Graphic Design Contests

**LogicMountain** · 05-05-2006, 12:52 PM

Looking for an experienced web designer/graphic designer to help me with a current project (and possibly ongoing work.) Looking for someone stronger in the graphic design side of things to compliment my programming/database CMS backend.

I need someone experienced and with a good portfolio, (no newbies please.) Must be a CSS expert and understand CSS-based (table-less) designs and have sites in their portfolio to prove it. Must be an HTML expert and understand the constraints and special needs of graphic design for websites (I need artsy but you have to be Internet-artsy) Should have a good understanding of corporate graphic design structures, not just pretty Picasso ramblings. Understanding of color themes, site themes, website structure needs, when to use graphics and when to use text, and preferably some understanding of SEO.

Look at templatemonster.com and csszengarden.com - your designs must be BETTER than the most of the designs on those sites.

The project:

I need a "template" design for a Landscape Architect firm. By template design, I mean you will be providing me with a single HTML page + CSS with all the design elements (backgrounds, website theme, look & feel, banner and border images... basically a mockup of the website.) Design must be flexible in that it will stretch to fit any amount of content (no frames). All images will be properly sized and chopped. Basically all I want to have to do is add the content and menu.

The business is a Landscape / Hardscape Architect. They design and install outdoor landscapes and patios and masonry and carpentry. These guys are high-end (common to have $500,000+ projects). They have a ton of gorgeous photos to compliment the design - think backyards of mansions, green grass, perfectly-placed trees and hedges, stone walkways, sophisticated fountains, elaborate patios.

They want an ELEGANT, sophisticated, polished look and color scheme that conveys the high-end artistry and beauty of their work, and if possible through the design, make it apparent that they don't do tiny landscaping projects (their client is the elite wealthy)

I'll need the template design I described above, Would be nice to have a matching treatment for photos (I guess kinda a "frame" to put around photos that matches the theme.) Also require a look & feel for the new box on the side.

Here are some sites of competitors, nothing really hits the mark. Our site has to be better than all of these:

http://www.elaontheweb.com
http://www.woodfieldlandscaping.com/about.htm
http://www.akehurst.com/g/
http://www.eastcoastland.net/
http://www.templatemonster.com/webs...lates/8767.html

Keep in mind this is just the template "look & feel" design, not an entire website (I'll be plugging in the content.) I don't have a very big budget for this project, if ur interested don't price yourself out!

If you are interested, please post a link to your portfolio and a price estimate for the project (why not show off if you can!) I will IM you if you have the right stuff. Would love to see some good landscaper website designs, looking forward to seeing what you guys have to offer!

Thanks guys, can't wait to see your work!

**tammyhart** · 01:25 PM

I've never designed a site for this purpose, but I know that I can do it. my portfolio is www.tammyhartdesigns.com Please look through my design work as well as my phpBB work. You can see that my style bends to suit whatever the need of the client is.

For the PSD, index, subpage in validated html and css, I would ask $250.

Contact me however you wish.

**LogicMountain** · 05-05-2006, 03:25 PM

Posting again to subscribe to the thread (sorry, couldn't find the button ... darned newbies!)

Tammy - I sent you an email through your website, thanks for responding. You do nice work, just not the style I'm looking for...

Still haven't found my designer, where r u guys???

**sakr** · 05:24 PM

Don't want to brag, but since no one else is stepping up, check me out at http://www.barekoncept.com . All my sites are 100% css designs (no tables).

Edit: Oh yeah, the price- template in 'validated' css and xhtml: $115

**LogicMountain** · 05-07-2006, 10:50 PM

Thanks Sakr. Saw your portfolio - I like your clean style (wish there were more samples in your portfolio !!!) Unfortunately nothing in the style I'm looking for.

Please PM or email me anyway, would love to make a connection for future opportunities...

**ADAM Web Design** · 05-08-2006, 02:46 AM

I'm not interested in the job. So please don't consider me in any way. (To be honest, I suspect my style isn't what you're after since my best stuff isn't in my design portfolio right now and I'm not going to waste your time.)

But I do think I know why you're having such a hard time, and I'm only posting this to help you and others in your boat.

As "specific" in some ways as your request is, it's also quite vague.

You've posted things that you don't want and said "I want better", but design is subjective. What's better to you and Ted may not be better to me, Bob or Sally. So maybe you should post a couple of designs that would be similar.

You also haven't mentioned a budget. Some designers need that to see if it's worth their while. What is "not a big budget"?

If they're high-end, how come they don't have a big budget to spend? If appearance is everything with them, then they should be prepared to spend to get it.

As far as "better" than Template Monster goes, that's going to be very difficult to find. TM has some of the most elaborate layouts going. Keep in mind that the template you saw sells for a "unique price" of $2280 USD...so that means whatever you're looking for, if you want something better than that, would at least set you back a high 3 digits...especially if you want an XHTML-compliant layout. You've eliminated 999 out of every 1000 designers with that request alone.

In other words, you may want to expand your budget and provide some more details.

**ontrack** · 05-16-2006, 07:25 AM

Greetings,

Ontrack Systems Ltd (http://www.ontrackindia.com) is a legal, ISO 9001:2000 certified and professionally managed web-development company having a team of 25 people specializing on various platforms and working on different types of technology. We have a vast experience in the field of Web Designing, software development and Web application development. We have a state-of-the-art setup in Kolkata, India. We also have full-fledged development centers in UK, UAE, Holland and USA.

