Topic: GUI site

[webhead]

[!--quoteo(post=364899:date=Apr 14 2006, 05:06 PM:name=redbullmarky)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(redbullmarky @ Apr 14 2006, 05:06 PM) [snapback]364899[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
very true. but as for text size - 11 or 12px is fine for most viewers - and considering you're into your standards, maybe you should leave 508/accessibility to deal with those with impaired vision. i know a few people with vision impairment that have no problem getting round a site that has smaller text, as long as it complys with 508/accessibility standards. some more food for thought i guess.

as for css zengarden site, there are hundreds if not thousands of examples on there of all sorts of design - floral, contrasting, futuristic, metallic, etc. research on good design takes hours and days, not a few minutes. if youre adament and committed enough to get your project off the ground, then spend some serious time lookin through sites like that. they will only help you more in the long run as well as now.

edit:loud primary colours can work too, but as with my previous comments, it has to fit in with what you're trying to do and all the elements need to belong together. here's my site i'm currently working on, with overly loud colours: [a href=\"http://www.crashandburn.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\"]http://www.crashandburn.co.uk[/a]
good luck,
Mark
[/quote]
For some odd reason your loud colors don't bother me. I have no clue why not.

Well, between an afternoon of webhost technical difficulties and an evening of tornado warnings, I managed to tweak [a href=\"http://www.test.fether.net/index.php\" target=\"_blank\"]The Leafy Site[/a] somewhat. Would you consider it a step up or down? Tried to do something, anything with the edges, made the body text and h1 smaller. And it even runs okay on IE (pronounced aaaaaaiiiiiiiieeeeee!!!).

[redbullmarky]

[!--quoteo(post=364974:date=Apr 15 2006, 03:29 AM:name=webhead)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(webhead @ Apr 15 2006, 03:29 AM) [snapback]364974[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
For some odd reason your loud colors don't bother me. I have no clue why not.
[/quote]
lol thats what i thought about another site when i got the idea for it but it's just because it 'fits' with eachother. it's simple and neat, and the colours are almost 'childish'. it gets my point home about all the elements fitting together nicely though.

[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Well, between an afternoon of webhost technical difficulties and an evening of tornado warnings, I managed to tweak [a href=\"http://www.test.fether.net/index.php\" target=\"_blank\"]The Leafy Site[/a] somewhat. Would you consider it a step up or down? Tried to do something, anything with the edges, made the body text and h1 smaller. And it even runs okay on IE (pronounced aaaaaaiiiiiiiieeeeee!!!).
[/quote]
ok yes it is an improvement, quite alot actually - so i wouldnt stop there.
1, give the text on the right hand side the same treatment.
2, you've blurred/faded the edges between the leaf and white content panel. i reckon that it'd look good if you didn't do this and just left the natural edges of the leaves almost haphazardly 'hanging' a little onto the content page.
3, pick a different colour than dark blue for the 'Welcome' text. and as with number 1 above, give it the same sizing treatment.
4, give the nav and right hand stuff a container of some form so it's not just sitting amongst the leaves. even a mild opaque backdrop would be good (however, be careful with opacity - it'll render your CSS invalid as it's a CSS3 thing ATM. you could use a semi opaque PNG/GIF tho...).
5, it's great that your site validates to W3C standards, but i'm sure you can make the icons a little smaller. only 'webbies' notice or care what they are really, which is not going to be your average customer.

but you're getting it, and it's definitely so far a few steps in the right direction. keep at it and you'll have some smart templates without having to scrap your "ugly" designs at all.

Cheers
Mark

[webhead]

Okay, made some changes, iz better?

[redbullmarky]

[!--quoteo(post=365116:date=Apr 15 2006, 06:03 PM:name=webhead)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(webhead @ Apr 15 2006, 06:03 PM) [snapback]365116[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Okay, made some changes, iz better?
[/quote]

now we're talking! (i'm guessing you are only referring to just the leafy design?).

1, make the text on the right hand side the same size as your main content (or just a little smaller than it is now).
2, sitemap/other links text is black, and blends into the background. why don't you 'write' the nav and the titles to a 'plank of wood'/'sheet of paper' and hang it from the tree with a nail?

good job for goin in the right direction. apply the same priciples to the rest and you may actually have some good stuff for people.

[webhead]

Howza bout it now?

[redbullmarky]

[!--quoteo(post=365160:date=Apr 15 2006, 10:06 PM:name=webhead)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(webhead @ Apr 15 2006, 10:06 PM) [snapback]365160[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Howza bout it now?
[/quote]

now we're talking!

although the designs of your other templates (including your actual main site) are vastly different to the leafy design, the principles and stages you've followed to turn what was frankly nasty into something that's looking pretty good are exactly the same.

keep it up!
Mark

[webhead]

[!--quoteo(post=365180:date=Apr 15 2006, 07:20 PM:name=redbullmarky)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(redbullmarky @ Apr 15 2006, 07:20 PM) [snapback]365180[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
now we're talking!

although the designs of your other templates (including your actual main site) are vastly different to the leafy design, the principles and stages you've followed to turn what was frankly nasty into something that's looking pretty good are exactly the same.

keep it up!
Mark
[/quote]
Thanks for your advice and patience. I'll try and get to the other designs this week.

[webhead]

The GUI4me site is now transformed and ready for yet more analysis.

[a href=\"http://www.gui4me.com\" target=\"_blank\"]http://www.gui4me.com[/a]