Website Review and Suggestions

**marsman12019** · 03-03-2010, 07:21 PM

Hi,
This is really the first site I've done. Hopefully it will help me get a good job in the next couple of years. Any suggestions?

http://www.johnamars.com

**roygg** · 03-03-2010, 08:31 PM

I don't like the font especially when you hover over and the background changes its pretty hard to read it..

**mcorton** · 03-03-2010, 11:15 PM

It lacks anything to grab attention. I would suggest at least a banner with your name. I would change the line "I'm going to be an architect" to something clever like "an architect in the making", or "an architect under construction." The out of focus photograph didn't help me either. Take a look at my sites. If you like them, and want, I'd be wiling to help you create a nice web site at no cost. I have a lot of ideas but too many to mention here, PM me if you want to talk.

**janecooke** · 03-03-2010, 11:36 PM

Hi John, my 2 cents.

The text display needs improvement for readability.
I like your idea of presenting the photos and projects. Keep next previous persistent since visitors might miss it or add an extra navigation feature.

The page seems like just a menu set with background rather than a true webpage. For me it breaks the flow but due to visual cues not being strong enough, doesn't attract the eye to key areas like about you, the resume, etc.

You have a personal name domain so about you has to be prominent including a photo if possible.

Regards.

**Knight13** · 03-04-2010, 12:27 AM

I don't like it, your coding is good but you should make it more artistic looking but still easy to navigate, if i were you i would just mess around with it until you can think of a better way to lay it out. but it is good for your first website.

**FriedSushi87** · 03-04-2010, 12:44 AM

1) Spacing looks weird. Just sitting in the middle of the page like that. I'd try to left align the panels. Also, it looks as if to be a resume site. Listing your FaceBook on a resume site is questionable....unless it's your professional work only site. You wouldn't want your potential employer looking at pictures that a friend tagged of you drunk off your *** puking in the corner or what have you.
2) Your blog is of a completely different color-scheme/layout than your main site. Try to integrate them together in at least a subtle way.

Also, nice egg container.

**FriedSushi87** · 03-04-2010, 12:46 AM

How about you make the "HI MY NAME IS" box and make it bigger. Stretch it out. Either make it on the left or in the middle and make it big. Keep the text the same though. It's good that it's there and informative and pulls the entire page together, but the text is gray, doesn't distract you too bad. Then put the links off to the right which are in the white that pull your attention.

**marsman12019** · 03-04-2010, 05:17 PM

Wow everybody, thank you.

A lot of the stuff that has been said I already knew, like the font size and blog not matching (I just haven't had time to go and fix it - architecture school is very busy). But a lot of it I hadn't even thought of.

If I'm understanding you all correctly, it needs something to make it pop. And I should also steer away from the layout I have now.

As to the Previous/Next button placement on the pictures, I don't know javascript all that well to be able to fix it. Any recommendations on places I could learn for free?

Thanks,
John Mars

**lynxus** · 03-04-2010, 05:22 PM

tizag ( google it ) have PLENTY of tutorials from PHP to ASP to JS

**mlobrutto** · 03-05-2010, 02:50 PM

I like the use of shadow box for your pics and graphics. The font is real hard to read and hurts my eyes. I would recommend making your font clear and crisp.

**marsman12019** · 05-13-2011, 04:31 PM

Hi!

I would love some creative criticism on my website, www.john-mars.com

Thanks in advance for the help!

**LadynRed** · 05-14-2011, 03:37 PM

Gee.. could you make that navigation text any smaller??? Let's get real here, that's just way too small. Not everyone who views your site is going to be under 30 and have perfect 20/20 vision. The gray on gray contrast is also not good, it's barely readable. You might think it's 'cool'.. but it's definitely not. The icons become something of a 'mystery meat' navigation too.

Just from that landing page, there is nothing to indicate what it is you're offering, MAYBE you're a photographer given that camera icon. You're just hoping people will click on something to find out?

I think you need to focus a bit more so that it's more clear to visitors just what it is you're all about and what it is you're trying to sell.

**edgray** · 05-16-2011, 04:41 PM

John, don't listen to them. From a design perspective, your site is fantastic, really intriguing to use, nicely original and I say it's got to be one of the nicest home pages I've seen in quite some time. It's unique and I have to say that I'm totally impressed with this.

You've not got much going in the way of SEO though, you might want to consider at least a meta description for each page.

My only real complaint would be the use of Flash for the galleries - you could easily have a nicer effect using a DHTML gallery there. With Flash you're cutting out a large portion of the mobile internet users unnecessarily.

Design and Execution: 9/10.

Good job, sir.

**reverseengineer** · 05-16-2011, 07:05 PM

I don't know if you have made any changes since this thread was started, but this looks dope! Trust me, its better than anything else ive seen on this forum today

**webmaster flex** · 05-18-2011, 04:07 PM

im not really a flash website lover but this is nice, i like the colours and simplicity

**weblover50** · 06-10-2011, 06:50 PM

Good job! I love the colors and the way it looks.. But maybe some employers may not have so much time to click so many icons? So why not put bits and pieces and some snippets here and there on the home page itself ?

**flexdesigns** · 06-12-2011, 01:15 PM

i dont usually like flash websites but this is pretty darn good, i like the colours and designs. nicely done