Layout for personal portfolio

gnomeontherun · 04-16-2008, 09:08 PM

I've been waiting to post this, since I would rather put up a finished site instead of a work-in-progress for critique, except that I've decided I would like some feedback before I get too much further in the development. It is intended to be my own personal portfolio, and also an experience for me to create new site styles. I'm also going to invest considerable time to getting all of the things to work well in all browsers and degrade well, something I haven't done much in the past.

http://www.jeremywilken.com/test

This is just a partially working thing, but I'm just still just working on my design skills. It doesn't link to any pages yet, and the portfolio shows only about half of the full sized images (just haven't gotten to them all yet). I'm trying very hard to make the design usable, but sleek.

Thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated.

oesxyl · 04-16-2008, 09:40 PM

must be a resonable proportion between "you" and portofolio, in fact people want to see less "you" and more your work.
By "you" I mean:
- "Jeremey Wilken" and logo
- "hello my name is jeremy and i develop for internet", and we allready know that you are jeremey,

a suggestion, keep in mind to have small size to your thumbnails to load fast.

regards

MrCoder · 04-16-2008, 10:09 PM

I think the overall layout is confusing. Tight menu. No contact information (why make visitors do an extra click?). Big letters that are even hard to catch with eyes.... Keep it simple! I think you should see at least 20 other designers' portfolio sites and learn from them.

tomws · 04-16-2008, 10:46 PM

Here's a technical issue that may be worth a look. Happens in FF2 and IE7, at least. The onclick scroll action in the "preview window" is interrupted by a browser scroll. This leaves the "window" in an unfavorable state.

I like the wider nav spacing you have now.

Apostropartheid · 04-17-2008, 12:30 AM

You don't really speak to me...and you should be shot for leaving I uncapitalized.
I think the "hello" text is a bit...too big, you know? It's a bit in-your-face. Although I only just figured out how it works.

gnomeontherun · 04-17-2008, 04:19 AM

Thanks for the comments so far, like I said this is in progress, and see what you all mean. I'm sure you all know what its like to have an idea, make it, and then have others say 'uhh something doesn't make sense here...'
I'll try to do some work on it in the next few days and see if that doesn't at least start to move things in a better direction.

By the way, I have always liked writing in all lowercase letters. I don't know why, probably e.e. cummings. I want to be able to make a nice design that reflects my personality, but you are probably right about lowercase. Sometimes I try too hard to be artistic and just flop!

rmedek · 04-17-2008, 09:58 AM

I think everyone above has some valid points, but to be honest none of them really resonated with me. The site is unique and the interaction is fresh—I say go with it. Lord knows we don't need another lame Web 2.0 design portfolio out there in the world.

Apostropartheid · 04-17-2008, 01:31 PM

Don't get me wrong, I think it's really cool. The color choice is soothing and the typefaces suited for the topic (amazing how few people notice that.) I just don't like how there's nowhere to run from the massive text on a 15" screen (looks better @ 1280 by 1024).

I get what you mean by typing in all lowercase, and it's definitely a valid typographic style, and one which I've used more of my fair share of. I guess my qualm is that a lot of people start their websites in badly spelt Times Roman or something similar. It's just the I and lack of terminators (no, not Austrian madmen) that I do have a problem with here. Maybe it's just me. Meh.

gnomeontherun · 04-17-2008, 03:27 PM

Well and everyone has an opinion, and basically what I understand the most from everyone is that the basic concept is good, but I need to tweak the minor things.

I've got lots of ideas about what to do with it or where to take it, so from this point I have some good feedback about what makes sense and what doesn't. When I get time (college life doesn't provide a daily amount of free time) I will make some upgrades and then we can do this again!

gnomeontherun · 04-19-2008, 07:14 PM

I have made some significant adjustments, but keeping a lot of the same style. I disabled the scroll wheel, for now, until I can figure out a better method of keeping that from causing issues with the effect. I reduced my name, and for the time being took out my quote one. I think I may replace it with quotes from people who I've worked for. I haven't reduced the sizes of the preview images yet, just haven't had time to go through them. I still have the large text for my menu, and I don't want to put my contact info on the front page. If they like what I have, they won't mind one click. I have better examples of work than what is up, but these are the ones on my current site which hasn't been updated for too long.

Thanks for more feedback, and let me know if it is any easier to understand/navigate.

PS: When I type in all lowercase, everything is still grammatically correct with punctuation (at least I try hard to make it that way).

04-16-2008, 09:08 PM	PM User \| #1
gnomeontherun Senior Coder Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 2,797 Thanks: 10 Thanked 235 Times in 226 Posts	Layout for personal portfolio I've been waiting to post this, since I would rather put up a finished site instead of a work-in-progress for critique, except that I've decided I would like some feedback before I get too much further in the development. It is intended to be my own personal portfolio, and also an experience for me to create new site styles. I'm also going to invest considerable time to getting all of the things to work well in all browsers and degrade well, something I haven't done much in the past. http://www.jeremywilken.com/test This is just a partially working thing, but I'm just still just working on my design skills. It doesn't link to any pages yet, and the portfolio shows only about half of the full sized images (just haven't gotten to them all yet). I'm trying very hard to make the design usable, but sleek. Thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated.

