Portfolio site check
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- rsinclair
About to launch my new portfolio site, let me know what you think.
The downloadable PDFs of the portfolio are only about 65% complete, but the online version and everything else should be good to go.
The framerate on Macs is abysmal unfortunately (works fine on PCs), a problem I've noted in the site's colophon, along with some of the things I hope to have achieved.
-RS
- rsinclair0
Yep, sorry that's it:
- caseyc0
If it's robertsinclair.net I have some comments...
It feels very self-serving, like you are trying to convince yourself and everyone else that you know what youre doing.
I would think anyone coming to this site is going to want to see work before anything else with minimal fuss. Not a bunch of hot air and name dropping with little focus on any actual work.
Once you dig in it is nice, I like the portfolio interface (except for the dropdown) why is it needed when there is so much empty space in that box? For that matter it doesnt even work correctly, it just stays open when clicked unless you select a cat.
Overall this site confuses me, it feels all over the place. I think it is the wrong direction if you are looking for art direction & design work. It looks nice and has some bells and whistles but I think they get in the way if you are not selling yourself as a flash guy.
I think you should have done it in HTML with a little flash for the portfolio. Oh and btw, every html site does not have to be an "all-XHTML/CSS site that validates to the latest standards"
Hope that didnt sound too mean, just trying to be constructive.
- toe_knee0
site is ordinary, the work is extrodinary.
Why use flash.. why link to pdfs? Seems a bit lazy and doesnt sell your obvious talent
- toe_knee0
sorry, didnt see the drop down. I'd ditch the pdf links on the homepage. the pdfs themselves are well laid out but that section is more prominant that the drop down.
- dobisf0
yea, it seems like you're trying to sell too much. the quote on the right, I mean, come on.
Some work is a lot better than other stuff. I'd lose the dated stuff.
And, it feels like a little bit of a wall between your work and yourself. I'd want to see more personality in it.
- alexis0
it looks corporate.. which is what you want, i assume. in that case, it works. but i must say i can't be bothered to read through all the quotes and ego blurbs. i want more proof of your visual design abilities. Right now it just looks like you're trying to hide them which makes me think maybe you aren't as good as you say you are. then again, i'm a visual designer so i'm a little biased.
- tehgee0
i really like it - i know for pharma clients you HAVE to justify everything 800x ;) anyway - mayeb to make all the copy a bit easier to read u could mix in a serif or soemthing... also when u go to zoom in on the logos - they are so much bigger thna the back window - id mayeb just cut down somw of that surrounding white space
r u looking to get your own clients freelance or for a new job?
- rsinclair0
Thanks for the feedback so far.
I've designed the site the way I have for specific reasons, but to address some of the comments:
* I intentionally didn't want to "over-do" the design of the site/interface. Overdesigned sites bug me when content is supposed to be what people come for. If it looks "corporate" or "ordinary", that's purposeful. I'm not selling myself as a website designer per se, and I don't want the site to overshadow the work. In other words, I'm perfectly fine if the site feels a little "boring".
* My online portfolio is probably the only place in the world where I'm entitled to be a LITTLE self-serving. I mean, come on :) While the content may be considered self-serving depending on your perspective, I think heavy-handed animations and loud soundtracks proclaiming the company to be the future of design a lot more guilty. I wanted to establish up front and quickly that I have A) I've been doing this for awhile, and I've worked with clients people might recognize and respect, and B) I've worked with people who vouch for my approach and results. These points are made immediately and you're past them once you click to the portfolio.
* This site is primarily designed as an online resume for Creative Directors to review, for the purpose of gaining employment, not one-off freelance projects, hence the up-front "horn-blowing" text and quotes/references.
* The dropdown menu is provided to choose 1 of 3 ways to browse the portfolio (by Project, Client or Industry.) I expect most people to use it once during a visit and that's it, depending on how they want to see the work.
* Not sure what one poster meant by the site being "all over the place." Seemed pretty straightforward to me. Some up front info, then the rest is organized portfolio.
* I did it in Flash instead of pure HTML (valid or not) because I'm not an HTML coder (whether this site would be simple for YOU to program or not) and Flash was the tool that I knew, and could use to put together what I wanted. I didn't want to fumble through code or Dreamweaver to put together something passable, knowing I would have to make compromises.
