Website Template

Okay, so I've recently started out a new Graphics community and Shop. We make templates for people and host them, the name is www.acidartworks.com. Since it's an graphics community I decided I wanted to create my own template and was wondering what you think of my template.
I want some honest opinion but also want to know why I should change something etc. WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.



Best,
NaughtyGFX

 

its nice, i like it, but you should fix some parts like the text in the copyright section and in the links

 

I'm not sure about the slice between those top bits, looks abit odd. I don't like the line coming down from the R either. Resize your Copyright and put it to the bottom right corner with possibly a 25% opacity.

Other than those, it's quite nice.

 

could you elaborate on that?
I want to make it as perfect as possible

@ Kadaj:

at the top will come adverts so I made a own fit place for it, atm I'm busy coding it which is one hell of a job.

If someone could help me with it you will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for comments btw!
~Naughty

 

Firstly, the Whole column (the actual center column) isn't centered.
Secondly, the banner should be higher, about 10-20px up, so it's even between the start of the nav bar, and the top of that column.

Thirdly, nav bar doesn't go, change it.

Finally, consistency and placement - there are numerous placement issues, such as the main body of text starting at a random place on the y and x axis, with no relevance to anything else (which would be sorted by moving the text down until the first line is on the level of "contact".

Also, change the font. The bottom part of the letters in the side navigation panel really stand out, as does the body font, choose something smoother and more suitable.

About consistency - try to stick to one style. At the moment there's you trying to go for an elegant style with the pattern background, then the glowing text going towards a more web 2.0 look, and finally the navbar, which looks horribly plain and minimalist.

 

Nice advertising

 

Wow, firstly, THANKS FOR THE AMAZING COMMENT!
Secondly, you're right, I didn't even mention most of those things.
The centering will get fixed since I'm going to code it so it automatically centers to any screensize. Then thirdly, why should I move it up?
And any suggestions on what to change to the navbar? Or should I just really remove it? And what would you suggest to put in place of that since otherwise it'll become very empty and I need something for people to help them navigate through the site.

This has absolutely no value..
Next time I will report as spam sorry.

~Naughty

 

Move the banner up because it looks like an awkward position at the moment, and the space between the top of that column and the banner is too great.

The nav bar can be something simple - purely like a black nav bar on lowered opacity, but visible enough to separate the links enough from the background.

 

I would put the home,forums,info thing at the upper left corner and the Artwork text next to that... and the tabs I wouldn't put so close to eachother. I would just leave a space. But those are only tips, I think your work is gr8!

 

I'll say it again...

The body text needs to be in a font designed for the web, it is ugly and unreadable when you use Helvetica Neue as body text, google for web safe fonts, and work with those.

The design itself is extremely flat, there is absolutely no depth which is one major point in web design that makes a design stand out. Also, the photoshop-default outer glow on your left-side sub-navigation is nasty. Speaking of navigation, which is the navigation i'm supposed to use, the "Home | Forums | Info" one, or the "Contact, Info, Portfolio, Forums, Pricelist" one? Which one is supposed to be the main, which is the sub-nav? There is no distinction and usability between either.

Logo should always be in the topmost left corner, as it is given to the end user that that is where the logo should and will be.

My suggestions for a quick-and-dirty improvement would be as follows:

1. Move logo to top left position
2. Apply a 1px black drop shadow from the logo text
3. Merge the two navigations into one, removing the double-up on "Forum"
4. change all the body lipsum text into Arial or Verdana
5. make the footer text a LOT smaller and blended in more.
6. perhaps add in a few examples of link-styling (Perhaps change the body text to a light gray/white, and make the link blue underlined with a drop shadow to stand out). Add an example of hover-effects on the navigation, etc.

I'll photoshop up an example soon


Edit: This is how I'd roll. Of course, me being me, went a bit overboard with the gradient gloss, but it still looks good imo. If you want the PSD, i'll make it available after cleaning it up. Use it if you want idc

 

I'm surprised you think you are up for running a graphics community with such a terrible website design :S

Looks like you explained everything perfectly. That is an amazing design ^.^

 

This doesn't have any added value, do it again and I'll consider it spam. Thanks.

@TDD:

Wow, you're amazing. I would absolutely love to see the .psd wondering how you did all that. Do you have anything you would advice me to do? Like any tutorials? I'm quite new to coding but familiar with photoshop.

Best,

NaughtyGFX

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/317881988/AcidArtworks.psd.html

I suggest going through MANY blogs based on web design, start from www.freelanceswitch.com and work your way through the blogs they link to, such as css-tricks.com, etc.