Project 1 roughs

[miss_kristine]

Hello everybody. Here are my roughs for project one. My product is cupcakes. I built it with the idea that there is a location they operate out of, but you can also order online and have them catered as well. It is called the Cupcake Bar, similar in concept to the Chocolate Bar, where they only serve drinks and cupcakes!

[BrandonBarringer]

I like the first one.
It is minimal and nice.

[brienicole]

I agree, I like the first one too. The green is appealing.
What is so the story goes... is that an interactive feature?

[walters36]

I also like the first one, the way you have the site organized is well. And the navigation seems quite easy even though you have it placed on the bottom. I like the logo, its very creative.

[kylesmith]

I totally disagree with everyone above. I think the second one is better for several reasons. First I hate that green on the first one. Its like exorcist meets baby poo. Yeah I said it. Just doesn't say come eat here at all. Beside my dislike for the color, the gradient you did will not be easy to code. You can do it will css but IE basically just rejects all of that and displays nothing so you need img fallbacks. That would be a gigantic imgage for a fallback. Apart from all that I think you shouldn't do a landing page. Those are so 1990s. I mean whats the point of a page that has nothing on it. Its just an unnecessary step for the user to click through to get where they want to go.

For the second design I like the header. I think you should work on the spacing and size of the type in relation to the image. If you made the type a bit smaller I don't think it world hurt the overall look or readability of the links. Only thing I don't like about the menu is the curly text you have for the word "the". I don't feel it is needed for any of those links. Instead of "BIZ" just use "ABOUT" or something. I like the layering you have going on in the rest of the site. It adds depth and interest. I think the background grey could be more interesting with a texture or pattern. Some more copy about what the cupcake bar does would be good too.

I don't get you logo though. It makes me think of a cocktail with a lot of whip cream on top. I don't get cupcake from it at all.

Also I noticed you made your design 4086px x 3710px. Kinda random and way way to big. You will have to re-size everything to something that will fit peoples browsers. Most people have like 1600px wide screens and even then they might not have their browser in full screen. For a non-responsive site I wouldnt go above like 1100-1200 depending on your audience, leaning closer to the 1100 number.

[vtat]

I really enjoy the simplicity of the first design, especially the homepage, but it gives me the feel of a "blog-like" website. It doesn't present the idea of an e-commerce website as much as the second design...

The second design is actually very nice. I like the diamond shape logo, as well as the header for the inner page. I would suggest making the header a bit bigger (height) and the footer's height to match the header if you're planning to add some content to the footer?

[treesa]

I like the second one, I think your colors represent your product better than the first. I also like looking at photos to give me an idea of the business

[MissTinaBodden]

Your second design is a winner to me. I like that colors you chose to use. They are not overpowering and they accent your images well. As for your imagery on the home page, I would pick a image that looks great big and also accents you nav bar when it it cut in half.

[Instructor]

A good set of designs that contrast well with each other. Nice work!

Design 1

A nice, soft focus, clean design. Very straightforward navigation and some good use of contrast on the navigation and logo. It has a very nice set of accents throughout that remind me a little of See's Candy in some ways. Unfortunately it's all completely undone by an utterly unappetizing color. That green-brown background color does not put me in the mind of food and it throws the whole thing odd for me. Also the layout is just a little bit ... blah to me. It needs another column of text of a separate news text box or a few more of those subtle design flourishes or ... something to spice it up a little. Maybe a background pattern.

Design 2

Your second one is clean like the first, but it's razor sharp and much more modern feeling. It's overlapping transparent squares remind me of craft napkins stacked in artful ways. It keeps the product photography front and center and surrounds it with some neat layering. Also the colors compliment the product and don't make me ill. If anything it could use a photograph or two more. Also, the typography is a little plain. I'd use a lighter font and maybe play with a drop cap or two. Also, justify your type so that the columns turn into boxes in and of themselves.

Summary

In my opinion your second design is the way to go. If anything add a touch more detail to it. Keep the photographic diversity and tune up your type and you've got a winner on your hands.

[wysiwyg]

I'm digging the second one. I like the cubism-ness to it. It seems to me that you could play with that a little more and make something pretty interesting. I also like how in that one you have everything contained and playing off each other. I think it needs some more color, but I'm digging it.