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Lucy Hancock Zen Garden Website Critiques
Like: Prettiful, summer lovin’ website.
I already realized that in choosing this design, I was going to look like I just chose
the first design on the page, without further browsing through others. Therefore, I look
lazy. BUT! I assure you, that is not the case. Although this was the first layout to catch
my eye, it was also the most memorable. When creating a great design, “unforgettable” is
the term you should work toward. Although there were plenty of layouts that were
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aesthetically pleasing to the eye, this one evoked feelings for me. Not trying to get all
cheesy or anything, but I grew up going to the lake with my family every summer and
this design came alive to me. Ya, you’re next point is going to be “oh really, there were
squid and blowfish in this lake of yours?” No, no there weren’t, that’s beside the point.
Though this layout seems simple enough, the little details are what make it so
memorable. The old fashioned font of the titles, the discolored paper that looks like a
royal pamphlet or scroll and the black and white photographs all give it a nostalgic
feeling.
I think the set up in this layout is untouchable, the balance is ideal and the amount
of detail is perfect. Color scheme is a huge factor in any design and the bold, yet subtle
golden tones give off the whole “out at sea” feeling. The dominance of the pamphlet adds
direction, yet the sea creatures and pictures below are related and still noticeable. I
personally love how the photos at the bottom look scrap booked, and they never move
even when you scroll down. In this design there is definite harmony because it is visually
satisfying through the combination of similar shapes and color schemes. Another key
point is that I found this design easy to read because of the organization and lack of
clutter. All in all, there’s not much I would change about this design, I think it was very
nicely done!
Dislike: Scary, “I hate my life” website.
The infamous saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” has proven
throughout time to be a translation for: be open-minded and accepting of everyone’s
opinions. People firmly believe that every individual has the ability to view things in
unique and original ways. What may be grotesque to one person is completely beautiful
to another.
However, in this case, that saying is literally dead wrong! WHO IN THEIR
RIGHT MIND COULD LIKE THIS WEBSITE??? Seriously there is no beauty in this no
matter HOW hard I look. I mean someone needs to find out what depressed, life-hating
being posted this disaster! Call 9-1-1 right now, because I am pretty sure he is either out
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killing someone at the moment. Ok ok ok, perhaps I’m being a bit hard on the “artist.”
Perhaps deep down, aside from the black fingernail polish, spiked choker necklace and
collection of razor blades, he is full of an enthusiastic zest for life. But most likely not.
Anyways, let’s get down to the nitty gritty, not just my first impression of this death
page.
The red is the brightest red in the entire color palette. Ok buddy, we get it that you
enjoy the color of blood, but don’t you think you could tone it done for the sake of our
vision? Not to mention I can’t even read the text because it is so microscopically small. I
literally have no idea what the topic of the writing is, because I am enamored with
morbid curiosity at the creepy visual. Another huge issue is that there is no balance—the
skull, face, or whatever it is and the cross are the center of attention. As far as gradation
goes—well there is none. Going from cool hues to warm hues, from light fading into
dark, the element of gradation is easier on the viewer’s eye and flows better. The harsh
bright red, black and white is dramatic and frankly, pretty scary. A well-done web design
should be evenly balanced, so it simply makes sense. The contrast should be intriguing,
not so overdone that it’s chaotic enough to look like a crime scene.
All in all, this design is pretty frightening…BUT I’m going to cut this guy a
break. He obviously has creative talent (like maybe he should help produce the next Saw
VI movie) and apparently a lot of emotions. He could be an amazing graphic designer if
he would tone down his style just a bit, you know a few less words like ‘hell’ or
‘defiance’ would be nice. He definitely is artistic, great with contrast and knows how to
get his point across. If this guy found the right company, or even worked for a heavy
metal band, he could make the big times.
My design:
Ah, at last we come to the critique of my very own web page. Now I kind of
regret how much I bashed the devil worshipping designer above. It’s rough sitting in the
hot seat, putting something you’ve worked so hard on out there for the world to judge and
rip apart. Oh well, at least I’m not him. Anyways! There are plenty of pros and cons
within my website. Let’s just say it was a long, hard road to get it where it is today. I
even had to trek to campus on a below zero snow day, (since naturally, my car wouldn’t
start) to put some finishing touches on it…I’m not bitter or anything. Keeping that in
mind during grading time, I would like to start with the pros.
For a professional website, that companies may see before interviewing me, I
wanted to keep it simple yet put my personality into it. Tons of websites can bombard the
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viewer with crazy colors, fonts and images—that was the last thing I wanted to do. So I
took a black background, gave it a simple gray gradient and worked with it. Adding a
touch of blue accent to one of the black and white pictures and tabs gave just the right
amount of color. In each tab I tried to write the way I talk, so people could get the general
idea of my laid back attitude. Some people type so generically that they come off dull—I
feel there’s plenty of time for dull in the credential and resume sections. I also liked my
balance; I chose very simple pictures for each tab so there was a nice flow and equal
amount of negative space for content. Altogether, I think my website flows pretty well
and gives off the kind of vibe I was going for.
As far as cons go, I had some technical issues along the way; mainly stupid
mistakes that ended up breaking everything. However, once those were fixed it really was
smooth sailing. After I finished my website, I wished I had made a slightly textured
background so it wasn’t completely black. I feel this would have added a little more spice
to it. Also, if I had more time, I would probably do some kind of design, texture, or color
change to the completely black sides of the screen. I feel like that much negative space
may look a little awkward. Despite these minor glitches and changes, I feel my website
was worth the hard work and turned out successful.