Redesign, Step 1

Previously, I mentioned that I wasn't entirely happy with the current version of my website. Not that it's bad, it could just be better. Specifically, I thought the navigation was boring and overall the site didn't push me at all into anything new.

So, it's started again. Upon the completion of this redesign, I think I'll be on version 12.

Hopefully by then end of this whole process, people will have a better clue as to how I design & work when I have no deadline, no pressure, and complete freedom. Better idea: I'll skip the whining that I'm a hack and the endless self-doubt and constant "can I make that better" and just document where I'm at and how I got there.

This is phase 1.

'What is phase 1,' you might ask? Phase 1 involves making sure I'm not off my rocker. Basically, I want to make sure that my ideas for the content of the site will fit with my preliminary vision. In this case, can I keep the "One Page Portfolio" feel, while keeping my work & navigation above the fold, and still have room to play?

Yes, by widening the site by a few pixels, I can move the nav to the left of the artwork display, assuming I remain with the current layout.

Can the rest of the information on my site still peacefully coexist?

Yes. Keeping the news items in a couple off to the right made it look a little clunky, with the two big content areas right against each other, not to mention making the page extremely wide.

What is the deal with the blurry things?

Those are the parts I'm not finished with. For the sake of not displaying them fully, they're blurred. At the bottom will be a 'spotlight' area for projects that don't fit within the main theme of the site (i.e. a link to this blog, links to non-design projects I have planned). The top contains the artwork / navigation section. It's the focus of the site, and the hardest thing to do. I want it to be something other than a box full of buttons, but still be intuitive enough to navigate quickly. Also, I want to only load the images for a project that someone has specifically chosen to see, saving on bandwith.

Why gray?

As long as one man is oppressed... No. Wait. Not that one. It's gray because it's not fully designed yet. By keeping the color muted, I can concentrate more on making sure the shapes work and everything is organized well. I'll add color and design elements once the overall functionality works. Also, I kinda like the dark gray.

What's Next?

Well, I need to figure out what the heck I'm doing about the artwork and navigation. Then I'll begin finishing design elements and applying color.