Experimenting with a new portfolio design
I spent last night and today experimenting with a new portfolio design — one I think is better suited to my personal design tastes.
The starting point for the coding was this two-column CSS template courtesy of Roger Johannson, and the goal of my design is to place emphasis on the portfolio work (at the time of writing, contextual imagery for design projects hasn’t been added).
The eventual plan is to incorporate the new design into my blog here, and I might need to hire someone more proficient with coding. Either that, or simply link my portfolio tab on the blog over to my .co.uk.
The new logotype may very well change, too. I’m undecided.
I’m always interested to know what you think, so if you have any thoughts, negative or positive, please do leave a comment.
You can see what I’ve come up with on the .co.uk extension of my domain name: davidairey.co.uk.
Related posts
98 appreciated comments on “Experimenting with a new portfolio design”
Anything to add?
All comments are moderated so you may experience a short delay before yours appears. Comments should be respectful of other voices in the discussion, and I reserve the right to edit or delete comments at my discretion.
Please use your real name. Keywords will be removed.
I have to say I’m not a huge fan. It feels a bit too much like a generic template, although I am all for the left-alignment.
I like it’s simplicity David.
Have you tried centering it in the browser though? In my personal opinion I think it would look better in the centre.
Agree with Paul here, prefer what you’ve got going on here. Looks very generic.
A friend pointed me to your Twitter feed, and I have been following for a couple weeks. My initial reading of your current website was that it is very monochromatic — the visual tension mostly comes from carefully adjusted negative space, and the small bits of orange are the only color. The new design is even airier (no pun intended, I promise), but more monochromatic still, and it needs a little more detail than the italic subheadings to provide visual contrast.
I do really love the large open space for your portfolio images — I like it better than the narrowish central column.
(and I’m working on my own portfolio comps right now, so thinking in this way is really helpful!)
I like where it’s going. I think the format could be strengthened quite a bit without the navigation bar that runs across the two columns. The simplicity of the lefthand column and the content column would work well in that case.
If you want to keep the navigation bar, or don’t like other options for displaying that content, I’d suggest aligning the ‘elsewhere’ content with the left edge of the content column to strengthen the grid. In which case, you might be able to ditch the rules above and below the nav.
Just a couple thoughts for you.
I like it, although I’d swap the columns around with the work on the left. It would seem to fit better to me that way, but that’s just an opinion (which you asked for :-))
I like that it’s a portfolio. You have great work and it’s hard to find. A photo portfolio is a good idea.
And this is indeed good enough.
But not great.
Your work is great – I think you’d be better served with a better portfolio template. I wish I had suggestions. I’m not sure what you tried. The ones suggested in Smashing Magazines 100 free templates aren’t supported by their authors anymore. Sorry.
I liked the simplicity of it. Very nice and clean with focus squarely on the content rather than everything surrounding the content.
Might look better centralised for people with bigger resolutions.
Not a fan either. It’s too plain. It definitely looks like a generic template. You should add your personality to it, this could be anybody’s portfolio.
The links should be styled more, for usabilty purposes and especially when there is so little content.
Also why the hate for colors? You did away with what little color is here on the blog.
I understand the need to emphasize your work but with most logs being presented without colors you risk ending up with a totally black and white site.
For an evening and a night’s work I think you’re off to a great start David.
I think this new route looks more like a graphic designer’s website as opposed to a blog. A monochromatic colour palette is always good, in my opinion.
Not sure about the shot of Arthur’s Seat as the first thing you see when you arrive – if it’s just for placement then I apologise – but I think something more graphic would sit better; possibly a nice shot of some of your work or even a nice piece of typography stating a mission statement/introduction/ethos type thing?
The new logo type is quite nice too though compressed typefaces aren’t something I feel drawn to for some reason. It’s personal preference I guess.
Georgia is a nice choice too.
I’d align all the text on the left though i.e. no indenting.
But like I said, for a few hours work you’re off to a flyer. Can totally see where you’re wanting to take this.
Everyones portfolio looks like this right now. Not a bad thing, just an observation.
I like the simplicity of it. The larger image definitely will put your work as the focal point. You can probably due without the intro copy on the top-left corner since that copy will most likely be located on the homepage or about page.
I am always of the belief that a designers work should speak for itself so simplicity is always a good thing, however this design is a too simple and feels unfinished. There’s also something about that script font that doesn’t communicate professionalism to me, as most script fonts seem to portray in an inappropriate setting. I really think you should keep your current identity and integrate it into the new layout.
I like where it’s going but it’s definitely not there yet.
I’m not a huge fan of the Typography on the site. The main logo looks rather pixelated to me. The main navigation shouldn’t be italicized in my opinion.
