Preserved Topic: Critique new logo and interface please

Please have a look at the beginnings of my new site. So far I have only designed the logo and the interface. I have not sliced them up or added any rollovers yet. I would be very interested to get some feedback on the designs (good and bad)
http://www.asdesigned.i12.com/testing

Thanks for your time

Just a quick thing, and a little negative, but nothing major. I don't like the lens flare on your large button. I am just not fond of lens flares in general, and I don't think they add to a 3d shape. A blurred white oval would give the same effect without the ugly rings the flare makes.

I like the logo....I am not all that crazy about the interface...tho I really dont know why. Its clean and it has good color. I do agree tho about the lens flare.

I see ppl all the time use a lens flare for a hilight...and I just dont think it looks good.

All in all you have done some nice work. <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif">

-- CarltonCig --

I really like the main logo's design. The textures are also very sharp.

Critiques:

I agree that the lens flare might be a bit much. It seems to imply that I'm looking at a website through a camera. Perhaps a very faint reflection map might be better?

The shadow on the main logo is hard to distinguish from the dark edge of the 'plastic'. Maybe a softer shadow?

The navbar doesn't seem to have any shadow to it's left, even though the light is clearly from the upper-right.

The text on the navbar seems a little 'fuzzy' to me.

I also like the logo, it has an interesting shape to it, and its pleasing to look at. I think the interface flattens at the edges to much, if you know what I mean. I think the 3d effect should only go so far into it, to make it look raised, not rounded all the way through. Possibly more of a drop shadow too.

Btw Das, that was your first post there, you should introduce yourself so you can get welcomed warmly to the Asylum! Btw, Welcome to the Asylum Das!

- Dan -

Okay, thanks people. I get the message about the lens flare. I will remove it ASAP. Also thanks for pointing out about the drop shadow on the interface, I made a mistake and set the shadow from the wrong side.
These problems will be rectified. Thanks for the help.

Actually, I don't mind the lens flare. Better than nothing - if you remove it, at least replace it with some sort of bright circle, so that it still looks shiney.

Looks pretty good, 'cept I really dont like the soft kind of look. Not sure if it appeals to ya, but you could try defining the edges more and making it look sharper. Other than that, you need to smoothen a few edges like on the navigation bar. That's about all I can think of. Great work <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif">

-eviltoylet-
AIM: EviLToYLeT
www.eviltoylet.com

I like the site, but the navigation bar doesn't look like it's inset into the page, probably because the white is a bit too bright.. try toning it down more to match the color of the page. Also, you might consider sharpening the edges and everything because it looks too fuzzy.... you need some edge definition. <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif">

-eviltoylet-
AIM: EviLToYLeT
www.eviltoylet.com

I have changed the site contained in my testing area, so eviltoylet has probably critiqued THETRIXTER site which I was playing around with before going on holiday.
If that is the case then could you be a bit more specific about the edge definition comment, I don't really understand.



[This message has been edited by TheTrixter (edited 06-08-2000).]

The edges of the bar look too soft... kind of clashes.

-eviltoylet-
AIM: EviLToYLeT
www.eviltoylet.com

I think I see what he's talking about. The outside edges of the buttons look blurry. I keep checking my glasses to see why it's out of focus <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif">
It looks like you might have blurred the highlights but not trimmed the result to get the crisp edges back.

What happened to the interface you originally posted about? I liked it.

cool logo, boring interface, sorry but the pill has been done too many times... good sense of color though...

Yeah, my only real criticism -- too fuzzy, and a boring shape. Doesn't mean it's not good, just a little boring. All in all pretty good work though.

Thanks for the kind words DAS, the original interface has moved to www.asdesigned.i12.com and will be in use in the next few weeks.

Netmosis, your right about the pill bar, now I look at it it does look blurred. I know its been done before but I just wanted to try doing one with the skills learned in Photoshop from this cool forum. I'm sure I'll change it a dozen times before I am happy with it. I don't seem to have any time to do any work on my site at the moment, all my time is spent looking after our 10 month old baby. Any advice on teething problems here or is this the wrong forum (grins sarcastically)

those teething rings that are filled with water that you put in the freezer -- definately a good thing!! Infants Orajel is nice too <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/wink.gif">

Cheers DL44, this forum really does cover everything <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif">

As a mom to a 2 year old, try putting teething stuff in the fridge instead of the freezer. Frozen is too cold for fragile baby gums, but the chill from the fridge will help with the pain. Also, you can never have too many tubes of teething gel around the house.
Just another opinion!

hey! Welcome to the Asylum Becky.
I really don't know to much about this teething ring stuff, so I'm going to quit now, before I make myself look like an idiot.

- Dan -

Thanks for the welcome, Dan. I was going to reply over the weekend, but my computer "needed" some "fixing up". Now I have a case number with Apple, and have to surf from work. I am such a moron! <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/redface.gif">

BTW, I have been using Photoshop 5.5 for almost two years. Mostly for retouching photos for reprinting.

Welcome to the asylum Becky, its great here as I am finding out more and more. Thanks for the advice. Will we get the chance to see any of your work on this forum?

I really don't do graphic work. I can't even come up with something clever for a signature or username. <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/confused.gif"> Yet. But when I get my home comupter up and running, again, I will try to do something creative. Right now I either take an extra person out of a photo, add some hair or something that has been cut out of an old photo, or fix really bad scratches or fold lines. It sounds kind of boring, but I enjoy it.

Having been in the photography printing business for 10 years, getting to do photos digitally is fun for me.

HeyBecky, there is nothing wrong with digital photography. I did a spot of that about a year ago, and I found it quite relaxing removing old scratches etc. Do you do black and white or colour? I found black and white a lot easier.

I work on both color and black & white. But I like the old photos better. Like the ones from around the 1900's. They tell such a story.

It's not that I wouldn't like to do design work. It's just that I am not any good at it. Unfortulately. <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif"> I must admit I do get a little jealous looking that the stuff you guys do and realize that I can't do it too. But I will keep trying. I am trying to come up with something for a signature, and I just might let you all take a look at it, but ONLY if you PROMISE to be nice to me. After all, I am a girl and I WILL cry! <img border=0 align=absmiddle src="http://www.ozones.com/forum/biggrin.gif">

Hah - funny. =) Why not try to work some of those photos you've worked on into it, when you get started? Take what you're already good at and run with it.

Trixter, i was looking at your AS design page, so...

I did not like that the page background scrolled, make the BG fixed, and that will make it more to my fancy... but that is just my oppinion. Your deal.


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