Website for PA Solutions

Aarlev

Aarlev

Member
Evening folks,

I'm currently creating a new website for a company called PA Solutions (I didn't do the original logo but just re-did the typography and improved it a bit overall). It's a newly started business who produces special training and fitness equipment for marathon runners etc.

They sell directly in bulk to companies, so they just need an online presence for the company with information about them and their products. Anyways here's my first designs. The client loves them, and kinda just told me to do my thing (which is nice for a change! :D), but I'd love some feedback from you guys so I can hopefully tweak it a bit.

Thanks!
Soren

Frontpage

Subpage
 
first thing that jumped out at me was the running legs, the perspective is all wrong and it just looks off because of it.

I'd also consider rounding the corners off just to soften the 'website' a bit
 
Not a fan of the legs either.

The text in my opinion just doesnt sit right - not sure what it is - just doesnt work for me.

The headers the same - something not there with them.
 
I like the overall look of the site it's nice, it seems that the top central space is wasted as I'm looking at it on a laptop ad it is within the main focal region. Having said that I'm not sure what I'd put there...
 
Levi said:
first thing that jumped out at me was the running legs, the perspective is all wrong and it just looks off because of it.

I'd also consider rounding the corners off just to soften the 'website' a bit
Click to expand...

thats exactly what I was thinking.
 
I like the site's colour scheme and the background, like everyone said the running legs does look odd, he looks like he's gona trip over..
 
Thanks for your feedback everyone. Always good with some fresh eyes.:)

I've taken all your comments on board and will try to work something else into the header. I might rearrange the layout a bit as well, and have a look at the text.

Thanks again for your help!
 
using the legs is ok, it just needs to be given a more upright perspective, about 5 mins in photoshop should do the trick there :)
 
or making the legs more vectory perhaps?

desaturate, play with levels, select colour range (the black part), create new layer, fill the selection with black. maybe...
 
Hay TBH the first thing that stuck out to me, mad as it's the smallest thing on the page, but was the website address under the logo. Yeah don't get it if they are already there.....yeah. I would put a tag line in as that will clafiry the site better TBH than the website address which is in the address bar. Plus if some1 types in PA training solutions it should rank first anyway.

I do like the colours and the background and I espeically like the search box TBH.

Also the product catalogue IMO should clarify what it is more it shouldn't need the words click here to clarify it's a link. Maybe just changing it to Visit our bulk running equipment shop. As that would clarify to everyone more what it's about.

Also as they sell in bulk to companies I take it that companies will need an account?
If so and I'm a returning customer where do I log in???

Just some first thoughts. :)
 
Thanks Jaz!

The client insists on having the URL in the logo so not much I can do about that (apart from maybe threatening him with a bat until he changes his mind, but I think I might loose the project from doing that. :)).

Good point about the product catalogue.

The login is also a valid point. The client hasn't requested it though. He just deals with his customers directly. Might suggest that to him as an added feature and charge a bit extra.

Anyways, I've changed the design a bit with all of your comments in mind. Loved your idea with the vectory images Mike so I have changed the header completely. Will post up the new design tonight when I get home.

Cheers guys!
 
Completely forgot about this thread after I went to the Love Kibutz in Israel! ;)

Anyways it's been signed off now so I'm in the middle of 'Wordpressing' it. :)

I used your idea of using silhouettes of runners instead Mike. Looks much better I think so thanks for that! :) Also changed the layout a lot based on client feedback.

I know the image in the welcome text is not super great. It's more of a temporary solution. There's gonna be a jQuery slider thingie instead there that will hopefully look nicer. But the client wants the site up ASAP and wants it implemented later as he is still waiting for more images from his photographer.

Feedback on small things that could improve the design would still be very much appreciated though! Client is pretty easygoing, so small changes can still be made to polish it a bit more. (Didn't do the logo so can't change that unfortunately, I know it's not exactly great). The client loves the design, but I'm just not 100% happy with it myself. I know I could just collect my money and leave, but I hate doing work I'm not entirely happy with.

It's just too dark or something? The client did request a black and dark site, but is it too much? Tried making the nav bar all yellow but it just doesn't look right. Maybe it's just me, but I just feel it needs something to "break" the rest of the design. Some more contrast and color..maybe incorporate the logo graphic into the header and buttons or something? I don't know..can't put my finger on it..help! :)

PA Training Solutions - Solutions to your training needs
 
Overall I like it but I'd probably have done the below but its probably more a personal thing.

- The footer just needs a little more division, it currently looks like the background wasn't repeated, maybe a 1-2px yellow line at the top of it or slightly lighter perhaps?
- rounded corners on the boxes to just soften them a little
- not 100% on if you've done this or not? shadows under the content boxes in the middle as the top and bottom seem to have shadow and those don't appear to.

In regards to the yellow search bar - how about extending the left side all the way to the right with a thin (1pixel) line from the top of the curve and then maybe doing a full block to the right (although this might not work with larger screens). Combined with the yellow line suggestion for the footer it may work quite well.
 
Levi said:
Overall I like it but I'd probably have done the below but its probably more a personal thing.

- The footer just needs a little more division, it currently looks like the background wasn't repeated, maybe a 1-2px yellow line at the top of it or slightly lighter perhaps?
- rounded corners on the boxes to just soften them a little
- not 100% on if you've done this or not? shadows under the content boxes in the middle as the top and bottom seem to have shadow and those don't appear to.

In regards to the yellow search bar - how about extending the left side all the way to the right with a thin (1pixel) line from the top of the curve and then maybe doing a full block to the right (although this might not work with larger screens). Combined with the yellow line suggestion for the footer it may work quite well.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help Levi!

I'll try the line in the top of the footer and search (in the search you mean extend the yellow from the search all the way to the end of the viewport with a 1px line as well?).

Will look into the rounded corners (just hope it won't be too much of a mission cause I have a gradient in the bottom of the sheets/boxes and I want them to be flexible. Should be doable though.). I think you're right that it would look better as the rest of the site is 'softer'.

What do you mean about the shadows under the content boxes? There's no shadows in the content boxes, only gradients?

Thanks again for your help Levi, much appreciated!
 
Aarlev said:
Thanks for your help Levi!

I'll try the line in the top of the footer and search (in the search you mean extend the yellow from the search all the way to the end of the viewport with a 1px line as well?).
Click to expand...
on the top bit you have the search box which ends with the curved bit. Extend the top of the curve into the 1px line and then extend the line all the way to the left. It will end up going under the logo and also looking like a path the people have walked along :D

What do you mean about the shadows under the content boxes? There's no shadows in the content boxes, only gradients?
Click to expand...
if you look at the page the header and the footer both have a drop shadow so the tarmac material looks like it's on a lower level to the website. The boxes in the middle just seem to be sitting at the same level and just needs something to lift them up, the drop shadow would keep in keeping with the others. Might be best to leave the rounded corners off with this or maybe consider using the css3 rounded corners so they're only there on newer browsers etc.

Actually css3 has the option of shadows to.
 
Looks so much better, and playing around with some of the changes (or changing similar things to get the same effects) that levi suggested will get a really great finished site in my opinion :)
 
i love it.
loving the web 2.0 buttons or whatever they are, all the spacing and the floating legs.
well build i'd say.
the texture on the background is a bit too rough imo but nothing that cant be easily sorted out.

oh okay just seen the second link...
loving that more! way better way to separate the header and the main content :)
 
New version looks good Soren, agree with the points Levi raised about defining the footer a little more and the round corners on the content boxes. I'm sure it will look even better once the client has the new photography, assuming they have some images of the product actually being used! as it took me a while to work it out.
 
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