04-16-2008, 10:09 PM	PM User \| #3
MrCoder New to the CF scene Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Melbourne Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I think the overall layout is confusing. Tight menu. No contact information (why make visitors do an extra click?). Big letters that are even hard to catch with eyes.... Keep it simple! I think you should see at least 20 other designers' portfolio sites and learn from them. __________________ The Best Home Electronics in Australia

04-17-2008, 12:30 AM	PM User \| #5
Apostropartheid Comrade Grammar Nazi Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Do you know where Nazi Zombies come from? Posts: 2,216 Thanks: 13 Thanked 182 Times in 180 Posts	You don't really speak to me...and you should be shot for leaving I uncapitalized. I think the "hello" text is a bit...too big, you know? It's a bit in-your-face. Although I only just figured out how it works. __________________ Cyan Light Industries \| It's Firefox, just easier on the eyes Follow me on Twitter Last edited by Apostropartheid; 04-17-2008 at 12:33 AM..

04-17-2008, 01:31 PM	PM User \| #8
Apostropartheid Comrade Grammar Nazi Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Do you know where Nazi Zombies come from? Posts: 2,216 Thanks: 13 Thanked 182 Times in 180 Posts	Don't get me wrong, I think it's really cool. The color choice is soothing and the typefaces suited for the topic (amazing how few people notice that.) I just don't like how there's nowhere to run from the massive text on a 15" screen (looks better @ 1280 by 1024). I get what you mean by typing in all lowercase, and it's definitely a valid typographic style, and one which I've used more of my fair share of. I guess my qualm is that a lot of people start their websites in badly spelt Times Roman or something similar. It's just the I and lack of terminators (no, not Austrian madmen) that I do have a problem with here. Maybe it's just me. Meh. __________________ Cyan Light Industries \| It's Firefox, just easier on the eyes Follow me on Twitter

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

04-16-2008, 09:40 PM	PM User \| #2
oesxyl Senior Coder Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4,658 Thanks: 374 Thanked 562 Times in 551 Posts	must be a resonable proportion between "you" and portofolio, in fact people want to see less "you" and more your work. By "you" I mean: - "Jeremey Wilken" and logo - "hello my name is jeremy and i develop for internet", and we allready know that you are jeremey, a suggestion, keep in mind to have small size to your thumbnails to load fast. regards

04-16-2008, 10:46 PM	PM User \| #4
tomws Senior Coder Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,573 Thanks: 21 Thanked 218 Times in 216 Posts	Here's a technical issue that may be worth a look. Happens in FF2 and IE7, at least. The onclick scroll action in the "preview window" is interrupted by a browser scroll. This leaves the "window" in an unfavorable state. I like the wider nav spacing you have now.

04-17-2008, 04:19 AM	PM User \| #6
gnomeontherun Senior Coder Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 2,797 Thanks: 10 Thanked 235 Times in 226 Posts	Thanks for the comments so far, like I said this is in progress, and see what you all mean. I'm sure you all know what its like to have an idea, make it, and then have others say 'uhh something doesn't make sense here...' I'll try to do some work on it in the next few days and see if that doesn't at least start to move things in a better direction. By the way, I have always liked writing in all lowercase letters. I don't know why, probably e.e. cummings. I want to be able to make a nice design that reflects my personality, but you are probably right about lowercase. Sometimes I try too hard to be artistic and just flop!

04-17-2008, 09:58 AM	PM User \| #7
rmedek Senior Coder Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 2,877 Thanks: 2 Thanked 65 Times in 56 Posts	I think everyone above has some valid points, but to be honest none of them really resonated with me. The site is unique and the interaction is fresh—I say go with it. Lord knows we don't need another lame Web 2.0 design portfolio out there in the world.

04-17-2008, 03:27 PM	PM User \| #9
gnomeontherun Senior Coder Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 2,797 Thanks: 10 Thanked 235 Times in 226 Posts	Well and everyone has an opinion, and basically what I understand the most from everyone is that the basic concept is good, but I need to tweak the minor things. I've got lots of ideas about what to do with it or where to take it, so from this point I have some good feedback about what makes sense and what doesn't. When I get time (college life doesn't provide a daily amount of free time) I will make some upgrades and then we can do this again!

04-19-2008, 07:14 PM	PM User \| #10
gnomeontherun Senior Coder Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 2,797 Thanks: 10 Thanked 235 Times in 226 Posts	I have made some significant adjustments, but keeping a lot of the same style. I disabled the scroll wheel, for now, until I can figure out a better method of keeping that from causing issues with the effect. I reduced my name, and for the time being took out my quote one. I think I may replace it with quotes from people who I've worked for. I haven't reduced the sizes of the preview images yet, just haven't had time to go through them. I still have the large text for my menu, and I don't want to put my contact info on the front page. If they like what I have, they won't mind one click. I have better examples of work than what is up, but these are the ones on my current site which hasn't been updated for too long. Thanks for more feedback, and let me know if it is any easier to understand/navigate. PS: When I type in all lowercase, everything is still grammatically correct with punctuation (at least I try hard to make it that way).