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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50

    * Couple of Questions

    Hi there, I've just begun working on a design, and I wanted to ask a couple of questions before I go any further. For now, I have a screenshot uploaded at http://www.oofman.netfirms.com/screenshot.jpg

    As you can see, I'm in the VERY early stages, but what are your opinions on what I have so far? Is there anything else I can do to improve it?

    Then I have a couple of stumbling blocks. Firstly, I am thinking of putting a background image, perhaps a fixed one in there somewhere but I'm really struggling for ideas on this one? Does it really need one or would getting it right make a vast improvement?

    Then there's the navigation system. Now, you see on the left of the header image where the image dips a little? I wanted to integrate the navigation with that, but I'm yet to come up with anything that looks half decent. Does anyone know of any good examples which might help me along the way?

    Anyway, that's all for now. Some honest opinions on my design so far would be greatly appreciated,

    Cheers,
    Jonny

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    468
    It's a pretty good start.....
    I like the header and the layout is looking good thus far.......

    At this stage I wouldnt necesarily worry about a background image.......Just make an overall plan for how the site will be layed out and then think about the background image later.........

    In terms of the nav system, I am sure I have seen examples that would fit your site, I just cant think of any at the moment........

    i dont have any ideas at the moment for the Nav, but post some of your ideas/designs and I will try to work from that.......

    cheers
    --

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    Thanks a lot mate, glad you like my initial design. I'll have to draw up some ideas again for the navigation, some of my earlier plans weren't too impressive so I didn't bother saving them.

    One idea I had was to use the pattern of small squares that I have running down the far right of the screen for the background, with either image or text links with some kind of rollover effect.

    Another idea I had was to (Apologies for my botched terminoligy, the technical phrase evades me) have a rollover effect designated elsewhere if you understand what I mean, e.g you rollover image 1 and image 2 further up the page changes.

    One effect I though was very impressive was at http://www.lohnetwork.com/, where the lantern lights up when hovering over a link. This however wouldn't really work with my site.

    What do you think?

  4. #4
    You could have a football spin somewhere.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    With all due respect most sites with spinning footballs look a little cheap and tacky. I want to stay away from animated gifs etc. unless they are absoloutley nescessary.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    2,422
    For me, the best feature of the sample site page is the title bar...

    LOL!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    Hehe, you liked that eh? While I'm not exactly a Thatcherite, I do have a lot of respect for her....obviously not enough to stop me from taking the p!ss out of her genitalia, but none the less, respect.

  8. #8
    Originally posted by Jonny
    With all due respect most sites with spinning footballs look a little cheap and tacky. I want to stay away from animated gifs etc. unless they are absoloutley nescessary.
    Of course I'm not talking about those tacky gifs. With your graphic skills I assumed you'll be able to visualise what I was talking about. Sorry about that.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    Whoops, apologies if I misunderstood you. What did you mean exactly by a spinning football?

  10. #10
    It is an idea you could use. If I were to do it you'll have to pay. If you are serious about it, I could do a sample that you could see before I finalise it.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    To be honest mate, the site's kind of a personal hobby, so I'd rather do everything myself. I just wondered basically what you meant by a spinning football, other than those annoying animated gifs.

  12. #12
    Ok I'll do a sample layout. Will be ready in 5min. Stay tuned.

  13. #13
    Done!

    (please be patient if the page loads slow because it is on a free server. I hope by looking at the layout you'll understand what I was talking about. It wouldn't look tacky. If you want to make the layout into reality, let me know and I'll do everything for you including the football etc. I will also add in a few more colours. If you want to use the concept and do it yourself, by all means go ahead. I don't charge for concept. )

    http://www.dreamwater.net/tech/ignite/gtfc.html

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    That looks really nice. I think the curvy lines at the top look quality. The problem with the rest of the idea, although admitedly looks brilliant, is that it doesn't allow for the amount of space I am going to require on the site. A great deal of that space down the centre needs to be taken up by the main content, and putting that ball in there would take up some of that much important room.

    Those curves at the top have certainly given me some food for though, and have just about solves my background problem. Thanks for all your help.

  15. #15
    I feel the space is necessary or the whole page will look too cluttered after all the text is put in. (Just my opinion).
    Anyway, glad you like some parts of the site and thanks for the compliments.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    I think you may have misunderstood me this time, or it could just still be me who misunderstood? Bah, I don't understand these misunderstandings.

    The point I was making is that your design didn't have enough space on it, and that certain things took up like the sub dhtml menu and ball took up too much room.

    Out of interest though, how did you go about making those curves?

    Cheers.

  17. #17
    If you use photoshop, look for the path tools. If you don't like paths, you can also make a new layer, paint it roughly, adjust the levels to two distinct colours, select the layer, smooth the selection and fill it on a new layer.

    If you're not using photoshop there would probably be something similar too.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    I'm using Fireworks and I'm struggling to get the smooth lines. Any suggestions?

  19. #19
    sorry mate no idea about Fireworks, but if I remember correctly, Fireworks have much more powerful path tools than Photoshop so you'll just need to find out how to do it. It can certainly be done in Fireworks though.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    Thanks a lot mate, I'll have a little play around with it and see what I can cook up.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    468
    Hey Mate, In FIreworks you can make curved things in a couple of ways:

    1) Do you know how to use the pen tool?
    This is the easiest method. Just click points you want and you can then easily drag out curved shapes. If they look rough, goto Stroke, and make sure you select 1-pixel soft.

    2) You draw a shape, and then you can make a cutout of that shape with another shape (eg:circle), leaving behind a nice curve.
    : Draw your initial shape
    : Then place another shape over it, a circle if you want a curve
    : THen press shift and select both shapes. Goto Modify -> COmbine ->punch.

    Play with either of those methods and you will get curves.
    --

  22. #22
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    Thanks lads, I seem to be getting somewhere with that. Any other ideas on the whole navigation system? I don't really want it pertruding any further than the constraints of the lowered header image (Does that actually make sense??) if possible.

    Cheers

  23. #23
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    Any ideas? I'm thinking of some kind of nice rollover effect, anyone got any good examples I could take a look at?

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    468
    have you had a look through www.coolhomepages.com , you are bound to find some ideas looking there.....
    --

  25. #25
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    50
    Thanks for that mate. Unfortunately I didn't really find much inspiration there, as most effects were flash, something I don't intend to use on the site.

    I'm gonna go and have another shot at it, best get my thinking hat on.

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