The images of the different logos should be shorter so you can get both above the fold and possibly the text as well.
I’d also like to see some nice Javascript animations for the portfolio, but again thats just personal preference.
Thanks for the comments, folks.
Paul, Michael, Jaina, what I like about the left-alignment is that what content there is gets anchored to the top and left, as opposed to only the top. I think it’s important with so much white space.
Ari, I liked the pun, actually. The larger image space was one of the main reasons for redesigning. Here on my blog it’s just 460px in width, bordered closely by two columns. On the new design there’s 650px for images, bordered with plenty of space. Good luck with your own portfolio design!
Stefan, that’s an interesting suggestion (aligning the ‘Elsewhere’ with the left of the main column). I’ll try that, thanks.
Ian, I did indeed ask, and although my preference is for the columns in their current positions, I do appreciate your thoughts.
Claudia, Alphonse, my aim was to steer clear of templates. I realise the simplicity of the design will probably draw comparisons, but it’s this simplicity that I aim to achieve with my identity design work, and that’s why I believe it fits well. No need to apologise, though.
Andrea, I’ll definitely style the links more, and it’s not that I hate colour, just that I want the focus on the images I use. When I’ve uploaded examples of my logos in context there’ll be more colour, definitely.
Martin, thanks for that. I’ve switched the imagery around so the first one you see is of my book. More appropriate than Arthur’s Seat? Hopefully not too “in your face.” I’ve just removed the indent on the sidebar list, too, and agree that it looks better.
Marko, you make a good observation with the intro copy, but if you search for “David Airey” using Google.co.uk, the main result is my .co.uk domain, so for that reason I think it’s best to keep it. Good point, though.
Amanda, that’s curious how you find using the Georgia font unprofessional. My thinking was it’d give a nice opposition to the sans-serif logotype (plus, I love the lower-case ‘f’ when italicized — as shown in the ‘Portfolio’ heading).
My current identity has served me well these past few years, and although designers will say they’re never fully satisfied with their own logo, I think I’ve outgrown it.
Thanks again, everyone.
What I like about this direction David is that your page design just gets out of the way. Portfolio pieces will introduce a myriad of different styles with each page. If you over design the template, it will create a visual discord with some of the pieces you display.
I like the simplicity, lots of breathing space for your work.
You could maybe do with a ‘Home’ / ‘Portfolio’ link – not everyone will think to click the logo. I’d also make the ‘elsewhere’ links less prominent than the main nav – maybe a grey colour (depends on your priorities of course).
Personally (as a designer), I’d be tempted to add more graphical elements, rather than relying on CSS for the type etc. Just something subtle; maybe a touch of colour with an icon next to the logotype, custom text in places, or in the navbar. Seems a bit plain.
Cheers David. Just to clarify I felt that the shot of Arthur’s Seat was perhaps not appropriate subject-wise (no reason why it couldn’t appear in a landscape photography area). The suggestion of using project photography was as an alternative. It needn’t be your book (though no reason why not) but could be your work in general. Maybe the latest piece is displayed there? Or there could be (programming permitting) a selection of several project shots, one of which appears with every new homepage click (if you get what I mean by that)?
Simplicity is key as you’ve said. And Georgia is the way forward!
Yea, I have a natural distaste for italics and script fonts in general, especially for title names. It just feels a little fluffy for such a stronger designer as yourself. Although I do agree it’s a nice opposition to the sans-serif, an italic font from another family might be a better fit. Thanks for the response! :) It’s nice to have the dialogue.
David,
I like the simplicity of the site – I think it will eliminate some of the distraction that is present on this site (so much good information, so little space!)…though I love what you have here as well.
I agree that a splash of color would be very nice in the new portfolio. It might also be a way to appeal to potential clients who may be unsure about a purely black/white presentation. Perhaps the images go to color when you hover over them?
Also, I don’t mind the Georgia font choice, as someone commented on earlier. Though, staying with the sans serif look throughout would be fine too. I think you could provide contrast between the logotype and the rest of the site in a creative and effective way.
Anyway, you have a good start. I look forward to seeing the progression!
The new layout has certainly brought new life to the images. I like seeing the logo’s larger too.
Just one thing I didnt like is that the about me text as though someone else has written it for you but I’m guessing you wrote it yourself. Rather that saying ‘David is..’ I would have thought you would have put ‘I’.
Other than that, I love it.
Hi David. I’m relatively new to your site and was just getting used to the layout. I like the new one, though, also your new logo. I think a little color would be good and the “Elsewhere” seems out of place. Just my thoughts.
Hi there, I like the clean layout, though the whole thing could use some SEO. Send me a mail if you would like some easy tips.
