follows these invisible lines. Look at where you black band end and follow the vertical lines down - they should line up with the end of the copy block.

Secondly, pick a seperate font for your website that doesn't run into your brand font. this will create separation and help focus the layout. Loose the accent pink splashes as it makes it look cheap. The big headings seem a cop and add no interest as its too obvious.

Like the graphic illustration use, not keen on the flash stuff.

Overall it's all about balance and art direction, keep a grid structure and minimise your visual line -up lines then the eye follows things far more easily and in harmony.
 
If your as good as you say you are then you wouldn't have released this for critique regardless whether or not it was ready or still work in progress. For me its amateurish at best, After reading your hype I expected so much more but your site delivers so little.

For me personally I would look at a complete redesign, and put the proof in the pudding so to speak and back up all the smoke blowing :)

Good luck, and I look forward to seeing how this turns out.
 
hye,,

you got very good separated elements as the "services we offer" section... that rollovers worked very well and the all web site isn´t amateurish like Sunburn said, but isn´t amazing or simple good web site, you need to improve... you got good elements but you forget the basics like berry and levi said: the grid structure; the content alignments; the typo () etc etc...

You got many info about grid structure here and in my opinion is what you need to start looking for: 45+ CSS Grid Systems, Layout Generators and Tutorials that every Designer should know|tripwire magazine

good work and welcome to DF
 
I just say it how i see it :) ... if like the others have said, "up and down" has forgot to cover or include the basics, issues with structure and alignment, typography then what else can it be other than amateurish?
 
I know the web is not good but that´s the way i´m :angel: :D

i respect and liked a lot the way your´re also :D i really enjoy when someone (with design qualities like you got) said that harsh things to me:eek:... can be very motivating:cheers: !!!

Overall i think Up and Down designs understood what they need to do and hope they got some nice improvements in near future. Work in progress is always the best to get the perfection! ?! (where is.. ROFL?)

:love:
 
ok people.
thanks for the feedback.
i did say i was open for harsh feedback. i love harsh feedback and brutal opinions. nothing better then the truth. but remember. i did quite clearly state that the website is far from done. As for the layout i like to be different. browse thousands of designers site's and everyone has something unique and different. That is my style. the only comment i will disagree with is amateurish. but then again the judgement may be correct.

regards carl
 
different is great, but if there's no liquidity in it, the user will find it difficult keeping their mind off the close button.


and we knew it wasnt finished but we can tell the general layout and get a good feel for how it'll end up, so we were right in critiquing as above. :)
 
ok you are now saying its far from finished rather than not completely finished, if that is the case why have it critiqued?

To me if it is 'far from finished' then there is no reason to critique it, if it's not completely finished as you were saying it's implying it's just finishing touches and a few images etc need to be added hence the way it was critiqued.

Yes it's good to be different but different has to be well executed otherwise it is going to look rubbish, its that simple especially when a designer needs to be able to show that they are skilled via their own site/work etc.
 
correct me if i am wrong but far from finished or not completely finished doesn't really tell anyone if i am adding finishing touches or not. I just stated "rather poorly" that it is not complete. I didn't say what stage i was at. And as for the feedback, i asked for it. It doesn't have much of my portfolio work on the site yet. I am just working on a layout and asking for feedback good or bad. I do appreciate your feedback, and i am taking on board what you have said.

"ok you are now saying its far from finished rather than not completely finished, if that is the case why have it critiqued"

because i value peoples opinions.
 
For me personally (and by the looks of it the other posters too) not completely finished generally means that the fundamental aspects of the design are in place and you are adding in the last bits such as finalising text, images etc not that there's still a majority of the design to be finished off.

If it's still having a lot done to it as you are now saying how can we give a valid critique as the design is not finished and as such still being changed.
Do you take half finished concepts to clients as this is basically what you are doing when having a critique with an unfinished design.

I'm currently developing a new site for myself but I'm not having it critiqued until I have the fundamental design etc is in place as it would in my perspective be a waste of resources. It's also as I know that a personal design is still fluid even when it's finished as most designers still tinker even after it's done when it comes to our own work.
 
Hi Carl,

Aside from the debate around whether to post work at such an early stage for feedback or not, here's my thoughts on what you have so far.

There's no relevance to the name Up and Down Designs, I'm not entirely sure what connotations you would like the name to have, but is there some meaning behind it? Why did you choose that name? What's the USP of your company? Aside from the actual content being a bit up and down in terms of layout I think I'm missing "it".

Leaving the name to one side, there's a lot of different elements fighting against each other, you have the logo with the icon above, large "W e l c o m e" text, banners and work examples dotted around, an island in the top right? a piece of a book cover? Hopefully you get my point, it's all a bit confusing, if I was a potential client I'd be confused and probably leave based on that, that's before I've even seen your work.

My advice at this stage would be to pick up a pen and sketchpad and work out the layout, including all the content you'll need, and work out a design with a grid, with some flow, with hierarchy between elements, help to lead the visitor through the page, entice them to find out more, to see more.

I'd also think about your name, I know this thread isn't about the name, but I personally find getting the identity right first makes the web design process much more straightforward, for me personally neither the name or logo is hitting the mark.

Good luck and good to see you're valuing the feedback received :)
Hope that's helped. Greg
 
Up&Down..Most people here kinda know I can be quite brutal and savage - But only to Idiots and Wanabees. There are flaws in the basic design, it's not perfect but I believe your intentions are good, so I'm cutting you some slack and hoping that you can take the crit onboard to move forward.
Sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot inadvetandly. Presentation is about Timing. I was told from a very early period, never show half baked things. It's easier to see 1 thing bad than 9 things good.
So.........please take the crit onboard, digest, try and understand where certain people are coming from with the best intention and move forward. I think the term "amateurish" is a bit cruel from whoever, It's the wrong term, I could live with crap or **** as it's a subjective emmotional positioning, absolute and cut and dried. Amateur is a bit harsh. Nobody is perfect ( except me). I'm very interested to see how you respond and progress. Let's see what's in the tank. There is Crap, O.K, Nice, Average, Not Bad, Good or Great. It all depends, not what we want - but what you want>
 
I think the term "Amateurish" is not a cruel remark at all after considering the content to which its applying. In fact If anyone takes the time to read the content on the site and the upsell, then explore the visual treatment to the approach being taken and then consider the underlying code quality of the website that promotes "web design" as a service, I'm sure you will come to a similar position as i did.

Ultimately though, I doubt the OP will take any offence by my comments in fact I suspect it will be case of water, back, and ducks. All I hope for is the OP will indeed take upon the constructive comments and make something far better.

Finally my comments where based up on the understanding that this site was a "complete redesign" although "not completely finished yet" which if then asked to be critiqued on this forum would suggested to me that its just the final touches to be completed.
 
Some of the copy could be revisited too for example in the first paragraph you have

"web design at unbeatable prices. GUARANTEED!"
Followed by, further down the page..
​

"When choosing your website designer - you get what you pay for"

I wouldn't use a phrase like unbeatable with regards to prices as it really devalues the quality of your workmanship. This should only be used in the context of products comparable with other similar products, not services. Especially when followed by a 'you get what you pay for' statement.


I like the island, did you design that? Is that the relevance of up and down? Above and below ground?

:D
 
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