Project 2_Preliminary comps

[mlauc]

I am interested in redesigning a retail website and in researching local businesses I discovered http://www.dbarm.com only had a landing page, so I thought this would be an ideal choice. The goal of my first comp is to target an affluent audience and my second is more family oriented.

I look forward to everyone's critique.

[aslychsm]

Wow. This feels and looks like something already available online. I immediately want to look through all the pages and browse through the merchandise. Can't think of much else to add, both of these are superb! I'm jealous. The first design is my favorite, it has this dark, ritzy vibe, and looks like a place that sells superior quality products. My only complaint is, while viewing the home page, some of the photos kind of get lost around the edges and blend into the background. Maybe you could but a border (like the one you used in the inner page for the boots), to help differentiate background from image? But in all seriousness, these are too good.

[Sierragirlnv]

Hi,
I like your layouts they are tight and clean. The first feels like a real customized website. The second layout feels more like an e-commerce site you can get from buying a template. I would go for the first, you can add family orientation to the first design no problem. I do agree the first layout does seem like it is male gender oriented.

Sierragirlnv

[paula_b]

Beautiful! I love the top page with the stamped leather as the background. One suggestion is..... I got nothing. It's great!

[recordd]

Hi Mathew!
Wow! Awesome Job on both of your roughs! The site you chose is awful it doesn't link to any page of their merchandise, or about them.
You would think they would be displaying items if the wanted to sell anything. The website is not even a site it seems like it is just an add out of a magazine or the phone book. You improved their site tremendously by creating a more inviting and visually appealing design! Both of your roughs are professional (ready to be online like now), organized , clean, easy to navigate through, & all of te images that you used are awesome and go really well together. If I had any suggestions I would give them but I do not think you should change anything!

[georgia_novotny]

Hi Mathew,
I really like both of your designs and are 100% better than their website or should I say business card online!
Both the designs are very clean looking and look professional.
I think that the “website-comp_project-2-1.jpg” and “website-comp_project-2-2.jpg are my favorite designs.

I like the dark look over the white look.
I think the dark look feel is very western and goes great with the pictures of the merchandise.
This design looks more expensive than the other which the style clothes and boots go better with that look.
I love the picture you used for the banner area and logo on the homepage.
All the photos look great and I like how you arranged them.

There isn’t that much I would change.
Maybe increase the size of the font on the navigation for the both pages, too small but isn’t bad.
I would increase the size of the font for “new fall arrivals and move it up a little.
The white text under that blends in with the wood and is kind of hard to read.
maybe it’s the script font that is bugging me.
Play around with that font and maybe find a font that looks more like a hot iron brand burned on the wood.

Hope some of that helps.
Awesome job!
Georgia

[rrodriguez]

Matt, I really like the layout with the leather work in the background because it gives the entire website a feel of western tradition. I have heard of D bar M for years and never knew their website was bad. The cowboys on the horses on the top, next to the logo really illuminates the old west, which is what that store is known for (supplying cowboys with hats and other apparel) The list on the left and big photos show casing each item is easy to read and balanced out evenly. You do great work

[dboudinot]

Hi Matt,

You took on a monster in terms of creating your own original content. I like the top roughs more because of the texture created by the background, but I think the target audience for the second layout is really smart because when you go to buy new boots, you usually take the whole family and get it done all at once and then end up buying a ton of accessories as well. Rodeo can be such a family oriented event so western wear targeting the entire family is a good idea. In terms of design I would go with the first one, in terms of appealing to a broader market definitely the second. I really don't know what you are going to do, and I don't have suggestions for improving either rough because they're both so good. Great Work! Good Luck!

[Instructor]

Very professional looking, Matt. Nice job!

I think I prefer the affluent first design. Maybe I'm just a sucker for full page background images, but it gives the whole design a warm, solid feeling. Like sitting in front of a roaring fireplace in a cabin in the woods.

It doesn't have any real color outside of the images, but those provide plenty. I like the use of the top banner to indicate where you are in the site (action on the home page, boots on the catalog page, etc.).

The pages, and indeed the whole site itself navigates very well. The traditional nav bar has good contrast and is easy to see and use. But what I really like are the subtle call to action buttons on the home page that guide you to different catalog pages in the site. Good sue of type and imagery to guide the user around.

Typographically, it makes good use of sans-serif fonts to continue projecting a feeling of stolidness and traditionalism, though I am not sold on the mix of fonts at the bottom of page one. I think your secondary navigation fonts and your call to action fonts clash a bit.

All in all, more of the great work I've come to expect from you. Excellent!

[old_man_pat]

Matt, what can I say? Both are excellent. I also like what you've done with their logo. The pictures are top notch and I like the leatherwork texture as background. Both are clearly the work of a professional. As for suggestions, I feel like a young Carradine critiquing Master Po on Kung Fu. The only thing I can see is Ashley's point regarding the first rough. The pics tend to resemble the dark leather at a few points, whereas a sharper contrast might help. Perhaps you could add borders similar to, but different from the product page? Or, perhaps you could modify the dark leather background image (lighter overall, or a different gradient, or both?) so the pictures have more contrast? Either way, these are great! If I were the client, I'd pay you for this!