Cheers
looks like an indexhibit version. well thats not a bad thing, I like it. I like simplicity and black n white.
David, there are alternatives to a redesign. For example, if you visit Pauls Rand’s website you can click on an image and enlarge it. I believe this uses javascript, you could easily achieve this on your current website, and just add a little “Click to enlarge” below your current images.
Marty
Thanks for your opinions, Daryl, Camille, Grace.
Chris, good point about the ‘home’ link. As for a touch of colour (outwith what I’ll include in the images) that’s something I’m undecided on, and might yet go with a splash. Cheers.
Martin, you’re right about the photography, and how the homepage should show something specifically design-related. A few smaller thumbnails is definitely possible for the homepage. Not so easy for me to code (being a newb) but definitely possible.
Amanda, it was a choice between Georgia or Helvetica for the body text, and the call was/is a tough one.
Tony, that’s another good point (writing in third-person). I was wondering if it came across as pompous, and I’ll probably change it to a more personal first-person. Thank you.
Wouter, that’s kind of you to offer. Sending an email now.
Simon, I tested indexhibit a while back actually, but found the coding difficult to grasp. I also gave Cargo Collective a shot, but it’s much more preferable to generate the code myself, plus, with Cargo you can’t use your own hosting (and so are reliant on its server).
Marty, thanks for the suggestion. My opinion is that’s it’s better to offer a larger image from the outset, rather than have visitors click to enlarge, click to close, click to move to the next design, click to enlarge, click to close, etc.
Simple, well laid out and it puts the focus on the projects instead of the shell design of the website (I always prefer this to the over-designed portfolio sites that are so popular these days). I think it is comfortable being aligned left, and you’ve used plenty of padding so that it doesn’t feel squished.
I agree that it’s best to just display the largest image you have available instead of “click to enlarge.” (People almost always want to see a larger version, so why make them go through that extra step?)
One thing I might change is the “Elsewhere” links. I would put them at the bottom (in the same double rule bar) so that it doesn’t look like main navigation. That would frame the content nicely as well.
David, I love the idea of a simplified layout for your portfolio. I think the typography and spacing could use tweaking to really make the layout stand alone as a good composition.
I was just reading Smashing Magazine’s article on using mathematics in web design, and they have some great examples of simple layouts that are beautiful just in the relationships between the typography and layout elements.
I think keeping this in mind could really strengthen the concept you have.
It looks really boring and standard. Nothing fantastic.
Hey… Well, I am definitely a big fan of serif fonts, so I like that aspect of the design. I also enjoy monochrome in the right hands. (And yes, I mean yours!) But I feel that possibly you may have erred a bit on the side of simplicity. I know that’s probably going against every graphic design precept in the book, but that’s my hapennyworth for you. The design is sooooo pared down that it doesn’t have any real focus, anything to pull the viewer in. Maybe a larger logo and/or some larger typographic elements might help? I would also suggest that maybe the horizontal nav bar might be better in bold rather than italics. It would look stronger… and although I hate to resort to cheap stereotypes, italics often feel feminine imho – and you don’t seem like the girly type to me. ;) These peeves aside, I do think you could be on the road to a very splendid final product, so keep us posted with your progress, won’t you?
One final thought when it comes to branding yourself: don’t go too bland in an attempt to be all things to all clients. Decide who you are and don’t be afraid to flaunt it!
Hi David, I like the orange in your site now. I like simple and monochrome, but a hint of color might be good especially when viewing a page with the logo and everything is black and white. I like that you have the links to your works right away and not nested in a “portfolio” link, but I’m not a big fan of the italic nav.
I actually really like what you do now in your portfolio where you show the design process and application. Maybe you can add that into your new portfolio but have the other images smaller underneath the big image.
I like the big beautiful images, and I think the one of your book on page load is great. However, I’m not so sure about the scenery ones though. They look nice but they look like stock photography to me. I would rather see photos you took yourself. Even if its of the same thing, personally, I rather see the designer’s name in the credit.
overall it’s pretty plain, but I guess that’s what you’re going for.
What I like most about that design is the confidence it conveys. It might not be as flash as this current template, but the focus is on the areas of priority – your portfolio. Minimal designs are always a risk and takes ‘balls’ to put them out there, but when done right they can really do well.
Have you got a TypeKit account? http://typekit.com/
I think the main thing that could make a significant improvement would be the inclusion of TypeKit and some stunning fonts from their font libraries. I have a TypeKit account and I have had a lot of fun with it on my site and gave me a whole new inspiration for type on the web!
I rather like the simplicity of it, but it does look too much like a template – perhaps you need to personalise it more, maybe in terms of fonts and not underlining the links etc.
