My Website

Show Off
#1

Yeah, I’m a noob. And no, I’m not trying to advertise. I just want to show off (as the discussion name implies).

I am a graphic designer by trade, and here is my business/portfolio website. I haven’t updated in a few months, but there is pretty much everything from the beginning of my career to now, which roughly amounts to four years of experience. I really should update some projects and get rid of the older stuff that I really don’t care about, but here it is. Constructive criticism is more than welcome.

https://www.rowley-design.com

#2

Ooh, nice!

You wouldn’t mind designing me a website would you? (jk)

#3

nice

#4

Good start! Keep it up! You may want to invest learning CSS positioning techniques, as using tables to design a website is far outdated and non-standard-compliant.

#5

Well, this IS the show-off forum, the only place you can post your work without admin fanboys telling you not to advertise.

#6

You Sir, are talented. Nice work! :slight_smile:

#7

Five years ago, I was taught html basics with a very minute amount of CSS. Some Flash was sprinkled in, and the majority of my education was spent learning various Adobe products (in CS!!).

My skill has grown quite a bit, and I’ve used quite a few shortcuts to make things look awesome and grand. I also picked up some industry tricks and tidbits, and ended designing websites from what little I knew of html. This obviously expanded, but I never have gotten around to learning extensive CSS. I know it’s important, but I’ve just had too much on my plate to go back. But I will.

#8

Well I personally put off learning CSS for several years into my web-development career because it just seemed too damn daunting; but finally I gave in and I haven’t been happier since. I will never go back to that table mess.

#9

What both you and Dillxn have stated is exactly what I have also went through. It is good to learn the basics and tables are a great way to start but learning css is definitely worth the effort. I found the best way to learn (apart from w3 schools) it to pick apart professional web sites and see how they do things.

Also the website is not 1/2 bad. It has a little things here and there (mostly visual flow issues, nothing concrete) but I like it.

EDIT: Is it just me or does that valve on the left of your design remind them of the game Riven?

#10

Feels like I’ve stepped back in time. All of your projects feel very 2000-ish to me.

Try to get up to date with the modern webdesign standards in both code and visuals.

If I was looking for a webdesigner and I stumbled upon your website and portfolio, I wouldn’t hire you as it stands now.

#11

No offence but the site is a mess.

#12

That’s what I’m looking for. Thank you.

I’m basically a designer who ended up making sites. But I am growing. This input is greatly appreciated.

Edit: Dillon, do you know good place to get tips and strategies concerning CSS design?

@Bolteh: All I know, is that I’ve been keeping my clients satisfied with the end design. As I mentioned, a lot of the stuff you see there comes from earlier in my career.

Perhaps I should clean it up a bit a lose some of the older projects (from you know, four years ago)?

I’ve also come across an awesome Java plugin called light-box. It’s pretty sweet, and it’s useful for portfolio/gallery type sites. I’ve started to use it on my latest project, and it has turned out pretty well.

Question; is it recommended that I only show a few projects, just to basically show off the prime of my designs, instead of recounting my entire career?

#13

I generally throw the ones I’m satisfied with on my portfolio. And if I tend to like a design a lot less over time, I end up removing it from my portfolio.

Of the 20-ish sites I’ve made, I think I only have 4-5 on my portfolio. Mainly because the others aren’t really special, just a solid yet very basic design.

And tbh, don’t just take light/shadowbox and use it. At least tweak it to a more personal-looking panel. Throw the CSS around a bit and come up with something that doesnt’ look exactly like how thousands of other sites use it.

#14

Good idea. lol

#15

As FireTime mentioned, a good place to start is https://www.w3schools.com/css/

#16

Thank you for the help. I am going to seriously design my next project using your site as a model. Not copying, but using your CSS as help to get me to understand the concept of CSS design. . .if that’s cool by you.

tbh, that’s how I learn best. See how someone else does it, and apply it into my design strategies.

Edit: Screw it, I’m just gonna take the blows, but here’s the design I’m going for. What you’re gonna be looking at is a storyboard, it holds the basic layout I’m planning for the site. I suppose I’ll update you guys as I go along.

https://www.scribbs-piper.com/lollibabies

#17

Yes, you can use my website as an example if you wish. And the new design still looks… old. Rounded corners + gradients = 2002 web design. And the outer bevel is just horrendous on the “News Highlights.”
In fact the only thing I really like about the page is the background, but its repeat mode makes it look terrible on larger resolutions.

#18

I didn’t put an outer bevel on it. I suppose it “looks horrendous” no matter which way it’s being looked at, but it’s just a straight 2pt stroke. I’m playing with ideas at the moment, and I really had no idea that my design still looks like it came from 2002. Funny thing is, I didn’t start learning design techniques until '05, and really didn’t hit my stride until '08. I have been looking at other people’s designs, and believe me, I’ve been trying to keep aware of design trends. I guess I miss things when I’ve been working just by myself for clients.

But what it really comes down to is whether the client likes the design. And in this case, she does. I will take your criticisms into account however. That’s why I’m posting it here. I do need this exposure to other designers who find my style outdated. It just means I have to dig deeper. To come out with something quite a bit more original.

As an update; within the few hours of working with CSS, I have managed to create the framework of the site – NO TABLES!!!. As it is late, I’ll have to post it later, but it’s coming together nicely. This is making me excited.

I’ll also have to find a way to make the background work. I’ve seen it at a higher resolution, and I didn’t see any discrepancies, but I wasn’t looking at a huge monitor either. What would you suggest to remedy that situation? I want it to be as cross-platform/resolution as possible.

Thanks a bunch.

#19

I hope you didn’t actually use framesets for that.

#20

Framesets? No.

I don’t think I’ve ever used frames outside of highschool.

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