Two Sites to review

[graphicsguru]

I am very disappointed with the reactions to this from people who seemd to be here to help me.

[Scootertaj]

Well for the first one I didn't see anything but buttons, the pictures or whatever you wanted there didn't load at all, so all I could see were the buttons.

For the second one, it's much better, everything took a while for me to load (dial-up) especially the buttons. I like this one much more than the Dreamweaver made one, especially the background, that was good.

I would definetly work on that first page.

[JamieR]

The angelfire site doesnt have a DTD - it isn't XHTML anyhow so that needs to be worked on. Also you used Frontpage for the angelfire site, and that inserts loads of crappy tags in your meta tags...I would recommend them being removed if you want clean, crisp XHTML if you are going to validate it, but thats optional.

[graphicsguru]

Well for the first one I didn't see anything but buttons, the pictures or whatever you wanted there didn't load at all, so all I could see were the buttons.

For the second one, it's much better, everything took a while for me to load (dial-up) especially the buttons. I like this one much more than the Dreamweaver made one, especially the background, that was good.

I would definetly work on that first page.

i can't find a problem with the images. is this a problem for everyone? I built the site at home. I just checked it on my work computer which is completely independant of my home box and they loaded. I've only tested it in IE 6 not netscape or firefox.

[_Aerospace_Eng_]

reason u dont see a problem with the images is because they are on your computer and the images are linking to the ones on your computer, however if you uploaded the imags to your server and then changed the imgs to the right location they should work

[dniwebdesign]

On your first page the background image doesn't load, just shows the classic red x. Your file is pointing to : file:///J|/M/masco%20website%20new/images_891/templte.jpg


Also on a side note, isn't $300.00 expensive for a web page with nothing on it and no hosting and the user has to no most of the work? :confused:

[chilipie]

Also on a side note, isn't $300.00 expensive for a web page with nothing on it and no hosting and the user has to no most of the work? :confused:
Yeah, a complete ripoff :( .

[dniwebdesign]

I charge that much for desiging a site (without hosting as another company hosts it) but I put alot of work and time into it. As well I also put all the content on the site, videos, wallpapers, or anything else the client wants.

$300.00 for a design is a ripp-off... If the user wanted he could go download a free template.

[graphicsguru]

these are just tests. yes you could get a free template so you can be like everybody else. i get paid for being creative and doing good work. You people are the first to see them. No $300 isn't a rip off for a page designed by me. I've sold 128 of these (and counting). Besides, nobody has to pay these prices if they don't want to. i don't exactly hold a gun to their head. I guess my work is just that good. Who knows? I ( and two other team members ) have 31 clients who have us on retainer just for web design. we get about 60 calls per day wanting other design work. If my prices were bad they wouldn't do that. maybe it's time everybody raised the price of the hard work we do. If more artists priced things correctly the market wouldn't be so low.

Now, I just put these sites together to see how it works. Apparently is doesn't on one. I didn';t realize this kind of work was held at such a low spot. I'm quite proud of my design work and charge according to the client's needs. I'm sorry there are some of you who do not feel as good about your work.

I suggest therapy. Tell yourself that you are special. I would like crtique on the site layout and design and if it all works. Not the content. if you plan to complain about the content don't. Stop your whining and go lay down next to your bowl.

I guess now I need to figure out why my images don't work.

[dniwebdesign]

When you ask for a site to be reviewed your asking for the whole she-bang. Content, code, comments on code, comments on content, problems, and even thoughts. Not saying clients wouldn't go to you but I am unsure of how good your work is, so really I can't say.

As far as the one page goes all you gotta do is change the path the imgs are going to... instead of looking for them on:
file:///J|/M/masco%20website%20new/images_891/

just use

images_891/imagename.jpg

and so on.

[graphicsguru]

reason u dont see a problem with the images is because they are on your computer and the images are linking to the ones on your computer, however if you uploaded the imags to your server and then changed the imgs to the right location they should work

sorry, i missed your post. the negativity in here clouded my view. that must be the problem then. thanks. I'm new to this and frontpage does that sort of thing for me. i just wanted to see how it worked without all the easy gadgets.

[graphicsguru]

When you ask for a site to be reviewed your asking for the whole she-bang. Content, code, comments on code, comments on content, problems, and even thoughts. Not saying clients wouldn't go to you but I am unsure of how good your work is, so really I can't say.

As far as the one page goes all you gotta do is change the path the imgs are going to... instead of looking for them on:
file:///J|/M/masco%20website%20new/images_891/

just use

images_891/imagename.jpg

and so on.

yeah, I guess i asked for it. thanks for the input. i guess i'll have to learn how to do it the hard way. we don't really have a web presence other than a few banners here and there and were on some lists. we get plenty of business this way and locally, but we are about to take on two new team members so we figured it was about time to get a website up. only problem is that all we do is design and nobody knows much more than that.

[_Aerospace_Eng_]

well if u do know a lot about design, and if you do use photoshop you could slice up the images and save it for the web that is if you use photoshop of course

[WebPlaya]

I do not see the point of having Contact Us and Email Us as two separate category! Can't you just combine those two?

[WebPlaya]

One more question, and this is just out of curiousity.. so you don't have to get all upset or anything.. but if you have sold about 128 templates and have over 31 clients and get about 60 calls a day.. why is your site on Angelfire?
And if you are planning on getting a host, why NOW?

[Mr J]

31 clients, 60 calls a day, retainers, then why is the site review needed?