What do you think of my tweaked blog (link through name)? I am also in the process of reworking my portfolio website, which will be up soon at that url, and I will separate the blog.
You don’t use your .’da’ symbol. Surely you should incorporate your brand identity – am I missing something? (probably)
Hey Lauren, that’s a nice idea with the ‘elsewhere’ links in a horizontal nav bar at the foot of the page. I’ll give that a shot, thanks, and hope everything’s been great with you lately.
Leighton, looks like an interesting read over on Smashing Magazine. I’ll head back there in the morning when I’ve time to pay attention. Cheers.
Kate, sure, I’ll give a mention when I’ve finished preparing the case studies (lots of images to create). I took your advice and ditched the italics from the horizontal nav links. You weren’t the first to mention it. Thank you.
Andy, there’ll definitely be more info added to the project pages, and good feedback on the scenic shots. Ones that I’ve taken will be a nice improvement (I added a little byline beside the credit link, telling others a personal shot will follow).
Mark M., I don’t have a TypeKit account. Thanks for the suggestion, and for the compliment about the confidence the new design portrays.
Arati, good luck with your portfolio site design. Definitely a good idea to move it from the Blogspot address.
Mark A., I’m not happy with my current logo, hence the thoughts about a redesign. I need to put more into it before settling on something, though.
Hi David
I really like your new design, and also agree its about time to do a brand refresh. Whilst I agree somewhat that the new folio site is a bit boring, I think this one here is a bit cluttered, so if you can find that precious midpoint I think you’d be onto a winner.
Your logo seems pretty outdated and mismatched with your skills. Designing for yourself is a pain as everyone knows – I find working to some sort of self-imposed deadline helps heaps.
Keep up the good work
Ryan
I love the simplicity of it. From the logos you design and the portfolio I have looked through, I agree that this does suit what I think your tastes are. Good job! I love it!
feels somewhat boring and raw/unfinished. don’t particularly like the typography as well. anyway, layout + concept are promising
Hi David
I like it very much. Clean and clear. As many before me have said, it gives your work the attention it deserves. One little detail: underlining words makes it so busy and is a pity of the otherwise so clear and calm look. It disturbes the piece of the site.
(I just received your book, I’m all eager to begin reading it!)
Carolina
Thanks, Ryan, and it’s good to hear from someone in agreement on my current logo.
Carolina, I think you’re right about the underlines. I’ve just removed them, and have also tried Lauren’s suggestion with a footer nav bar (for the ‘elsewhere’ info) — but you probably didn’t see the ‘before’ option live. Do you think removing the link underline has made it more appealing?
Looks nicer, David, though maybe some colour would add to it, maybe a differentiation eg. the page you are on at the moment appears bolder or something.
Yes, much better, David. Could you perhaps make the menu grey – differentiating and giving the left just a little more life without drawing the attention away from the image.
And I would write tunelinks with a T and VISSUMO with small letters, although it doesn’t correspond to the logos. It makes your menu calmer.
Carolina
There is a nice theme I seen recently that uses a nice “sliding panel by Justin Tadlock” plugin. Have a wee look at this one, and click on the menu on the top right – http://s51370.gridserver.com/_newyorknewyork/
I think you could possibly even drop that top menu bar completely if you introduced that wee jQuery slider instead. Wee things like that make the interface a lot more sleek to interact with too.
Have you heard of Cargo Collective David? It has similar layouts to what style you seem to be looking for and a great CMS to boot. Also came across this portfolio layout that I think you will like: http://www.muraterturk.com/
I’m also in the midst of redesigning Just Creative Design (and the portfolio section) so it’s interesting reading peoples comments here. Maybe I should post a screenshot also to get feedback before coding. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.
I like the new minimalist look, and I enjoy the new logo as well! I see many other people have already mentioned it, but it seems a bit too plain, more color or more design elements may help. I also agree that centering the design would be nice, but I understand you’re wanting to be different with it. I think it would help to continue all the navigation lines to the edge of the browser window on both sides. It would make it seem more integrated into the browser, right now it feels very isolated in the one spot. Love the large pictures though, nicely done overall!
Basically you are just removing the third column.Maybe we should call it as a new layout.
Suits the idea of showcasing more of work!.
I like where it’s headed. It actually reminds me a good bit of my own site, in relation to the two column, left navigation, heavy emphasis on the portfolio pieces themselves, elements (and no, I’m not just trying to shamelessly plug my own site). I also like the new logotype (sorry, never been a fan of the current ‘davidairey’ type and ‘da’ logo you use. a little too videogame/techno like for my tastes.
i think you could get by for now with just linking to the new portfolio page, rather than try to “fully” integrate the new look into your blog (once I got used to your blog layout, I have come to quite like it).
