Much better!! I actually read your text this time *lol* You'll notice just adding those paragraphs lightens the look of the page? That's a part of what's called 'Effective use of White Space' While graphics and content are important a lot of people always overlook the spacing between the visual elements of a website. The best looking graphics in the world never look right if they are crammed together of badly aligned - it's an overall package.
You're using <border> tags to get your outlines. If it's possible for you, you might want to look at CSS instead. It'll half with width of that "1" border and make it less dominating Look at my index page at
http://www.akashik.net and you'll see what I mean. Our sites are very close structure wise with a header area and a 20/60/20 column system under it. The difference is only in the style of boxing everything. Instead of boxing the columns, I've used CSS to box paragraphs of text. It breaks up the lines everywhere and makes it easier to scan.
You need to work on your Z as well.
Definition: Z is a reference to the way someone scans a page. The most effective way to get someone to look at everything instantly is drag them in a Z shape. Because (in most languages) people read from left to right they automatically start at the left top part of a page. They scan right (where you place something to catch their eye like my 30 money back offer via the navigation menu). Next you convince them to scan down to the left (the plans via 24/7 support, Plans from $7.95 and the akashik.net logo), at which point they usually scan right again. In less than a second they have had the full top half of the site imprinted with the main points I wish to make.
After that the site is positioned to drag the eye down the page via the columns, inticing people to use that scroll bar they hate.
Finally at the bottom is an 'added extra' to drive home the point.
You can thank all that brainwashing in school for the consistancy at which people will follow that *lmao*
So all in all webdesign is part artistry, part programming, part psychology. You get about 30 seconds to make your point before they leave so it's gotta stand out (but not TOO much) In the real world I'm not much past drawing a stick figure - I'd like to think my websites show I have a good eye though
Best Regards,
Greg Moore
Linear Mode
