GRC 275 Learning and Discussion Forum

Hello everyone my name is Elizabeth Mejia and I chose to sell Potions and Spells for project one because who doesn't need a little magic in their lives to make it a tad bit easier.

I like the scroll look a little better, it fits the theme better.

I feel like it could be cleaned up a lot, however, this is just a rough critique.... You're on the right track!

I agree about cleaning it up a little but I like your top one the most. I love whimsical and you can totally pull this off. I don't like however your font. It looks like the Harry Potter font. I suggest that if you want a gothic font to not pick one that will be associated with something so famous. Try to keep with only two font families with in your piece also. Other than that I like your start.

Great idea, can't tell you how many times I wished I had magic to solve my problems. Like now, for instance! Sure wish I had a spell that would build my website for me..! Maybe for fun, you could throw that sort of spell in there as a reference to all our hard work here in GRC 275! Like an "inside joke" of sorts. Anyways, love that you went playful with this concept. You picked perfect colors, but I have to go with the bottom design. That scroll layout is just too cool not to use, and purple is totally the color of magic. Your fonts are very appropriate too. One suggestion I have that would help things out, is to make the size of your body copy smaller, so that you create more space for other elements. It feels like a lot of your text is way bigger than it needs to be, and since this is viewed online, small type is totally acceptable. Good job, can't wait to see this finished!

Hi Elizabeth! Great start! I really like layout #1. I love the images that you've chosen. I think that there needs to be a different font choice for the headlines in the body. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Hey there, Elizabeth.

I love these roughs. I'm leaning towards the scroll design because it matches your concept. Although, I have a little problem with the typeface. It reminds me of Harry Potter. Try changing it to a different typeface. But, all in all the roughs are really thought through.

Can't wait to see the finish product.

Potions and spells what a very interesting Idea you got here. I like both of your roughs, but I'm leaning more towards the scroll background. Your typeface choices are good but I think there are a lot more out there that can improve your design a lot more. Very nice work!

I am leaning towards your first layout. The scroll is a good concept but I think the other layout gives it a more high tech this day and age feel to the design. I mean we are in the age of computers and someone is looking for spells on a website.
The "Harry Potter" type does give it a specific reference. You might want to play with a few different fonts to see if you can make it look more original. Other than that great idea! Can't wait to see the final product.

Very nice. Looks like you've got two pretty good designs here, Elizabeth.

I think the scroll is the stronger of the two. The first is a nice, clean, easy to use website, but it doesn't reinforce the theme the way the scroll does. I'd say to go with that one.

The scroll background non-verbally communicates what your website is all about. The navigation is easy to follow, and the serif type is easy to read. The images are informative and reinforce the theme and descriptive text. The layout within the scroll is easy to follow and presents it's content well. Might I suggest building the website with a fixed height header and footer and then have a middle section that has no height, but a tiling scroll background so your scroll can expand indefinitely. The header, it's imagery, and the logo font choice are excellent and reflect the kind of product you are trying to sell here.

The scroll does need a bit of additional cleanup in Photoshop before it's ready for prime time. I'd also add a background image. The gradient is too blah. Maybe use the background image from your first design or a nice stone wall or time background. Looks for something that really sets the mood you're trying to capture. I'd also either shrink your header image and text to fit more comfortably in the header, or expand it so that it spills out over the edge. Also, watch your left and right margins with your content.

Good work! Great concept!

What a great product idea! I love the Harry Potter vibe but I think, like other people have said, you might want to find a more mystical font that isn't so recognized and work a bit on creating your own branding. The font you used for Potions and Spells on the first design does look better, but it reads like "Potions and Smells" which I'm not sure was intentional haha! I do like the scroll as your background better, and I feel it helps your individuality. I think your buttons could be a smidgen smaller, because once this is on my monitor, I feel they would take up a lot of the screen. So far so good! I look forward to seeing the rest!