David,
I like the simplicity and the utilization of the white space. And last but not the list, your logos are widely recognizable. Great works.
Hi David. to be honest i dont think it fits you. Minimal – yes, but i would try something more….special…more you..i know i know..easy to say :) but i think anything you will come up with will be cool because your works stand up enough..good luck
This kind of simplistic design approach seems to be all the rage right now and as such it looks a bit generic. Nothing stands out in this design as particularly leading or exceptional.
I hope this design trend dies out soon and we see something else with a bit more excitement come into the fold soon.
I think I’m in agreement, Arati. I’ll give it a shot.
Carolina, good call with the ‘tunelinks’ and ‘VISSUMO’ letter cases. Done.
I appreciate the suggestion, Mark. I’m not overly keen on the drop-down nav idea, but thanks for saying.
Jacob, I was chatting earlier in the comment thread with Simon about that, and tried Cargo a week back, but didn’t like how there’s no self-hosted option (a download, as with WordPress, for instance) and how you’re tied into Cargo’s hosting and payment plan.
Shannon, I’d love to try running the horizontal navigation lines right to the edge of the browser (left and right) but I don’t know how to code it. Do you?
Paul, no need to apologise for not liking my old logo. I’ve finally caught up with your way of thinking (or should I say, I’ve finally done something about it). Liking the larger-sized images on your site, too.
Chris, I don’t actually want the design to stand out as leading or exceptional. I want it to be understated, so the focus is on the portfolio entries, with no distractions (such as the two busy content bars either side of the images, seen here on my blog).
Thanks again, everyone.
Hi David
I really like how the new design feels, however I have a major complain. One of the things I love about you website is that you show the design process on every single piece of your portfolio and I don’t see any of that on the new one, I really hope they get there eventually.
Also I would like to see some color there, don’t get me wrong, I love it how it is right now, however a single color here and there may add that extra touch to it.
Also I’m not so sure about the new logo, I mean, I’m not a big fan of your old logo, it’s probably the only one I did not love of all of the logos you have designed, however new one doesn’t feel like much of an improvement, you can do better.
I find it terrifying, and really saddening, that so many ‘designers’ commenting on this site simply cannot get their heads round a monochromatic site. It’s astonishing. Some of the best design agencies in the world have clean, simple and – yes – strictly black and white websites that are subtle and understated, letting the work speak for itself.
It is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a ‘trend’.
I am not saying people are not entitled to their own opinion but for a designer to dislike a website just because it doesn’t have colour is shocking really.
If you want to run them top navigation lines right out to the edge you could make the wrapper box fill the full screen, although that will probably also pull over the main content box then into the middle more. That can be easily fixed though. If you want to experiment with them lines right out to the full screen size, then try change in the CSS…
#wrap {
width:960px;
margin:0;
background:#fff;
}
to…
#wrap {
width:100%;
margin:0;
background:#fff;
}
Enrique, I’ll be adding project explanations as soon as I can. That’s for sure. Thanks.
Martin, I fully agree.
Mark, thanks for the code suggestion. I’ll try that out now, and have no idea why there’s currently a little padding on the left of the horizontals. It suddenly appeared during my construction, but I’m pretty clueless as to why.
If you want to add more padding to the left side of them horizontal menu items do something like this…
CHANGE
#nav li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding:0 15px 0 0;
}
TO
#nav li {
display:inline;
margin:0;
padding-top:0px
padding-right:15px;
padding-bottom:0px
padding-left:15px;
}
Writing it that way lets you see more clearly which sides of the padding you are editing for easier tweaking.
Hi David, I like the revisions you made so far. I think separating the “other” links and moving them to the bottom is a great idea. The top nav use to feel really cluttered. I see that you’ve added a business card shot to Berthier. I like the way that page looks a lot. Maybe that’s all it needs, and not anything more. In fact, I think on that page, the colors in the business card photo is all you need in terms of “adding color” to the page. In this page, the black logo (without the orange) might fit better.
As I’m reading other user’s comments, I’m starting to agree that a simple (maybe generic looking) portfolio site is a good idea. I realize that to showcase your work best, your portfolio shouldn’t be fancy smancy. This post is making me really wanting to redesign my own page (and not with Flash this time). Thanks!
Lastly, I see you are trying to add an orange line to your logo. First impression was that it’s very distracting. Reminds me a little of those optical illusion images. Maybe try having the line underline your name?
I’ve been making some tweaks to my main blog, too, so it ties in nicely with my vision of the portfolio. I’m quite a bit happier already.
Thanks for the extra tip, Mark, but it’s not the menu padding that’s affecting the horizontal lines. It’s almost as if there’s a 5px margin applied to the wrap. Only not one I can find.
