All right - the ridings are in, and it looks like version one of the revised Copper Man site is about 30% good. Karl likes the color scheme and notes the size issue; Ansley (offline) also notes the size issue and was less enthused by the overall design scheme, making note of the outline font (Formata, for those keeping score); and Shaun also didn't like the font and the backing photo. For the record, the backing photo was 'temp,' as 'Dave on the beach' is not the image I really should project. Shaun did like the sounds. The sounds were, in fact, probably the most successful part of the design thus far, so that will be continued.
Response to the color scheme was somewhat muted, although Marina liked it, and even though blue is not 'my' color, I think it's appealing to more people than my preferred colors - which are more autumnal (such as the Rambler), auburn, grey and rusted gold. Yesenia also liked the design - but, then, she married me so her aesthetic judgment as concerns Dave must be considered suspect.
Christine, don't think I've let you off the hook. You must go and look at the current draft and share some thoughts, that they can be considered and incorporated in the next draft.
I'll be doing more work on it this week, so all of you are officially asked to continue in the role of feedbacking. And I suspect that the Rambler this week will mostly document that particular struggle within myself.
D.
2 comments:
Greg was sick this weekend so we were a little distracted - he's going to comment as well.
First comment - I'm not that familiar with your design aesthetic so I don't know how this reflects it (or doesn't). The aesthetic I'm getting here is, foremost, playful, and I'm also getting a strong 90's vibe. I wish I could define that better... but basically, neither classic nor modern. Not too serious. If that's consistent with your design identity, it works. If your vibe tends to be either more of something else, or if it's really all over the map, I wouldn't go with such a playful framework. This site has a clear point of view, which works for some portfolios but not others - a lot of portfolio sites go cleaner and more neutral, but I think your site is a deliberate PART of your portfolio, so for that it seems to work. But if that IS the case, I'd actually go further into it, I'd give it even MORE of a point of view. Right now it's middleground - a specific style, but not executed too boldly. I'd pick a side and rock it.
Agree with the previous size notes. Color scheme works for me with the caveat of the above criteria. However, I really believe that since it is YOUR site, it should be YOUR preferred color scheme. I think you could make it work. But I get what you're saying - blue and green are definitely popular stuff. If you're going for that generic appeal, I'd go with a less aqua shade of blue, especially since the green is so dull. The contrast in energy doesn't bring out the best of either - and if one is going to be duller than the other, I think a dull blue looks better than a dull green - dull green tends to read as dirty.
The font choice once again connects to the earlier comment about overall aesthetic - it's not a very strong font choice, but that adds to the playfulness. If you love the font (and I do understand that the outline element enables you to do that clean effect on the rollover, which I think is highly successful), then perhaps put "Dave Kopperman" in a filled-in version of the font, just so you're not looking at SO many outlines? It tires the eye, like looking at neon signs. (Just looked up the font and it looks like you have a lot of flexibility within the font family - I'd play with that a bit more.)
Greg and I didn't love the sound element. However, I feel it was well executed. I personally tend not to like little "extras" on sites, I like a simpler site experience, but I like the way these ones work (quickly, unobtrusively) and your choices are nice and short. The only problem is that if you're moving your mouse quickly, the sounds cease to connect to the sections, as you're hearing one section's sound while your mouse is on another word (it's programmed correctly, it's merely a user thing - if the user moves their mouse as quickly and impatiently as, say, me).
I'd include a piece of your art as the background rather than a pic of yourself. Though I do understand that this isn't just a site about your art - it's a site about all things creatively Dave. Perhaps a self-portrait? I don't know, I just feel a photo on a site can get a little gimmicky, and the photo choice can't help but be difficult...
The lack of specific direction seems to be the general (if mostly unstated) overall comment, and I'd have to say it's one I agree with. I think stronger character and colors, although I'd probably just saturate the existing scheme.
I deliberately want to stay away from my usual color scheme, since I now have something like five sites in that palette. Admittedly, three of them were collaborative and the choices were the clients', but an entire portfolio in brown is a bit much. And I'm also just getting sick of brown and feel the need to brighten things up.
Some people like sound, some like motion - I like minimal motion (though there will be some) and sound for atmosphere. I think the 'Design' quadrant will be sound free, though.
Again, the background image is wholly temp - it was the first picture I found, and it's there just for texture. There will likely be some real content on the homepage - although Ansley suggested an alternative that would work pretty well and eliminate the need for any homepage content.
D.
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