LYRC 4.0 Release Candidate 1
Almost done. It finally almost looks like I want it to (still tweaking). I also still have bells and whistles to add such as a place for us to post links in the right-hand column.
I'm also looking forward to v4.5, which will bring a fun new feature (for me, at least). But that's still a secret.
Tell me what you think in the comments. Thank you.
UPDATE:
UPDATE 2: I removed the background. If you still see it, hit your refresh button to load the new style sheet. Also, read this comment and my response that follows, which addresses the background, the color choice, and the layout. The discussion is still open, and I would love to hear more of what you all have to say. Thank you.
9 Comments:
I'm luke warm on this layout.
What I think (unqualified opinion)
Background: to bright, makes reading difficult. Maybe if you lightened it, made it more transparent.
Links at right: Hard to read. Combination of color, underline, and dashed line. Busy and not very neat or clean.
Using the hotpink/red for links and text - looks washed out to me, doesn't pop or jump off the page but kinda sinks in apathetically. Like Kelly after his 4th BE.
Oeverall reaction: not favorable.
-stiggy
Thanks for your honesty, Stig.
I can see how the contrast between text and the background could be too low on some monitors. I will address that.
The right-hand column looks terrible in Internet Explorer. IE doesn't support the "dotted" border CSS attribute and reverts to the "dashed" border, which is too heavy. Plus, everything should be further over to the left, aligned with those headings. But even looking at it in Firefox, I can see what you mean. Perhaps more leading between the links, or something entirely different. I'll definitely give it some thought.
As for the color of the links, much of that may be the background. The links seem to stand out fine when you scroll down to where the background is just white. I'm resistent to adding another color -- Kelly's using a lot more photography, and I really want those images to pop out, so I'm trying to keep the color of the site design itself very simple. But perhaps there is a more saturated shade of the same color I can try. (You only truly get 216 colors to work with when your designing for the web.)
Is there anything you DO like? That may help me inform my choices as I re-address the right column issue.
First I just have to say that I'm not a fan of that color choice, but that is a personal taste preference and not really a design issue. It just kinda looks like it's supposed to be valentine's day to me. How about orange?
What I do like about the layout:
The layout in terms of placement on the page is good, concise, easy to read.
I like the box of squares at the top of the page next to the date.
The white space in the right margin is nice and gives the place a good balance.
Links are placed well, though I still feel they tend to sink into the page.
Keeping empty space on both margins is nice - very clean lines.
Other problems?:
The font gets a little pixilated, though that is prolly a style choice. Very 80's of you ;)
-stiggy
I like how the author of each post is listed at the top of each post (instead of the bottom). You know how much I loathe unnecessary scrolling.
I think the overall look of the blog would be improved by a little flash animation - tastefully positioned in a corner of the screen - of a busty lass lifting up her blouse and letting her juggs tumble and bounce around. We can discuss this further at another time.
The default question when someone complains is, "Could you do better?" I admit in this instance that I certainly could not. I know nothing of web layout or design. But as a pure consumer I don't have to.
The main problem is that Pepto-Bismol pink might be the worst possible color choice to define "Like You Really Care." It is unappealing in general and instantly brings to mind those god awful Valentine's candies with cute sayings like "Check you later!" In fact the criss-cross design might actually be straight from a box of those candies. Was this intentional?
I was a big fan of the enormous header on the old site. Having the words "Like You Really Care" shoved down your throat in giant screaming box letters was the most subtly accurate descriptor for what the site is about that I could imagine. The new header is definitely more slick, but far less representative.
The new posts (the ones we all wait for with bated breath) are the ones awash in a sea of pink that make them difficult to read.
I hate to be so critical but I honestly have to say that the new design looks more like a default livejournal template than the site did before. In some ways it would have been more interesting if you had changed it to one of those - like the one that looks like a schoolgirl's diary with the adorable panda in the margins. As it is the site just makes one think, "Huh?"
Still love the content. Not a fan of the look. Sorry.
The problem with the incredibly large headline was that it took up far too much screen real estate. However, that's an interesting comment about the affect that the larger banner had. There are probably ways to achieve that, with space and color, without taking up too much more space and split the difference. That's a good comment.
I want to address this color thing, this revulsion to pink. I prefer to think of it as fuschia -- it's much warmer than Pepto Bismol. Second, the banner is the same color as the previous banner. Again, I think this is another example of the problem being the background. Which is why, as of today, I've removed it. If you still see it, hit refresh to load the new style sheet.
Finally, as for the "default livejournal template," that comment is a little below-the-belt, for sure, but I don't entirely disagree with it.
Keep in mind that this is a blog, after all. Users expect certain things when they visit a site of a certain kind, and I can't stray TOO much from the general layout of a blog. I can, however, continue to push it a little further.
Also, my knowledge of web standards design is poor, to say the least. I do need to work with more CSS/XHTML design, as this is where the industry is going. Plus, avoiding such old standbys as using <table> tags for layouts and slicing up images is making me approach web design in an entirely new way. I haven't fully acclimated yet to this new mode of thinking yet.
Which is why I don't want you to think that I'm trying to defend myself against the comment. I'm actually saying that I appreciate it. It pushes me to cross more threshholds in this process of rethinking web design and to learn better these new weapons for inclusion in my design arsenal.
Thank you.
Yup, removing the background cleans up the design by getting rid of that 'peppermint patty' feeling.
Going with Eric's comment - yeah, you need one element that is distinctive to you. I don't know what that would be: logo, saying, a giant tit...but it would be cool to find one distinctive element that you could claim as your own AND help make you stand out from the blog-o-sphere. I'm thinking you could get Harry to draw a picture of Nancy flipping the bird: http://www.comicon.com/pulse/images_3/nancy_sidebar.jpg (just an odd thought)
Also, I agree with Kelly - I like the author bi-line at the top.
Upon closer inspection, this seems a bit bland:
Left-leaning politics, plus music, Macs, muckety-muck, and more.
It's not bad by any means - but this might be the place to get more distinctive. Left leaning politics does not agree with the alliteration of the rest. Either you need to chuck the alliteration or break out a thesaurus and get medievaly obscure with it.
Definitely don't like the dashes under hyperlinks or anywhere else. Is there a way to get rid of that when viewing through IE? I also gotta say I'm not a fan of the font or the color. The color is too blushy and the font is...hey wait, you changed it while I was writing this post! I opened another window to look at the font again and find the proper adjective, and now it's back to the smooth, rounder font that I like. Sneaky! Anyway, the layout is fine for me; the previous posts will definitely get less attention, but then you've got more space for recent posts. I like the page heading with the alternating bold text and Star Wars-esque font, but I just don't like the color. I'm glad you're playing around and mixing it up. I'd keep playing a little more.
I've got no problem with Pink. Personally, I think pink goes really nicely when contrasted with some photos of deciduous conifers.
Post a Comment
<< Home