Website Name? Layout Help?

[Faithful]

Kinda need help for this, because my layout look a little shabby. I'm just a beginner at this kind of stuff. I'll upload the PSD for you guys to download. And I also need help with a website name. My website is focused on designing, and a little on clan/gaming. Anyone have suggestions?

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i135/_Faithful/Serendipitycopy.png

Oh yeah the site is named The Serendipity Effect because I couldn't think of anything else. I had "Designer's Block".

[assie-chan]

Well, first off I should note that I'm not even close to being called a good designer, but I can give you a few tips..

If your site title is "The Serendipidy Effect", it should jump out at my eyes before the picture of KOS-MOS, so I'd increase the font size. And lately there's been alot of dispute with pixel streching layouts, and readability. Because your font is horizontal, and the pixel strech lines are vertical, it impairs how easily the text on your site can be read. And since it looks like your site may very well have a lot of text, I would suggest redoing the nav. Your content looks Okay, since you have horizontal scanlines. The whole layout itself is very blue, I would look for some analgous colours (ie, green) and some complimentary (maybe an orange? Though it would look out-of-place if you didn't add some analagous colours first)/

[Blackstone]

For the layout, you could probably make the banner a bit smaller. It's a little overbearing, and you don't have enough detail in the banner to merit that large of size. The title on the banner should probably be bigger as well. Actually, I think you could do a lot more with the title text. The period at the end is uneeded, and the color doesn't match very well. Maybe a blue instead? Yeah, if I were you, I'd probably change the text completely, font and all.

I also noticed that you only have the scan lines on the picture of the banner and not the rest. Perhaps change that to include the scan lines on the rest of the banner? Except, put the lines under the text.

The aqua-colored bar below the banner. Are you planning on actually doing anything with that? Putting any text on it, or something? It's probably unnecessary if you aren't, although if you do want to keep it, replacing it with a gradient might make the layout more appealing. =)

And below that, the content sections... Keep in mind that you are going to be putting text (and lots of it) in those spots. With the lines you have in the center column, it might be hard to read the text, depending on what color you make it. Other than that, the borders around the columns could be more detailed. For example, with the center column, you have that thick border around it, but the filling in it is clear so you can see the other background. With it that way, the extra line is kind of useless. Maybe filling that space in and giving it some depth? It might also look better if you gave the two side columns a different filling, other than just lightening the other background.

One last thing. Your two sides are different. For example, the left side of the center column is different than the right side. The borders on it, I mean. And the two navagation columns are different as well (besides being mirrored, which is excellant). It would probably look better if you made them identical. =)


Wow, I think that is the longest review I've ever given on a design before. x.x I hope you don't mind. O.o If you did mind, please let me know. Also, if you're confused about anything I said, I'd be glad to detail it more. =)