Hi Andy, glad you approve of Lauren’s bottom nav idea. I like it, too. As for the Berthier card photo, I’ve used that for the homepage on my blog (where there used to be a “Welcome to the online presence of David Airey” message). I think it’s a nicer ‘opener’, and one that focuses the eye more on the left-hand ‘graphic designer’ heading and links below.
Regarding the logo, I wanted to see how the orange addition looked — a line that moves when the logo is seen in different locations (and a line I can incorporate into other promotional material). Like you, I’m not sure how well it works. I’ll give it another day or so.
Ah yes, I know what it is now!
Add this in to the CSS…
* {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
}
I love it. In particular your logo typeface. Reminds me of Tungsten? I also like the new web site style. It is very open, simple and symmetric.
It seems I’m the only one who misses your old logo, lol.
I’ll be interested to see how the orange line works across a few applications though.
Hi David.
I started writing my comment two days ago, but never got to finish it. Now I see you’ve already applied some helpful suggestions and the new site is looking much better than the initial draft.
A few more suggestions, thoughts:
- how about differentiating the navigation on the left with a slightly different font treatment (either with colour, size or typeface)?
Check out the following sites to get some ideas (not sure how many links you’re allowing in the comment, hope it won’t get marked as a spam ;):
http://www.ioadv.it/english/index.php
http://www.qbrandagency.com/
http://www.eyegix.com/work/landing-hong-kong/
- Also note a different treatment for the “social links” at the top right on Eyegix.
- Do add a subtle treatment to the navigation links in the sidebar (again, see the sites above to get the ideas rolling ;)
- I like the minimalist design you’re heading towards, but it would really benefit if you add some personality to it: a charming about text, a splash of colour (be it with hues and/or typographic colour)
- not crazy about the new logotype treatment & typeface choice. Have to admit, it’s quirky and quite memorable, but would hope you could come up with something more ingenious as you do for your clients ;)
Oh, and if you need any help with the coding, let me know. Don’t let it stop you from being more adventurous in web design ;)
Hi. Just checked back again and I see you’ve made a few changes. This looks a lot better. I’m not so sure about that “beam” across your name though. To me, it seems like an afterthought, almost like a swoosh…
Hi David,
this is my first comment on this blog
love the simplicity, love the white space, and love the left-alignment.
- maybe you can add some orange color somewhere as it’s been part of your identity for a long time, because i think that it’s bit too monochromatic :)
- i love your blog because there’s lot of explanation about the logo you made, maybe you can write some explanation or creative proccess on your portfolio :)
That works, Mark, thanks a lot. It knocks some of the other margins/padding out, so I’ll come back to it when I’ve time to test.
Glad you like the changes, Grace, O’Leary. My logotype is set in Knockout.
Tobias, always nice when someone leaves their first comment.
Hi Vivien, I looked at those websites, and yep, I got a few ideas to help differentiate the sidebar. Do you think it’s improved? Probably not so easy to tell without a ‘before and after’, but I brought a little sans-serif into the mix.
Kind of you to offer some coding help, too. I know it’s a speciality of yours.
Hi David.
As you have already read, some people will like the simplicity. Some people like the left alinement. Some people think it’s too simple. Some people think it looks like a template. Some people think it’s too monochromatic. Some people like the fact it’s monchromatic. Some people want more colour. Some people like underlines, some people don’t…zzzzzzzzzz
This highlights the problem with market research!
I think you are underselling yourself. It’s not about a layout. At the top I’d have links to two of the most talked about design blogs on the internet. It shows you know what you are talking about. You are more than just showing images of the work you do.
When you post your work on the blog you do a better job of selling your expertise than in your online portfolio.
Work out what you want to achieve with your own site. Write it down on a piece of paper in a few sentences. Then design it.
I’d keep your identity consistent across all your blogs and website.
Whether it’s monochrome, simple, complicated, ranged left or whatever doesn’t matter.
Thanks for that, Lee. Useful thoughts.
The two main reasons for experimenting were the smaller image size here on the blog, and the outdated logo I was using. I’m already happier after ditching the old logo and making a few blog tweaks, and I think if I adapt the portfolio section here, it might just keep me satisfied.
Why did you change your logo David? the last one was brilliantly beautiful! I’m not a great fan of the new one…
David,
There is a saying in Turkish: “A tailor can’t mend his own [clothes]”
You know, I’ve been following you since the beginning of this blog and I enjoy your articles and love most of the work you do for your clients. Though, I think you have a problem of creating an identity for yourself. I understand, since I couldn’t establish something for myself (20 years in the making!) until recently I decided to stick with something.
Changing many IDs in short times; don’t you think that costs “brand” points?
