The Parlor
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- dropdown0
Ok parlor shut-ins, it's my turn to put something up on the chopping block out of view of the general QBN. I've been working on my portfolio for a few months on and off, and think I'm really close to finishing up the layout and such. All the content is still place holder images, and text, so what i'm really after here is usability, function, colours, font choice layout etc. for the site itself. I appreciate any time and energy you can spare for this.
Dan- I'm going to lunch now, and will read/reply any comments after that.dropdown
- dropdown0
I also have a nasty glitch in the work section that only seems to happen in Chrome occasionally, where the hidden content will appear underneath the selected image. If anyone can help with figuring that out, I would be eternally grateful.
- juhls0
Heh, you put that you are Canadian. I would suggest either making the first letter of each line a capital letter, or adding a comma at the end of the first line (after your name).
Regarding the quote: I think you should have one on each page to be consistent. Right now I don't see it on the work page. Hmmm...maybe that's OK though, since you don't want to clutter that page too much. The quotes take up a lot of space though.
See where it says "This is the personal portfolio of dan heffernan a canadian graphic designer" above the image with the same text? Are you keeping that? The font seems a bit off for that too.
What's that little + and - animation at the bottom for?
Add more line-height to the text on each page.
I'm guessing you're still working on the links to the images of navigation on each page.
I like the work page. How do you plan on putting more than 8 projects in there? Have a little number "2" above and below the thumbnails that the user can click on?
lol @ "Like a giant dildo crushing the sun."
I'm not sure you need those little star icons beside each comment. Maybe make it smaller?
I like its simplicity.
- dropdown0
Thanks for write up juhls!
I'll add a coma, to the homepage quote. Still not sure if I'm keeping it though. I didn't add one to the work page to keep the focus on the work (when I add it :))
You shouldn't be able to see the duplicate text for the header quotes, as I used negative text-indent to hide it for SEO. hmmm what browser etc?
The leading of each paragraph is set a little tighter because the default for Verdana is awful. Does it look like negative leading on you browser? if so, do you mind taking a screenshot?
I don't plan on putting more than 8 pieces of work up at any one time. Frankly I don't have much to fill it with now. Was it immediately apparent to you that clicking on the larger image shows more images?
I think I may take out the icons next to the shouts, I originally thought I might make random icons for each post, but I decided it was too much.
Thanks again for your thoughts.
- locustsloth0
i like it, dropdown. The star logo in the top left is really nice. There's a certain depth to it that really keeps it from being just another star logo. Almost like it's more "there" than other star type stuff i've seen.
Navigation is fine. it was pretty obvious that clicking on the smaller pics in the work section would show you a bigger version and i like the transitions between them.
Only non-positive thing i have to say is that i don't really like the strike-thru for mousing over the names of the different sections. There's something subconscious that feels like it's saying "NO!!" everytime i mouse over the titles. Kinda like "Sorry, this part has been redacted. Move along". Keep in mind i have very little expertise in actual design of any kind.
Oh and your SHOUT! section works :)
- dropdown0
Thanks locustsloth!
I wasn't sure how the logo would go over. i haven't actually done much else with it (business cards, etc.) other than this site, because I figured I would be told I should scrap it.
I just added the strike through yesterday to the navigation. it used to be a subtle colour change. perhaps I should have left it, because what you say about the negative effects make sense.Have either of you clicked on the larger image in the work section to see the alternate shots of the projects. I only ask because I want to make sure the opacity cue is actually catching the proper attention.
Thanks again,
D
- 7point340
hey dropdown,
i really like the movement of the work section. and i like font of all the headers, and i do enjoy the color scheme as it's a departure a bit from things i've seen lately. it's simple and clean. also very little web 2.0 elemenst which is nice (i am utterly guilty of using that look way too much, i admit.)
some concerns:
the bold html font for the navigation and the section titles is not working for me. it looks too unrefined especially compared to the nice font in the header. also the fact that it is bold is visually a bit confusing since the header is so thin., yet ultimately the stroke of the 2 very different fonts seems almost the same weight. there is some confusion as to which is more important. this may be a minor thing and may be solely my opinion. , but i would love to see more contrast.
also i would like to see some work on the nav. maybe make them images or give them a back ground that ties them into the design a bit more. right now it looks a bit unfinished up there in the corner as plain text.
not crazy about the quote on the shout page. it's the only use of an italic AND the only quote, so it seems a bit out of place.
and lastly, and this is the most minor issue i see, the rotating image in the footer seems out of place and doesn't match the light blue you are using on the rest of the page.
- dropdown0
Thanks 7point34!
