Graphic Design Contests

**ExpressoDan** · 11:36 AM

Any opinions/suggestions would be appreciated.

(Had to take image off thread | thread closed)

Thanks,
Daniel

**Line** · 07:10 PM

I think the colorscheme on the bottom portion works out well but the header is too faded out. I would have used the "Stencil" font for the title of the page as oppposed to whatever you have there. The map mixed in with the photo of the military doesn't seem to work well. don't really care for this boxed effect youhave on everything else when it's on the header.. The header I think should differentiate a little bit more from the rest of what's on the layout.

what is all the little icons for in the top right corner? How will you get the shadow to work with the repeating diagonal striped background?

Don't forget to add a footer to your page.

-Line

**ExpressoDan** · 08-08-2005, 07:15 PM

This is great! Thanks Line. I have made some of the changes you suggested... Is it better, worse, or should I scrap the whole thing and start anew?

The background with the drop shadows may prove to be difficult, thanks for pointing that out. Hmmmm oh well :-)

Thanks again,
Daniel

**Line** · 08-08-2005, 07:42 PM

here's a site I made a long time ago:

http://www.corporatecap.com/

See how the mesh of pictures are on top.

Do that with the map youhad before with the map being on the left side. However, desaturate the map of all color, then add a tan color. fade out the map a bit because you want to make the logo important.

Remove the effects from the text, use flat dark green. get rid of the beveled shape underneath the letters and have the logo above the map as if it's imprinted into it.

To fake a shadow.. what you can do is just add a dark green drop shadow with no transparency (to get a dark green that matches the green, just use the eyedropper tool on the shaded area you have now to pull out that exact shade) Then. Put the choke out to 100% and make the size 1 so it's equal in proportion to the area making the shadow.

Also I do try to conserve space when I do sites most of the time. If you must have those icons which I still don't know why they're there.. put them in the same box as the subtitle of the box. Then you can remove that extra sliver of wasted space.

Almost done.

-Line

**Line** · 08-08-2005, 07:49 PM

btw I have a military site I never finished because It was a demo. This is for a US Navy Destroyer Ship called the USS Carney. This is just to view not for use.

http://www.linedetail.com/usscarney/

-Line

**ExpressoDan** · 08-08-2005, 07:53 PM

Good deal... Im glad im finally getting some real advice! I will give it a go but, these things might take me a while, so check back later.

Thanks again!!
Daniel

**ExpressoDan** · 08:27 PM

Thanks for that link to the ship, I like the way you incorporated it into the theme.

Yeah, I think thats part of my problem. You had a ship that you could base the "theme" of the site off of. Im sort of at a loss on this one as it needs to be for all branches... Got any suggestions on that?

Daniel

**Line** · 08-08-2005, 09:50 PM

oh boy.. well there's different colors for all branches.. You'd really have to do more research.

But I think since you've got green/tan going might as well stick with it.

If it comes down to is, you could always go with red white and blue and keep the color range in that, and just use bits and pieces of icons of different war tools to address different branches.

providing this is for US soldiers.

-Line

**Line** · 08-09-2005, 02:21 PM

btw please keep me updated when you update

-Line

**ExpressoDan** · 08-09-2005, 02:30 PM

Will do!!
Between work and school, I havnt had any time to make the changes, but I look forward to your input

**fancymoustache** · 08-09-2005, 02:51 PM

I don't know if you want anymore suggestions, but I think your side boxes are going to leave you very little space for writing anything. What I'm saying is for the boxes labeled "About this site" and "News and Updates", you're going to be able to fit only two or three words per line, which in my opinion won't look particularly good. My suggestion: Spread it out a little. Make "About this site" it's own page, allowing you to write more and make it look good. Also, "News and Updates" generally goes on the home page of mosts sites. Personally, I do that because I have no clue what I should put on any of my home pages. This is assuming you don't, either, though. If you do that, you could have two colomns, with more space to use for each. I think the layout looks good, though.

Hope I could help,
Micah

**ExpressoDan** · 08-10-2005, 02:33 PM

Okay, I made some more changes.
Thank you fancymoustache for the input, but this is really more of a wireframe model and may not look exactly the same once complete. I do think I will eliminate the third column on the finished product so that I can have more space. I do appreciate your opinion and will take it into consideration. If all else fails, I will start over.

I think I like the changes I made. Im going for simple, clean, and professional...
The problem Im having with it is that I was trying to make a seamless flow from header to content, I dont think I have achieved that here, it looks broken to me? I dont know, any more help would be greatly appreciated.

Daniel

**Line** · 08-15-2005, 11:51 AM

still think it make no sense to have the little icons on the top right corners.
This site is way too padded now.

-Line

**Line** · 08-15-2005, 11:52 AM

You should start from scratch.. like my company name implies, I draw everything first, on paper. Sketch up my ideas and THEN I bring my ideas to life. I think it's very difficult to do your ideas directly on the pc.

-Line

**wmtalk.tk** · 08-17-2005, 03:59 AM

WOW! that is incredible, i was going to get into making websites like that but now that i look at this and see you people so harsh on this awsome website (in my opinion) and it makes me think i could never do it, plus im color blind, lol..

i think ill just stick with coding...

btw, does any1 good at graphics wanna start a design company with me? i do the coding and you do the graphics?