Feedback?

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I've been working on an interface for my website. I've been dragging my feet about it and been doing more of the ASP end then the design aspect so nothing is finished. But I would like the 'art-full' people here to give me some pointers. I'm not going to upload this to a host yet because it would be a real waste of my time (seeing as how only some of the ASP is even done!) and likely anyoneelses involved.

So I have .jpgs of what it looks like on my extranet!

The first is an up close view seen in low-resolution and slightly resized for d/u users. It's an up close to see the faults view.

I looks somewhat washed out because of both the .jpg quality and the fact that it is not actually scale... it would apprear larger at 800x600 (which is basically the size of the picture).

The next it a pulled away view at my default resolution of 1600x1200 and sized way down to 800 in width and whatever in lenth. This gives you a full on view of it - albeit small - it's full.

I like it personally - thought there is still much that needs to be done. This isn't character art, nor is it much anything to do with rendering but I like to think a good interface is as much art as the drawings and renderings seen here, not to mention style has to go into it. What do you think?

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[Kidnemo]

Not bad.

A couple of things I'd personally change:

-the buttons in the left navigation. Looks hokey. The text looks out of place and to big for the buttons they are on. Also, try doing something other than beveling the buttons. Any time I see bevels I think "ugh...cheese photoshop filters". Maybe try using some non-antialiased pixel fonts. If you want more info let me know.

-the header on the right side. The header as a whole looks good, but the way it ends on the right side doesn't. Maybe try making the header continue the entire length of the browswer window, or maybe just have it fade into the blue instead of those bars.

Those are the two big issues that I noticed right away. You might also try "spicing" up the content area with some little images for the headers or something.

But yea, overall you're headed in the right direction I think.

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I like the vertical bars on the header personally. I think it serves better than a blend or gradient. Buttons are always a muss for me :/ I don't like bevels anymore than the next man, but I needed (I felt) to give them definition from the BG that they're on. I'll try something other than the beveled buttons in anycase. The whole right side of the website isn't done yet. There's also a footer that you're not seeing.

The page actually does span the entire browser, but since you cant see the browser from the snapshot (I trimed it off)it's admitedly hard to tell. Actually.. take that back... it spans 95% of the screen and is left justified. The powerd by Phonoscope part is nixed tho. Since the site will be an affiliate to TNL a TNL logo (of sorts, I don't know what) will reside in it's place. The main body field won't strech so long in width when eveythings done and there will likely be a manner of fadein/out with the text feild bars (but that's going to be part of my ASP magics).

About the fonts: what do you suggest. I find either Arial or Tahoma to be a cure-all for any basic font needs while Usuzi is the main 'style' font'. Usuzi stays, but for the text and the buttons - what do you suggest?

Thanks for the feedback - I'm going to be working very dilligently on this for a few days while dicking around with a new TNL main page.

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[edit]actually - i think I will blend the header. I still like the bars somewhat - but the blending is looking aight.

[Kidnemo]

You could do something where you still have the outlining of the bars, but the header still kinda fades out behind it.

Do a search on google for "pixel fonts" and see if you find anything. They just make stuff so much cleaner and concise that I swear by them.

Take a look at the navigation on top here:

http://www.moreevolved.com

Thats an 8px pixel font called "Standard56" (I'll check my template for that page) I believe, and I loooove how it works out on that page.

You could also try arial with the aliasing set to "none" to get a basic idea idea of how it might look.

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I see. I looked at your site a few minutes ago because I remembered that it was pretty good for what it needs to do.

The bars are out. It looks out and out better without them. I'm conjureing up ideas (that are mine own) for the navigation. Currently, I look at it and I don't think it's too bad even though bevels are a small step below lens flares. I don't want to over state the navigation very simply. I think I can make due with them for now, though the suggestion is definitly noted. I know for sure that anyone who asks me to design something for them always asks for no bevels (i do use satin and inner bevel for certian rare effects though, and I like the results in lew of the style I go for).

I'll set the font to no ailiasing right now tho - I'll post more pictures in a bit.

I might sleep too though.

[Kidnemo]

Word.

Good luck!