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"Jago Illustration" starts you off on an image, that quickly loads (which is a joy compared to many other sites) and with the very clear menu on the left hand side. Within moments I was browsing his other work. Clicking the image, because experience tells me that that will cycle through images, actually took me to the screen below, to thumbnails. As it turns out, clicking the centre of an image takes you to the thumbnail screen, clicking either side however will cycle through them like a gallery.
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The layout I can't fault, it's simple and very easily accessed with the menu/tabs along the side constantly, but this does not detract from the quality of the work showing. His work has plenty of detail, even his logo-style image that doesn't change (top left) is packed with detail, so ideally his best approach would be to create the simplest and easiest online portfolio. From the font to the colouring of the logos of social medias (bottom left) it's all kept consistent and simple. The font is sans-serif and has a nice tracking to it which helps for perfectly clear reading but isn't crampt together, which may draw your eye away from his work. The logos beneath the menu are a light shade of grey, so you have to actually look at them to notice them - this is a good thing. The point of this site is to display his work, contact comes second, so people like his work, they then want to seek him out, thus seeking out the logos.
The pages are very clearly categorised and load especially quickly, something again, is very satisfying.
Easy to navigate, and very clear images with a perfect margin between them helps emphasise them individually and isn't hard to read.
There is an "About" tab, a very short and creative paragraph about himself, then a formidable list of awards - the fact that it's a bulky list here doesn't detract from the point, in fact it emphasises it. It shows, as a form of typography, how well he's respected and sought after, by looking at the text as an image, a mass. It's large - respected.
A rather formidable Client list included, would be appropriate for myself, when I develop a larger clientèle of course.
Browsing the website as a potential client makes me feel like my request would be in good hands. The clarity of the site makes me believe he'd be hard working and a great choice, although expensive, he'd be extremely professional.
Tips for building my site, in reflection of this one:
- Absolute clarity
- Emphasis on my work over the actual site, sans serif font, light shade typeface, other colour unnecessary
- You're advertising your work, not your accomplishments or other websites. Links to other medias are appropriate, but shouldn't be in your face
http://duss005.com/
Dustin Nguyen's website is quite clean, but not like Jago Illustration. This site appears unfinished, which I feel is one of the least professional traits of promotion. I can't quite explain why, but I feel like it's because of the fact there're too many pictures drawing your attention over their actual intentions - this is a menu. Each picture depicts a menu tab, but it's not that clear. I'd prefer definitely another tab for personal work, separated from commissioned work.
When we go into the gallery, it's much easier to understand, much clearer, but again it would look and feel better if the personal and commercial work were clearly separated.
The colours, or lack there-of do work very well, again, like the other site a light grey for the shade and a small, coloured logo/picture to depict the illustrator of site; helps to separate the page from other illustrator's pages.
It's easy to navigate, but only once you've gotten used to the site.
Tips for building my site, in reflection of this one:
- Should be easier to understand the functions of the site
- On the main page, have the functions much more obvious, like the labels of "Gallery" and "Store"
- I'd rather a sans serif font over this serif font
- A light shade like the colour of the tab at the top. The clarity of the tab we're on is good though, with a darker shade depicting it
- I feel that these tabs are a little too specific for their purpose, instead of "2014 conventions", especially now, shouldn't specify 2014, it's out of date. If it was just "Tours" or "Conventions", I think it would fit a little better. There are similar changes to the site I would make.