PS. the red line associates “adult” activities in my mind. it feels “naughty.” imho, your best was when you had a sky background – Airey. It looked cool and has a nice ring matching your surname really well.. it was like fresh air, you should build on that! =]
I like the idea…I recently made my blog a simple gallery for viewing my work. I think if you get a different logo for your brand it will work nicely. The one you have up right now on the site looks a little generic..
Hi David,
Firstly about your new logo. Typeface is nice, but I’m not sure how well the red line works inside the font, no matter what angle it is set at.
My first impression was, “is that red line suppose to be there or is the file corrupted?”
To me it reminds me of when there has been a problem with the rendering of the black when saving, and a coloured line or lines appear in the finished file. Or, when you are printing something, and the ink begins to run out and unwanted lines begin to appear. Either way, it’s something negative.
Similarly, if you get stationery etc. printed, I can almost guarantee that the printer will ask you, “is that red line suppose to be there or is it a problem/mistake?”
Secondly, on your new “in progress” website, I hate nothing more than having a large image on the home page and you have to scroll just 1 or 2cm to see the bottom of it. I also appreciate that you want the image space as large as possible for maximum impact, but I would advise you to reduce the depth of the photo on the homepage so that you can see all of it without scrolling at all.
Just my thoughts and opinions, and I hope you put your personal design demons to bed someday soon with your logo and website, and you can once again sleep well!! (until the next redesign!)
I love the style. It conveys what it needs to convey and nothing more. It’s easy to read….and It’s not “over thought” like most are…or most graphic designers websites tend to do be…. Good stuff.
Some of the comments about the logo are interesting – why red? your whole site is monochrome, how about a white line through instead? And colour elsewhere or not at all.
Ilker, brand equity is important, without doubt. But as people search for me by name, an important issue with my previous logo was legibility. Airey is by no means a common name, especially amongst designers. It’s easily misspelled, too, and I’ve seen hundreds of mentions elsewhere with incorrect spelling. So it’s of high importance to keep it legible. I also don’t need a symbol, or monogram, as shown previously. There’s no need.
I value everyone’s opinions, but I think too much emphasis is being placed on my logo. What’s important is the service I provide my clients, and how I make their logos tie in with their brands. Look at the logotypes for studios/agencies such as Pentagram, Interbrand, Landor, Siegel+Gale, Chermayeff & Geismar. By a similar reckoning, you could say their identities appear generic.
It’s about a lot more than that.
I hope you’re all having a good weekend so far, and thanks a lot for the continued comments.
Looking slick, fellow David. It’s cool that you’re sticking to your guns about the minimalism, and I have to say that everything looks very solid (especially love how you’re using Georgia, it stands out).
Then how about something that really puts your surname under the spot. Making it bigger or more prominent with “design” and perhaps a tongue-in-cheek tagline would help: “it’s David AIREY – not AIRY, not AIRAY – A-I-R-E-Y” or something more creative along those lines.
Let me know if you need help, I can provide some branding consultancy =P
/jk
You are brilliant and I look forward to seeing how you solve your problem. Keep up the good work.
The new logo in the top left looks pixelated to me David? I’m sure somebody must have mentioned it in the comments, but i’ve only briefly scanned them.
If you’re going to introduce this new line device into your logo why not translate it into the layout aswell?? There’s always scope to adapt your WP template. I don’t feel any connection between the new logo and the rest of the site.
Regarding the code, and extending the navigation lines to the browser window edge, right now you have everything in one big div, wrap, which is 960px wide. You will want to make that a class so you can reuse it. Some css to add/change:
.wrap {
width: 960px;
}
#nav {
padding:5px 30px 5px 30px;
border-top:1px solid #bebebe;
border-bottom:1px solid #dadada;
width: 100%;
}
html to change:
David Airey, brand identity design
Home
About
Contact
My design blogs:
David Airey dot com
Logo Design Love
Does that make sense? Basically you’ll have to have a few in there in order to keep the items that are 960px wide, but allow the nav lines to go full width. Go ahead and send me an email if you have more questions on it!
I admire that you keep re-experimenting with your own brand identity. I’m at fault too for paying attention to much to my clients I would probably fire myself.
On a lighter note. I’ve been reading david airey since the blue blog/cloud header. Good to see time evolving :)
Glad you like the Georgia, David.
Ilker, I don’t think there’s any need to show the word ‘design’ beside my name. It’s a bit obvious. But thanks, though.
You’re the first to mention pixellation in the logo, Abbas. Strange. It looks fine to me, and I saved the GIF with as best I knew how. Do you have any Photoshop GIF-saving tips?
Shannon, thanks for looking at the code. I’ll email you now.
