Hey guys, my Dad just got his professional website up, and since I know a lot of you do this kinda stuff for a living, I was wondering if you had any tips on making it better! Here's the link:
www.douglashedwig.com
www.douglashedwig.com
Critique my Dad's website!
- Thread starter Metaltastic
- Start date
Unavailable
Member
Just have my opinion to offer, since I have no experience with website design, but I think the title at the top of the page (Douglas Hedwig - Trumpeter...) could use a little more personalization, rather than just the arial (?) font. Something more fancy would be cool, maybe?
abyssofdreams
knows what you think.
Really nice and clean looking but somewhat a bit "unpersonal", rather too clean, I'd say.
Basically I wouldn't change anything drastic. Wether or not he should change the font would be a compromise between search engine recognition and/or design upgrades/downgrades, meaning the less text you use on your site, the less content search engines can grab because text > images. But it is nothing really dramatic though. The title tag and link structure have a higher priority here.
As for the design, I would "optimize" for the most common resolution which is around 1280x1024 currently, so on fullscreen it shouldn't scroll, at least not on the starting page. Maybe make that entry cover a tad smaller, also what is that tiny dot below the pic all about? Was that intentional? The note lines shouldn't go over the trumpet, get the trumpet layer above it so it is in the foreground.
He is a musician! I am missing some music coming out of my speakers
Maybe some autoplaying sounds that tootle in the background?
Also, maybe to get that website a little less clean but without going overboard look for some nice seemless textured backgrounds for the grey main area.
Last but not least the "Douglas Hedwig" wording is twice there on the main page, kinda too much, I would just put it like this:
Trumpeter, Conductor, Scholar
DOUGLAS HEDWIG
Just my 2c
Basically I wouldn't change anything drastic. Wether or not he should change the font would be a compromise between search engine recognition and/or design upgrades/downgrades, meaning the less text you use on your site, the less content search engines can grab because text > images. But it is nothing really dramatic though. The title tag and link structure have a higher priority here.
As for the design, I would "optimize" for the most common resolution which is around 1280x1024 currently, so on fullscreen it shouldn't scroll, at least not on the starting page. Maybe make that entry cover a tad smaller, also what is that tiny dot below the pic all about? Was that intentional? The note lines shouldn't go over the trumpet, get the trumpet layer above it so it is in the foreground.
He is a musician! I am missing some music coming out of my speakers
Maybe some autoplaying sounds that tootle in the background?Also, maybe to get that website a little less clean but without going overboard look for some nice seemless textured backgrounds for the grey main area.
Last but not least the "Douglas Hedwig" wording is twice there on the main page, kinda too much, I would just put it like this:
Trumpeter, Conductor, Scholar
DOUGLAS HEDWIG
Just my 2c
Thanks a lot guys! Bernhard, excellent suggestions dude, much appreciated, and I'll pass them along to him! He's planning on getting music up there, though the autoplay will be another story. Good point on the little dot, I dunno what the deal with that is, and I like your suggestion about not having to scroll the main page, makes a lot of sense! And yeah, I dunno where he found the images of the trumpet and staff (AKA "note lines" ), but I'll see if he can find another with the bell in the foreground! (which of course makes a lot more sense). As for the repitition of Douglas Hedwig at that top, it's actually cuz it's the equivalent of the "home" link, in that it stays when clicking on each sub-area. Still, you're right that it's a bit repetitive on the main page, we'll put our mind's to it! (now that I'm home for the week, I can give him a hand with it). Thanks again dude!
), but I'll see if he can find another with the bell in the foreground! (which of course makes a lot more sense). As for the repitition of Douglas Hedwig at that top, it's actually cuz it's the equivalent of the "home" link, in that it stays when clicking on each sub-area. Still, you're right that it's a bit repetitive on the main page, we'll put our mind's to it! (now that I'm home for the week, I can give him a hand with it). Thanks again dude!
AudioPhile777
Mathew Cohen
It looks like a website built in the mid/late 90's...
Take that as you will... It definitely could be improved in many ways...
Take that as you will... It definitely could be improved in many ways...
JoeJackson
Member
It looks like a website built in the mid/late 90's...
+1
I'm no programmer, so thats my opinion on the design itself.
I would narrow the content-area a bit. Also optimize for the resolution-height (NOT the width). That beeing said, content-boxes are often optimized for a resolution-width of 800. You get a nice frame around your content and the readability (I don't think that word exists, does it?) gets improved. I would decrease the font-size a bit and it would be better to get a better cohesiveness into the fonts. It looks a bit "patchworked" (look at the "biography"-site). I'm really picky when it comes to fonts, so I gotta say that: Times New Roman sucks ... BIG TIME
... (not too serious). If your dad prefers serif-fonts, he should check out the webfont Georgia. I would also change the font in the navigation to the same as the one used in the content-area. With that beeing said I would also resize the image on the front page. BTW: The images color-scheme does not correspond to the rest of the site.
Cheers...
Felix Neumann
Member
Hmmmm I would make it a bit more colorful. More modern looking maybe? The structuring and organization of the page is very good imo
smy1
Member
Everyone who thinks they know a lot about web design (or those who barely know anything) should go to: http://savethepixel.org/
Check out the content and buy the PDF. It's a really good eBook about webdesign/web conception and totally worth the few bucks.
The site looks terribly outdated.
Check out the content and buy the PDF. It's a really good eBook about webdesign/web conception and totally worth the few bucks.
The site looks terribly outdated.
abyssofdreams
knows what you think.
Erm... guys, keep in mind that the person who created the webpage is probably no state-of-the-art webdesigner and I think for that it is pretty okay.
No colors "bite" each other, it is cleaned up and the structure is simple, everybody can browse the site without problems. Just because it may not look superfancy or re-inventing the web it isn't necessarily bad? Agreed it is a bit blunt but I've seen far worse pages from people who thought they could pull it off
No colors "bite" each other, it is cleaned up and the structure is simple, everybody can browse the site without problems. Just because it may not look superfancy or re-inventing the web it isn't necessarily bad? Agreed it is a bit blunt but I've seen far worse pages from people who thought they could pull it off
Haha, yeah, I definitely appreciate the tips guys, and I'll pass them on, but yeah, he's a musician/professor first, and a web designer...40th We're talking just a guy using the www.webs.com utility to make a site for himself, so cut him some slack! That said, I appreciate the suggestions, and I'll pass 'em on!
We're talking just a guy using the www.webs.com utility to make a site for himself, so cut him some slack! That said, I appreciate the suggestions, and I'll pass 'em on!
Let it burn...
Orgasm Donor
Haha, I think William H Macy is a closer lookalike, but yeah, with that main pic I can see the similarity (don't think JFK was a trumpeter, though )
)
grywolf627
Member
I'm of no help here Marcus, just wanted to say: Cool! Your dad recorded Porgy & Bess with the Houston Grand Opera!
Haha, thanks dude, he did indeed, and that recording also happened to win a Grammy! (as I'm sure you noticed )
)