We are pros in web designing, web development and flash works.
We would like to assign a dedicated designer for your projects.

Please send us the details regarding the project.

Please have a look at our portfolio:

http://www.ontrackindia.com/MultimediaShowcase/websites/websites.html

Also, please have a look at our past reviews of the projects that we've done through Elance (OntrackSystems).

Some of our sites:
http://www.tanmia.ae
http://www.daroptics.com/
http://www.al-hader.com/
http://www.omniscientinc.com/
http://www.goodricke.com/
http://www.shiik-flamingo.com/

Our prime objective is client satisfaction and the fulfillment of their needs & our experience is evident in every project we accomplish.
We promise to bring newer opportunities to our customers and continually enhance the bar for customer satisfaction.

Please feel free to ask us any questions. We would like to develop a long term relationship with you.

We'll do it very fast with many variants for your convenience and with best price. We use YAHOO/MSN for easy communications.
Just let me know. We are very interested in your project.

Waiting for your response,

Cheers,
Samata
Ontrack Team
---------------------
Samata Bhattacharyya
Online Marketing Specialist
samata_bh@hotmail.com (MSN)
designers2design@yahoo.com (YM)
Ontrack Systems Limited

Quote:

Originally Posted by LogicMountain

Looking for an experienced web designer/graphic designer to help me with a current project (and possibly ongoing work.) Looking for someone stronger in the graphic design side of things to compliment my programming/database CMS backend.

I need someone experienced and with a good portfolio, (no newbies please.) Must be a CSS expert and understand CSS-based (table-less) designs and have sites in their portfolio to prove it. Must be an HTML expert and understand the constraints and special needs of graphic design for websites (I need artsy but you have to be Internet-artsy) Should have a good understanding of corporate graphic design structures, not just pretty Picasso ramblings. Understanding of color themes, site themes, website structure needs, when to use graphics and when to use text, and preferably some understanding of SEO.

Look at templatemonster.com and csszengarden.com - your designs must be BETTER than the most of the designs on those sites.

The project:

I need a "template" design for a Landscape Architect firm. By template design, I mean you will be providing me with a single HTML page + CSS with all the design elements (backgrounds, website theme, look & feel, banner and border images... basically a mockup of the website.) Design must be flexible in that it will stretch to fit any amount of content (no frames). All images will be properly sized and chopped. Basically all I want to have to do is add the content and menu.

The business is a Landscape / Hardscape Architect. They design and install outdoor landscapes and patios and masonry and carpentry. These guys are high-end (common to have $500,000+ projects). They have a ton of gorgeous photos to compliment the design - think backyards of mansions, green grass, perfectly-placed trees and hedges, stone walkways, sophisticated fountains, elaborate patios.

They want an ELEGANT, sophisticated, polished look and color scheme that conveys the high-end artistry and beauty of their work, and if possible through the design, make it apparent that they don't do tiny landscaping projects (their client is the elite wealthy)

I'll need the template design I described above, Would be nice to have a matching treatment for photos (I guess kinda a "frame" to put around photos that matches the theme.) Also require a look & feel for the new box on the side.

Here are some sites of competitors, nothing really hits the mark. Our site has to be better than all of these:

http://www.elaontheweb.com
http://www.woodfieldlandscaping.com/about.htm
http://www.akehurst.com/g/
http://www.eastcoastland.net/
http://www.templatemonster.com/webs...lates/8767.html

Keep in mind this is just the template "look & feel" design, not an entire website (I'll be plugging in the content.) I don't have a very big budget for this project, if ur interested don't price yourself out!

If you are interested, please post a link to your portfolio and a price estimate for the project (why not show off if you can!) I will IM you if you have the right stuff. Would love to see some good landscaper website designs, looking forward to seeing what you guys have to offer!

Thanks guys, can't wait to see your work!

**emkay** · 05-16-2006, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design

I'm not interested in the job. So please don't consider me in any way. (To be honest, I suspect my style isn't what you're after since my best stuff isn't in my design portfolio right now and I'm not going to waste your time.)

But I do think I know why you're having such a hard time, and I'm only posting this to help you and others in your boat.

As "specific" in some ways as your request is, it's also quite vague.

You've posted things that you don't want and said "I want better", but design is subjective. What's better to you and Ted may not be better to me, Bob or Sally. So maybe you should post a couple of designs that would be similar.

You also haven't mentioned a budget. Some designers need that to see if it's worth their while. What is "not a big budget"?

If they're high-end, how come they don't have a big budget to spend? If appearance is everything with them, then they should be prepared to spend to get it.

As far as "better" than Template Monster goes, that's going to be very difficult to find. TM has some of the most elaborate layouts going. Keep in mind that the template you saw sells for a "unique price" of $2280 USD...so that means whatever you're looking for, if you want something better than that, would at least set you back a high 3 digits...especially if you want an XHTML-compliant layout. You've eliminated 999 out of every 1000 designers with that request alone.

In other words, you may want to expand your budget and provide some more details.

I strongly agree 100%, please don't ask for so much, it's difficult to beat the best of Template monster's designs and I also agree that you've lost most of your potential web designers due to the high demands and low budgets.

**tammyhart** · 05-16-2006, 04:37 PM

Please see this mockup:
http://www.tammyhartdesigns.com/scre...pe_proof01.jpg