Especially when the first one doesn't work right and the second is not exactly ground breaking

[rmedek]

The first site has an XHTML doctype and still uses deprecated tags. It's set up very unsemantically and, of course, the images are referenced to your computer rather than to the server. I cac't comment too much on the code (dreamweaver did that for you) or the layout (since half of it is missing).

Your second site has no doctype, unsemantic and extremely bloated code, and annoying Angelfire ads. The layout is very visually unsettling (nothing is really aligned or spaced well) and the logo is hard to read. Your portfolio only includes photography and print design; it'd be nice to see some web designs in there, too.

All in all I'd say it needs work, plus you are a tad on the expensive side for a start up. :D

<rant>
If you have so many clients, and have made $38,400 selling templates ($300 per template and 128 clients), you would think you would have figured out the intricacies of uploading an image to a server. Nothing personal, but it's just a little frustrating to see yet another "web designer" selling basic Frontpage and Photoshop skills and saturating an already crowded and confusing market.
</rant>

[Graft-Creative]

the negativity in here clouded my view.

Lol, you should see the negativity in here when people actually LIKE your site!

Seriously, the more the regulars on this site like your work - the more picky they become - which is how it should be :D - this is how one's skills are honed. Welcome to the school of hard knocks dude
:thumbsup:

[mindlessLemming]

$300.00 for a design is a ripp-off...

Untrue.
I've charged US$400 for a photoshop file, unsliced, with no XHTML/CSS. The client was very happy because I spent close to forty hours discussing the branding they wanted and I also made a very labour intensive illustration to go with the theme. I've charged the same or more for a simple one page XHTML/CSS template on a number of occassions.

If the quality is there, the price is not unreasonable... :rolleyes:

[dniwebdesign]

Untrue.
I've charged US$400 for a photoshop file, unsliced, with no XHTML/CSS. The client was very happy because I spent close to forty hours discussing the branding they wanted and I also made a very labour intensive illustration to go with the theme. I've charged the same or more for a simple one page XHTML/CSS template on a number of occassions.

If the quality is there, the price is not unreasonable... :rolleyes:
Yea... true. If you put in the time discussing the final outcome with the user I can see it costing that much. Especially if it is labour intensive. I wasn't saying one couldn't cost that much... just looking at his current work he wanted us to review, you be the judge.

[Itchybug]

"Graphicsguru"

With a banner like that, man, and you pass yourself off as a graphics guru? Ollie@Chilipie did better with his header within 2 hours of unwrapping PS CS...

I can hardly read it, it's got some crashtestdummy that makes NO sense seeing as you're selling a Yugo not a Volvo.

The header's background repeats and I personally believe if you have a big one-piece header there's no excuse for repeating patterns.

[mindlessLemming]

I wasn't saying one couldn't cost that much... just looking at his current work he wanted us to review, you be the judge.
Oh...I...ummm.... yeah..

[chilipie]

If the quality is there, the price is not unreasonable... :rolleyes:
I agree. But there's no point paying good money for something a computer-savvy ten year old could do...


With a banner like that, man, and you pass yourself off as a graphics guru? Ollie@Chilipie did better with his header within 2 hours of unwrapping PS CS...

Thanks :p .

[tzar]

Hei... art is a creative design and it's expensive (depends on your perspective).........
Do not ever underestimate a people with art...
Differ with busiiness man...
:o

www.tarasrahaya.netfirms.com .... and it's all for free

[Sk8er9547]

Since you are a graphics artist, I would expect more graphical quality throughout your site. From what I see, it looks as though you copied and pasted images found elsewhere on the internet.

[tzar]

Since you are a graphics artist, I would expect more graphical quality throughout your site. From what I see, it looks as though you copied and pasted images found elsewhere on the internet.

Sorry Sk8er9547, if that you mean me or Graphics Guru? If it's me.... well. it's quite a simple art... nothing more... Like my opini... Art is universal.. depends on your perspective.....

For instance.. if you see the art of Pablo Picasso it's very expensive & artistic (people says). Have you ever thought about the arts from street???? or the wall painting??? I think there is no difference. Also many of them r good. Yeah.... except the perspective and value given to them....

Tks

Well.... well... well.. what do you think MODERATOR ??

[graphicsguru]

One more question, and this is just out of curiousity.. so you don't have to get all upset or anything.. but if you have sold about 128 templates and have over 31 clients and get about 60 calls a day.. why is your site on Angelfire?
And if you are planning on getting a host, why NOW?

I'm trying to learn how to code, not design. I used these simple designs because I figured they'd be easier to code. You people are very negative.

Pay attention. I design things. Read the posts...these were tests. I am trying to learn a bit more about WEB design. The templates I design are just that...templates. I do all the graphics and produce a file the WEB designer can code.

I had to change hosts. The guy (that was a friend) who did all my website work decided he was too busy, but still manages to ask for graphics, to admin my site anymore. So now I can either pay someone else or learn how to do it myself.

That is why I am posting test sites and asking questions in this forum. I assume that is what it is for. To get help for those who know less than they should.

A "test"site is for testing. Nothing should be assumed to be correct. That's why you test it.

Yes, I do charge alot . When someone sends me an eight page project summary and wants it produced in one 800x600 area I tend to feel that I should get paid for my work.

Haven't heard any clients complaining. I do get compaints from two local web designers and one online provider because they can't do what I do and feel that I charge too much.

Let me be as clear as i can. Anything I post in here (unless I say otherwise) is a test of what I am learning. Nothing on the pages should be assumed to be correct although most if it will be.

If you aren't here to help me I don't want to have to read your posts.