Latest critique
Active forum topics
On Demand Videos
Photoshop: From Ho-hum to Wow!
You can use Photoshop to bring out the magic of photos that are muddy, soft, or blandly composed.
watch a preview
On Demand Videos: Video tutorials for advertising pros and designers providing tools and information you can trust — and use — on your very next project. Subscribe today!
Creativebits recommends
...but my only problem is with the aqua navigation buttons. They are too commonly used and slightly cliche even. I understand that it fits with the site's subject, since it's mostly Mac stuff, but I know you can come up with more clever ideas.
Other than that, everything looks great. I love the black because it is always so much easier to read on black.
CalvinCarl.com
CalvinRossCarl.com
...I don't like it. Too much shadows, inner shadows, etc. and fancy Photoshop Blending Options give it a very unprofessional look. The titles for blocks are especially ugly (sorry). The reason why the current design works so well is because it is simple, and being simple is not a bad thing. Adding bells and whistles to an already functional design just kills it.
Furthermore, the tabs at the bottom aren't good. Sometimes staying at simple links is betting than adding fancy bevels and stuff...In my opinion.
The current design is really good, so maybe you should just stick with that...
Ivan, I LOVE the color scheme, to the point where I'm like damn, that;s slick. wish my site had that. However, tabs are completely played out in my opininon. Ever since amazon, they have been beaten to death. That being said I am ALL about something hyper clean.
_________________________________________________
Let's go a little deeper.
Joshua Aronoff
email:
http://www.josharonoff.com
Nothing would be more user-friendly than keeping the current layout...
I really like it, but I do feel it would be better without the shadows and the things like outling the inputs and beveling the submit box etc. I do feel a more polished / gloss / aqua look would be nice in places (like you used on the poll, and perhaps for the grey tabs on the boxes, and a submit button would be nice).
I like the overall style, and layout, I just feel that the shadows spoil it in this mockup.
Re: Navigation, yes the tabs have been used a lot for mac targeted audiences, but I still feel they are a good usable button that work nicely :)
Great work ivan,
__
Goo
for external links, would it be a good idea to have a small icon next to the link (like on Wikipedia : Example ) .
could be nice to have that incorporated for a usability feature, and I saw somewhere (could be in the CB forums somewhere) , a script that assigns icons to links depending on the link type, e.g - a pdf icon next to a .pdf link etc .
__
Goo
What I Like
What I Don't Like
I think the site would benefit a refresh but think this design is a little over designed IMHO.
The panel headers (left & right) are to prominent.
The tabbed nav isn't particularly elegant.
I think a home tab is unnecessary as a link on the logo works fine as is universally understood
The logo looks much better without shading.
New login button is too harsh.
Search panel shape is great but a bit floaty in it's current position.
Hope you don't mind but here are some of my alterations
http://homepage.mac.com/mijlee/NT/cb_2.jpg
----------------------
http://mijlee.com
----------------------
I like the idea of a redesign and sort of the feel of your new idea. However, it feels as if it is too involved and tiring to the eye.
Maybe, you could get rid of some of the extra eye candy? (mijlee's ideas...)
--
Every conception is an equation of unequal things. - Nietzsche
I think the "tabbed interface" is a great way to navigate throught the site...we use it daily with Safari or Firefox - it's intuitive (oh...not to mention on apple's website as well!).
TITLE BLOCKS: I would follow mijlee example for the title block - but I would keep the rounded corner to give a "uniform" look to the site.
TABBED NAV: use the same "finish" on the unselected tabs that is used for the title blocks on mijlee's example(black glossy look).
I like the current design much better than that, but if you must, at least don't use BLACK... the dark grey in use now is easier on the eye IMHO.
I'll rethink the layout based on your comments and will post a new version.
Some quick opinions from me.. Will be writing more when I get back home in the beginning of next week.
1. Aqua menu, aqua style background of each blocks gotta go.. it's really ugly, sorry Ivan but I don't know what you were thinking of there for a moment.. It's antique, bad and they don't look good!
2. Black background for the main content looks really bad, I belive that the dark grey we have atm is better for the eyes and also is something that is a part of the CB style..
I've always thought that an icon based menu like the OS X dock would be awsome on Creativebits with icons made in cool CB grey style (Hint: Afterglow)..
the tabs(the blue ones), the little images on the lists and the search buton. the rest is awesome.
//Static
I think the current design is good. I would even simplify it more. I have found that simpler lasts longer. In any case I will keep being a member. Good luck with V3
mokenke