I like where the design is going but I'm going to give you a few pointers:
- Clients
think they know what's currently hot. Because their monthly magazine told 'em. It's something that has flashy colors, images, and looks good that is what is called "Web 2.0" Like I said
think they know..
- Get inside the mind of the client and play with that information for your own benefit
- If you are using Photoshop chances are everything is still points-based which explains why all text is so large do this:
Select view -> select the first item, a new flyout appears -> select monitor-rgb
Select view -> show -> enable smart guides
Select view -> enable rulers
Select window -> extensions -> kuler (<- important otherwise visit kuler.adobe.com)
Select edit -> preferences -> units & rulers -> rulers: pixels -> units: pixels
If you create a new document: Select preset web -> size: 1024x768 -> resolution: 72 pix/inch -> color mode: rgb 8 bits
Select view -> new guide -> orientation: vertical, 30px
Select view -> new guide -> orientation: vertical, 990px (contained width 960px, ideal width for a 1024x768 screen)
Select view -> new guide -> orientation: horziontal, 600px (fold)
Create guides for all your elements. For example: banner (guide: orientation: horizontal, 88px), topmenu (guide: orientation: horizontal: 108px), ... and whitespace (<- important)
Before creating a design you should first decide on which pages your website shall contain then create a wireframe (on a piece of paper) for each page. These wireframes will indicate where which elements will be placed. Once all wireframes are in place start creating your desings like indicated above. Keep everything within one PSD document layer every page within one directory.
Great example:
http://www.rolfpiechura.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/wireframe1.jpg (create one like this for each page)