* I agree that the PDFs and pulldown menu should be switched in visual priority, but that's the way it turned out in the design. To help draw the eye to the pulldown on first visit I used a quick visual glint to draw attention to the area, and positioned it in the top/left of the page where the eye begins reading.. I considered removing the PDFs entirely and replacing that section with a randomly selected "Featured Project", which I'll continue to consider if feedback tends toward that, but right now I just wanted to get something online.
* One response alluded to removing the "dated stuff." Can you be more specific? I know some projects have dates mentioned if you look really, really close, but otherwise are there some pieces that just stand out as being really old for some reason?
* I don't expect much time to be spent on the homepage. And aside from that content the entire rest of the site (the other 90%) is all portfolio, so once people click past the homepage, all the rest is nothing but the visual work. This, again, was purposeful.. so I don't have extra pages of other stuff like a separate area for Contact or my "process". Anything you'd ever have to read is on the home page, once you're past that it's all portfolio stuff.
Thanks again for your review, would love to hear more (even, you know, something positive :) )
-RS
- rsinclair0
Which copy is hard to read? I tried to use a balanced mix of legible serif and sans-serif faces throughout. Is there a certain section of the site using a sans-serif currently that's hard to read?
I did put a judicious amount of white space around the zoomed-in logos... just a habit of allowing a comfortable amount of clearspace around marks so they don't feel too confined visually.
-RS
- san_lee0
+
I like it and your work is great.-
the dropdown is a little confusing...it stays open
- ScottTheRobot0
I'm using a G4 Powerbook, and most of the flash animation runs pretty slowly.
I think all the navigation options is pretty confusing. It's hard to understand the drop down thing.
I'd work on the heirarchy of that area if you are going to keep the drop down menu, because the "View Portfolio By" part is definately the second read, so it's hard to understand what the menu is even about. Furthermore, it should disappear when you take the mouse away- why else would it be a drop down menu.
And the PDFs being right in front is confusing too. I clicked right on Logos when I came into the site and got pissed off because I had to wait for Adobe Reader to load.
And, yeah- I agree with everyone else that the colophon and quotes and such are a bit much.
I'd simplify and give people an easier time to just see your work.
- fresnobob0
I would have immediatley closed my browser after first viewing your site had I not been viewing it in the interest of critique. It is boring. None of your moving highlights or any othre of you little tricks are working. And it does feel a bit dated, specificlly 90's web boom style design, (Which is what it is?) Its not uninfored design, but because it never rises above mediocrity, I don't want to look at it. Make it more interesting and try to spice things up a bit in your woork too. I know I'm basically trashing your work, but why settle for mediocrity? Get with it and think up some amazing ideas coupled with some amazing form to make some amazing graphic design.
- tehgee0
i dont think its hard to read as it is overwhelming - all the text is kind of the same size and weight in importance.. i kind of dont know where to look esp on that homepage
- schjetne0
fucking annoying bleep sounds.
- STB0
As a creative director I will tell you that I'm not wasting my time opening PDFs until I see your work first. I think the PDFs on the home page is not a good idea. I want to see your work on the site.
I would have started your site on the project type page. get right to the work. If I like what I see then I will open your PDFs to explore furthur.
You have good work with an impressive client list, exploit that!
- tenpointtwo0
Hey man-
I agree with what some people have said about the PDFs on the homepage. I thought that was the only way you were showing your work. The only reason I investigated further was because I'm criting it. I think the drop-down is the wrong way to go, honestly. I read your defense of your choices, but if you had it all figured out, there was really no reason to ask for a crit. Take the advice and ditch the drop-down. Design a functional nav- you have the space.The work itself is great. I don't think there's anything wrong with the way you've set up the site. It's an online resume for you. It doens't have much personality- but that's ok. Straightforward is the way to get certain clients. I would be careful about how you represent yourself though, simply because the site look corportate, and gives the impression that you are a firm. I know it's not stated anywhere that you are a firm, but the site is given that treatment. I think the reason people are coming down on your style is because a freelancer posing as a firm is kinda lame.
Also- did you really trademark that phrase, "The Meaning is the Message"? Just wondering.
Overall- extremely decent.
- jevad0
tight
pdf's are annoying
what everyone else said