Susanna Goransson

Graphic Design 65

Cindy Art Design Website critique

I have decided to redesign www.cindyartdesign.se

The Grid

I can tell that the designer who did Cindy art design was aware of the grid and probably had it in mind, but I actually don’t think he/she used it since the site is uneven, especially the outlines. I would say that the use of the grid is pretty bad.

Color Palette

The use of color is poor, they only use two different colors which make the site a little boring to look at, they might lose audience because of this. For a fantasy/ manipulation art site I think they definitely need more inspiring colors. If the site was more colorful and brighter overall, you would understand right away what kind of site you have visited.

Navigation

Cindy art design only use the main navigation, besides for the English/ Swedish flags up on the right side of the page. Since the site is so small I wouldn’t suggest using more navigation for the way it looks right now. The height on the “home” site is way too small.

Design Principles

The use of white space is fine, and the focal point of the site is obviously the big image/ art piece to the right. I don’t think the balance or the use of asymmetry is good. The logo looks a little out of place.  

Typography

The designer has used different font styles. This is one of the things that actually looks alright on the site.

Why do you want to redesign this website?

I want to redesign this site because the colors are just awful. The site is way too simple looking; it doesn’t look professional to me. In order for her to get good clients I really think she needs to redesign her site. Her art and graphics are beautiful so I think her site needs to be on the same level as her work.

Who is the target audience?

Artists, Photographers, Graphic Designers, people who like art in general.  

What did you learn from critiquing your group members’ work? And how was the feedback you received from your peers helpful to you?

To use the grid a little bit better so the boxes and text don’t look out of place. I need to be a little less creative and make it a little bit cleaner and think about the white space. If I use a lot of different colors and images I need to add more navigation so people can find their way through the site so they don’t get lost.

From analyzing other websites that I liked, made me realize what is more pleasing to the eye and what made me interested in the sites from the first place; Such as their use of images, text and colors. I Also payed a lot of attention to the different use of navigation, and how to make the text pop out more and so it doesn’t fade it into the website too much. Navigation should be the easiest thing to find on a website.

Competitive Websites - Pro/Con Summary

 

www.designerscouch.org 

I have noticed that a lot of design sites have this type of design, all the pictures and image changing gives a lot of distraction, although it’s pretty organized and the use of the grid is very good. The navigation doesn’t really look like navigation; I think they should have used a better type. Over all I like the color palette. It looks clean and classy.

 

www.abduzeedo.com

This website looks a lot like the first one. The black background makes it look really harsh. I think the logo should have been bigger, the site is pretty messy. But you can tell it’s done by professional people because of the grid use, adds etc.

 

www.adhemas.com
The images make this site really beautiful, although there is not a lot of text. You don’t really know if it’s a pop-up add or a website. The type is a little small, but the font really has a professional touch to it.

The Principles of Beautiful Web Design

What is “Grid Theory” and why is it important to web design?

Grid theory is about proportions and using the divine inspired rule of thirds. It’s important because it ensures you to get a good web design.

In addition to “balance,” what are the other design principles important also to Web design?

1.     Unity

2.     Proximity

3.     Repetition

4.     Emphasis

5.     Placement

6.     Continuance

7.     Isolation

8.     Contrast

What are the “Bread and Butter Layouts” in web design?

These are the most common layouts used on the web today:

1.     Left-column Navigation

2.     Right-column Navigation

3.     Three-column Navigation

4.     Expansive Footer Navigation

5.     Three Columns with Content First

Favorite Websites

http://www.aftonbladet.se/ 

Type: News

Audience: Swedish people of all ages

Goals: Provides News, Entertainment, Health and lifestyle etc

http://www.shape.com/

Type: Diet, Fitness, Recipes, Healthy Eating Expertise

Audience: People interested in leading a healthy lifestyle

Goals: Help people with their fitness and diet goals

http://perezhilton.com/

Type: Entertainment blog

Audience: Anyone who is interested in the latest Gossip 

Goals: To write the honest truth about celebrities