Paul, the blue sky and clouds served me well, even if my design tastes have changed a fair bit since then. And yes, I might fire myself one of these days.
your current site is better. Could use a little color.
Maybe it’s just me then David. I wouldn’t be too concerned with the file format. I tend to avoid using GIFs nowadays and tend to stick to PNGs. But that’s just my preference, I wouldn’t want to start a file format debate!
I take it you use the ‘save for web’ function in Photoshop? There’s an option to save images as PNG-24 – this allows you also to save images with transparent backgrounds.
That’s right, Abbas, I use the ‘save for web’ option. My reason for using GIFs is because I always thought they were better for rendering type, but then web isn’t my speciality, so I could be wrong.
Lots of new stuff happening on your blog here since I was last on – looking good. I like the footer. Some designers neglect the footer in their website, but I think it’s one of the most important areas (well, for me anyway), because when you’re writing comments, or reading the bottom of an article you’re looking at it for a while – probably even longer than you look at the header.
In the current site, I prefer your new logo to the old one although I think that the top black on white one is kind of overpowered by what’s going on in the rest of the page (when you take the total effect of everything into consideration). Maybe introducing a little bit of color would change that.
I am not a fan of the red line in the bottom logo banner because it is something that I don’t see anywhere else–it just appears out of nowhere and it is not something prevalent in the rest of your identity.
Generally speaking, I think that having one column on the left or a bar at the top is better because it does become kind of claustrophobic when you have two on each side. Maybe you can lose the right one and take the most important links and have them on the left. As to the possibility of it being too generic, I do agree to a certain extent but I think that after you fine-tune your identity, that should do the trick and give it the edge it needs.
I am working on a new website so I am kind of into the whole critiquing thing :)
—–
I am probably digressing here, but what are your thoughts on having a downloadable resume in the About section?
Any thoughts on a rotating portfolio image for your ‘opener’?
Seeing Berthier alone, over and over seems a bit stagnant?
Hi David – I like the look, but I must say I’m not much for the logotype. I prefer the old one. Also, for the portfolio, how about a few smaller photos underneath the big one?
Failing that, why not just jiggle the layout here – widen the central column and make the sidebars narrower/just have one sidebar.
I like minimalist, so the lack of colour is no problem for me. Actually, could I ask you and some of the fine folk here what you think of my own recent (unfinished) update (link below). Thanks and good luck with redesign!
Richard, no link below, but is it http://www.k-creative-japan.com/ ? if so, very nice!!!
Arati – Yes, sorry, I meant ‘above’, i.e. click on my name. Thank you very much!
David:
I like the look, but the logotype isn’t very appealing for me. I alos like the above mentioned idea of smaller images below the big one. This would add to it a bit more. I am currently updating my web design portfolio (link through name), and seeing yours has inspired me.
Thank you!
Patrick J. McDermott
Website Design Services
You’re welcome, Richard. What are your thoughts on my website placeholder and my blog? aratidevasher.com and aratidevasher.blogspot.com Other comments welcomed as well
Omar, why not? It’d give people another way to access your information. Worth replicating the details in html, though.
Andrew, rotation is an option, but I don’t think a single image becomes stagnant when I’m considering the visit of a potential client.
Richard, the first thing I notice when I visit your site is the ‘Hello’ text. I’d like to see more emphasis on the company name.
Hi David
I’ve been a long admirer of your logo design work, I always find myself on your website whenever i need inspiration for a logo project!
Just wondering, how come you don’t have any ads on your site? You’ve obviously got enough traffic, was this a conscious decision?
thanks
It is a conscious decision, Daniel. I don’t see the point in directing visitors elsewhere, or diluting my content with coloured banners, when one of the main purposes of my blog is to attract new clients. Thanks for the visits.
Hi David, I think the insitu images (on the vehicle etc) are very successful in bringing the identities to life. It makes them feel real and relevant and they demonstrate the logos’ adaptability. The more real these shots, the better. The black and white versions feel more like sketches, which is fine if you want to show a process. Think of a new car brochure, sure they have some technical drawings for those who really want to know, but the “money shots” are usually on the cover and depicted in ways which are relevant to the target audience.
I actually really like the logotype. It is simple and professional, and the typeface characteristics are very appealing to me. Your name has always been very memorable for me, so I find it easy to understand why it is just type.
I suppose I agree with the comments about adding some color to your brand. I think it could add the degree of memorability that many think is missing. This redesign is very nice though, very easy to navigate, especially the portfolio site.
Thanks, Dan. I’ve been working on those images during the past week or so, and at present am starting to incorporate the sketches and mind-maps.
Thanks to you, too, John. I’m glad you like my new logotype.