Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (Full Version)

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bethsinwa2 -> Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/6/2006 20:12:38)

Hi Folks,

I created this website for a local equestrian. What needs to be improved/changed ? Please let me know if there's anything "home-made" or amateurish looking!!!

Thanks for your feedback,
Elizabeth

http://leslielaweventing.com/temp/june06/



adam2804 -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/7/2006 6:51:30)

Hi,

Some quick points that you could concentrate on:

1 - Make the site floating, so that the table in the middle moves when you resize your browser.
2 - Think about your colour scheme. At the moment the menu on the left doesn't really look like it belongs on that background
3 - I think you could make a real feature of your top menu bar (this should be the real focus of the site) - I might be able to help you out if you want to send me a PM (so long as I can add it to my portfolio!)
4 - Maybe add an introduction paragraph on the front page, I didn't really know what it was the website was for.
5 - Information is really good and informative.

I think generally this is a good site, that is useful to the visitors. Just needs a few design tweeks

Regards,

Adam



womble -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/7/2006 15:10:50)

It's looking good.

One thing I would look at though is the graphics. Some of them look a little pixelated and could do with a little smoothing, the 'reaching your goals' on the home page for example. Some of the photos could do with a little cropping to get rid of the edges (on the 'sales' place for example). With the main logo I can see the effect you're going for, but that image could do with tidying up a little.



anderskorte -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/10/2006 9:34:36)

There's no point in using rare fonts such as Papyrus or Baskerville Old Face. Replace those with something more common like Times New Roman or even Palatino Linotype.

Why aren't the Leslie Law and Leslie Grant at the same height on the page, but one is above the other? At least it looks like that on Firefox. If the two names are equal, place them along the same horizontal line, otherwise it confuses the reader.

Also reconsider all that small-caps and underlining. I don't think they're necessary.

In overall, it's nice to see a good clean website. What it's missing, though, is a “designer's touch”: someone has just put together an otherwise good website but without thinking twice about color, typography, balance, visual message, mood...



d a v e -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/10/2006 12:51:02)

this pic lg-bridge2.jpg looks really weird! (the purple and blue one one the main page)



bethsinwa2 -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/16/2006 21:42:22)

Thank you Adam, Wombles, Anders and Dave for your great feedback.

I have started putting in your changes at http://leslielaweventing.com/

Anders, could you explain about the rare fonts and caps+underlining - why is this bad? Also, can you suggest some further tips for the look of a designer's touch?

thanks you again,

Elizabeth



Tailslide -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/17/2006 2:59:30)

In Anders' absence he'll forgive me for putting words in his mouth!

The thing about using rare fonts is that your reader may well not have them on their computer and so the typeface will revert to whatever their standard font is - usually Times New Roman but frankly it could be anything. The safest thing to do would be to use "browser safe" fonts that appear on PCs and Macs (there's not many of 'em http://typetester.maratz.com/ you can see here in the dropdown list which fonts are considered safe).

If you don't want to do this then you could use your rare fonts but always have a backup in the CSS so that you have greater control and you'll know what it looks like if your first choice isn't there:

So instead of: 

<font size="5" face="Papyrus" color="#000000"> R</font><u><font color="#000000" face="Papyrus">each Your Goals</font>


You could have: 

<h3 class="goals"><span class="first">R</span>each Your Goals</h3>


And then add this to your stylesheet: 

h3.goals {font-family: Papyrus, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 110%; color:#000;}
.first {font-size:130%;}


Or whatever secondary, fall-back fonts you prefer.

Far as underlining text on websites goes - it's considered a "bad thing" to do unless it's a link. It's just one of those things that people have grown to expect - underlining=link.



anderskorte -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/21/2006 8:01:08)

About the underlines.

Tailslide is correct that their reserved for links, but I was thinking more design-wise. They don't look very tidy and, in overall, headings in layouts aren't usually underlined. You can also consider some nice text-as-images for them, that also lets you use less common fonts.



d a v e -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/21/2006 9:21:16)

or use a bottom border on the heading (so the whole row has a subtle border rather than the words themselves being underlined) ?



billoutfrontforum -> RE: Request for Critique - Equestrian Website (6/21/2006 12:23:40)

To me, black font on that blue background makes me want to navigate elsewhere. Maybe it's because my 50 year old eyes are about ready to go out to pasture, I don't know.

The word "Home" on your menu isn't centered like the other menus items.

The change in font size from one page to the other doesn't ring my bell either, for some odd reason. Again, I'm an odd ball so maybe that's why.

The quality of the pictures could be improved too. The header pic especially.

Here is a brighter equestrian site.

OK, that's my two cents worth.



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