A lot of your concerns were things I was hoping to get some thoughts on, font choice for instance... Do you think I should stick with the same font I used in the header quotes for the navigation and heading elements? or should it contrast with it? I really don't like using Verdana for those elements, but I'm fine with using it for the body copy.
This is what my mock-up looked like for the main navigation, and I'm hoping to still use it, but for some reason couldn't get it the arrows work properly across browsers.
I'll take the little plus animation out asap as both you and juhls expressed concerns.
- background-image?7point34
- for the arrow i mean?7point34
- i think you can center a background.7point34
- background - position: bottom center; or maybe bottom middle; ?7point34
- Ok ya, I'll have to look into it again. It's been a while since I messed with it. looking at it again makes me want to get it going. thanks.dropdown
- ...going, thanks.dropdown
- juhls0
About the star logo, it reminds me of this:
Done for JK by JesseJensen.
Yup.
- ah... yeah that is similar. hmmm7point34
- That certainly is a better execution of it. I only came up with it while mucking about in Illy. Are you calling me out?dropdown
- seems so. i'll get you a mouth guard. here, give me your shirt... and, here's a towel...7point34
- that sounds far more filthy than i intended it7point34
- it's hard not to sound filthy with a limit of 125 characters. Or however many notes are...dropdown
- locustsloth0
Hi salisae!!
*waves like an exicted 4 yr old- Is my secret crit, not so secret?
*waives 4 yr old.dropdown
- Is my secret crit, not so secret?
- juhls0
Nah, dropdown, not calling you out. Just letting you know :)
- I figured as much. Now I have a decision to make. If it is that close in resemblance, do I change it? stick with it? or just use nice type and no symbol?dropdown
- ...use nice type and no symbol?dropdown
- It's your call. Maybe you can make it look different somehow.juhls
- were you terribly attached to the mark. you don't seem like you are.7point34
- do whatever you think is best for your brand. not like JK is the only guy with a star logo7point34
- dropdown0
I'm not terribly attached to the mark at all. I just wanted a nice shape that hinted at softness, and tactility. I suppose I could achieve the same effect with a forward slash or an asterisk.
maybe I'll just try the above with a nice type treatment. I've been loving Lubalin lately.Thanks again people, I really appreciate the feedback.
D
- flavorful0
Hey nerds.
- i know you are, but what am i?locustsloth
- FLAVA FLAAAAAV!!!dropdown
- helloooo therejuhls
- dropdown0
Added nav backgrounds: ✓
Fixed header images: ✓
Removed icons from "shout" page: ✓
Lightened Headings: semi-✓
Re-worked logo: ✗I've left the logo for last. I have no ideas that come to mind.
- juhls0
English side: ✓
All corrections and modifications made to English side: ✓
Random text I'm too lazy to ask about today: ✗
French icons: ✓
French pages with text (requires translation from someone else first): ✗
- juhls0
Actually, I'm finishing a few more pages tomorrow, and then the English side will actually be finished. So I did get a lot done today, but there's more work to be done. I hope to have most of it done by Monday. I really hope the development / database team can work with the iframes and javascript that was already there, with my extra javascript that I added after.
- locustsloth0
Just found out that a public hearing on the wind farm that's proposed for the ridge behind my house is in a little more than a month. i have been thinking about doing this documentary i had in mind like 75% of my unoccupied time. i really feel like i can make something of it, but i'm doubtful of what might come of it and whether i'll have the time or the resources to do it. i gotta find out about permits, to shoot around town, permission to film the hearing, i'd like to interview a few people before the hearing happens. i don't even have a mic for my camera other than the on-camera mic (though i'm looking at a highly reviewed and fairly inexpensive Audio-Technica shotgun mic on eBay). i'm also a little worried about any legal implications, especially since i don't have a proper LLC for my video work yet. But since the doc wouldn't be completed for a least 2 yrs (if it happens at all) i think i can make that happen before any sort of distribution or viewing happens.
i feel like i'm standing on these rocks in front of a body of water. i don't know how deep it is, i don't know if there's a current or how fast it is, i don't know the temp of the water. And i'm stnading here taking a pace toward and then away from the water's edge, debating whether to jump in.
- dropdown0
*peeks head in to check for janne...
- locustsloth1
We have the advantage here at The Parlor of having a protective barrier of crap no one cares about that prevents prying eyes for settling for any more than a few seconds.
The Parlor: Curious lurkers check in, but they check out just as quickly
- 7point340
it's true no one cares about this place. most people know about it and forgot long ago. others just chose to snub it. it burned down and no one seemed to care.
*stretches out on back. makes ash angel.