Things have been a little sloppy around here. There are aspects of website maintenance which take time, and right now, I just don’t have any of they ’stuff’.
A few things have been happening recently though, enough to give me a desire to design a new layout for this site. So, a couple of weeks ago I made the decision to put together something entirely new.
Admittedly, the design I put together was a little different, different enough for me to wonder how I was going to code it. So, after making the finishing touches, I contacted Matthew Rochow.
In the past 6 months (at least), I’ve worked with quite a few different coders, and I’m nearly always disappointed. They claim to be ‘professionals’ but, they’re far from it. I spend a lot of time trying to make my designs pixel perfect. Widths, heights, positions and sizes are all very specific, and I expect if a guy claims to be able to code my design as I’ve made it, it should come back perfect.
Thankfully, Matthew knows his job. He did say I was his most particular client ever, but I don’t think he meant it in a bad way. We worked together on some little WordPress related issues, and I think I’ve helped him to grow in his knowledge of WordPress, which is always a good thing.
Anyway, I’m in a hurry here, but, what do you think? I’ve a few little issues to iron out, but to me at least, it’s looking pretty good. I’ll write about it in further detail later.
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Added Commentary
By Brian Purkiss
on 10.06.08
Wow.
Very nice.
Super clean, orderly, and to the point. It also has some nice touches. I like!
By Jermayn
on 10.06.08
Spring clean alright. You have got ridden of all the style.
By kristarella
on 10.06.08
Haha! My response was going to be pretty much the same as Brian’s!
There’s so much I like about it, the subtle colours, texture, grid. Great one!
By David Airey
on 10.06.08
Very nice, Armen. I’m a big fan of simplicity, and dark text on light backgrounds.
If there’s one thing I’d change, it’d be to remove the text effects from your top navigation, and the gradient from the comment fields. Okay, that’s two.
But nice, mate. I’ve bookmarked Matthew’s website in case I need to outsource in future.
Who’s this ‘Moi’ person you refer to?
By Peter
on 10.06.08
Subtle + Simple + Stylish = Schweeeet!
Now for the minor pickiness -
Agree with David re: the gradient - also the Submit button is markedly different to the Find button. Personal preference is for consistent styling for buttons, but that’s probably my corporate “style” (cough) coming to the surface…!
Only other suggestion is that for longer posts some might want an in-page link from the post info to jump to the comments section. That’d be my corporate laziness coming to the surface….
To end on a less picky note - I like the one post per page structure, less busy, and works really well with the clean style.
By Peter
on 10.06.08
Scratch the “one post per page” comment.
Note to self - visit home page before posting
By Armen
on 11.06.08
Thanks for the feedback folks.
Brian & kristarella,
Thanks for noticing the ‘important’ bits
Jermayn,
Each to their own I suppose. But, if “style” is limited to heavy imagery, then I’m guilty as charged!
David,
Always good to hear from you buddy.
Is the menu so bad? I’ve removed the gradients from the form fields, and went simple. I’ve also been editing other aspects of the ‘comments’. I’ve been trying to get everything ‘pixel perfect’ but it’s not always easy to achieve across all browsers.
Matthew is definitely recommended. Not particularly advanced with WordPress, but a very capable CSS/HTML coder, with patience, and the ability to do the job well.
As for “moi”, should it link to the about?
Peter,
Yo bro! Glad you like it. Agree with you on the ’submit’ button, so I’ll get that changed. Well spotted.
After checking the homepage, what’s the verdict?
To all,
There are other things to do. I really need to update my ‘pages’ add a ’share’ button, and a handful of other things. However, this is secondary to other things right now….like packing!!
By David Airey
on 11.06.08
It’s not that the top nav is so bad, but that it doesn’t sit with the rest of your design. Your logo, for example, is flat, and I think if the nav text was to mirror it, the design would tie in better.
Regarding the ‘Moi’ part, I’d either link it to your about page, change the word from ‘Moi’ to your name, or ‘me’ (at first I was wondering who Moi was - an Asian designer perhaps - yes, I’m slow;), or remove it completely.
You could add how you designed the theme in your about page. I guess it’s all personal preference though. No biggy.
I do think you’ve improved the contact form. Is there any way you could lower the height of the ‘name’ / ‘email’ / ‘website’ fields?
By kristarella
on 11.06.08
Woops, I was going to come back and say I like the comment area and nav… I like the new comment area too though.
David has a point about the rest of the site being flat, but also I like that it draws some attention (a suitable amount, I think).
By kristarella
on 11.06.08
Not flat in a bad way… since actually the background has a nice texture. Flat in a no-need-for-gradients-everywhere way.
By Stephen
on 12.06.08
maybe its just the browser im using, but the text is all squashed up the left hand side of the page… altho, the comments are fine, just the post.
By Armen
on 12.06.08
David,
I’ll leave the menu as it is for now, but I’ll give it some more thought when I have time. I’m formatting the pages now (particularly the ‘about’)
Come on dude, Moi? You were schooled in the same country as I was, and around the same time, so French was compulsory back then, and you didn’t understand “moi”?
I think you have a point though. I’ll probably change it.
The height of the form fields are lined up to match with the overall height of the ‘comment’ field. I could change it, but, I’ve bigger fish to fry right now.
kristarella,
Yeah, the reason I put that effect in for the menu was to draw the eye. It’s a kind of ‘reverse emboss’ effect, but maybe it’s too much?
Stephen,
It’s not your browser. I’ve been messing around with my templates bro, editing the formatting. You caught me out!!
By David Airey
on 12.06.08
I got the ‘moi’ reference after a couple of seconds, but am so used to seeing a name in that phrase that my initial reaction was just that.
Here’s hoping French is still compulsory in Northern Ireland education, although I think Spanish would be a much better choice.
By Armen
on 12.06.08
David,
Last time I heard, it hasn’t been compulsory for a few years. I agree on the Spanish thing. I always said that.
By Peter
on 12.06.08
You’ll be pleased to know the verdict still stands after visiting the home page
By Matt
on 15.06.08
I must say it was a pleasure working with Armen. The HTML & CSS was a breeze, then came the dreaded WP! My run of the mill standard WP is no problem, but for a client who knows the ins+outs and wants things that aren’t standard, I had to do my homework
Feel rather lousy when the client is showing me how to do things!
This was my first project working to a grid - I didn’t know people even used them (though thinking about it, it makes a ton of sense), it seems not every drags+drops until it looks ok the way I do. It does look extremely well thought out and planned rather than a sprinkle of gradient here, a touch of random colour there.
My only critism is the submit button, I liked it more over on the right (as the last field thats commented is the textarea, so it makes more sense having it under the textarea.
By Eli
on 15.06.08
I think the light design is much better. The completely dark design from before didn’t really feel right on this website.
By Armen
on 16.06.08
Matt,
The pleasure was mine. I haven’t worked with anyone yet that I didn’t have to help out with some aspect of the coding, so don’t be worrying. I would not hesitate to recommend you, or call upon you again myself. That’s a compliment in itself, as there’s only one other guy I’d contact, having tried quite a few.
As for the submit button, it should be below the comment field. I don’t know what I’ve done to change it, but I’ll take a look when I can. Right now, I’m sitting in Adelaide airport, waiting to fly out to Perth!
Eli,
Welcome!
I agree. I liked the old design, but I’m liking this much more. I’ll be taking a good browse through your site when I get the chance. My PS skills require more attention imo.
Haven't you got anything to say?