Looking for the "pros" opinion on layout

Scotalia · Mar 14th, 2008, 16:01

Hello all!

I'd like to start by saying I have only been a member of this site for maybe 2 weeks. But in that time, I think I've learned more about how to fix problems on my sites than over the past 3 years of playing around myself. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!

That being said, I still lack a certain amount of confidence as I am still relatively new to web design and have never used html or css outside of a "sometimes hobby" situation. I currently have 3 live websites under my belt, although they are each in a different state of "completeness". With my new found skills (thanks to this forum) I will be revamping each of them in the very near future. Right now my focus is on an updated www.middlechambersociety.com site.

As I am waiting for content to be delivered to me so I can "plug" it in to the appropriate sections of my newly developed layout, I have had the past 3 days to "play around" with designing a Web Design Freelance site. It's still a work in progress, but would love to get feedback from people who are not friends and family, as I never know if they are just trying to appease me

The "site" as is is located nested in one of the other sites I have designed until my domain name "clears". Please view it at :

http://www.queencitycgfox.com/new_cwd/cwd.html

If you don't mind, criticsm and feedback would be wonderful from pros and newbies (like me) alike. I really feel I would like to move forward and try to make a living designing and developing websites for others, but not sure I have what it takes to do so professionally. Any comments would be VERY much appreciated. Please be honest - I can take it...I hope.

Thanks in advance,

Craig

CloudedVision · Mar 14th, 2008, 16:31

the black and white really give it too much contrast. Maybe some color also?

dab42pat · Mar 14th, 2008, 16:35

One thing I would start with is probably adding a third color, at the moment it is a bit boring to be honest.

play around with the below colors, just to zest it up a bit

welshstew · Mar 14th, 2008, 18:00

I agree with dab, i feel like i'm looking at a chess board. It needs a bit more life in it than at present.

check out the colour tools in this stickie: Help me choose the right colors for my website and then living it up a bit.

From a code point of view, very well done. Not sure you need it to be xhtml, I'm sure html strict would be fine for a site like this. Which ever one you decide to use, make sure you validate your code against the WCGA tools.

What browser do you use? a couple of good little tools for you:
firefox web developer toolbar
internet explorer dev toolbar

As a customer I would be looking to see the quality of your work striaght away, so maybe a little gallery of your last three sites on the home page would be useful.

Scotalia · Mar 14th, 2008, 18:19

Thanks for the feedback guys/girls. I will look into adding a splash of color.

Welsh: The Puzzle Piecs along the bottom will "eventually" be puzzle-piece-shaped screenshots/links of/to my previous websites - they will also be in color...but at the moment I am struggling to "cut" them out using my puzzle-piece .gif. I have a friend helping me over the weekend though, so until then thanks again for the feedback.

Craig