Week 4 Post 1: Aesthetics, Design, and Branding

Gates N Fences

The Gates N Fences website presents some problems for potential visitors. First, there are too many pictures on the homepage and they are all different sizes. Instead, they could have one big general picture toward the header and then a few pictures that are smaller sizes throughout the page. Then, the visitor of the page wouldn't be so overwhelmed with pictures and not know which one to look at first. Next, the font for the body of the website is too small and bold. The designer should have picked an easier font for visitor's to read and made the size of the font just a little bigger. That would make the font more legible and not make the reader strain when reading. Lastly, there is no hierarchy for all the information that was squeezed on the homepage. It would be better if the most important content was in bold and then the reader could go to a tab to find more information on that topic.

Jami Lin's Passions

I'm glad I can critique this website because the layout is in desperate need for help. First, there is no header for the website. How is the visitor supposed to know what website they are on. It would be better if the name of the website was in large font and bold at the top of the page. Next, the color of the background and body have no contrast between them. They are almost the same shade of tan. The website would look nicer if the background was white with black font and then a pop of a complimenting color here and there. Lastly, this website does not have a logo or readily available contact information for the reader. If the website had a logo, the reader would be able to recognize the business. I had to take a good look to find the contact information until I spotted the tiny blue font that said contact. It would be better for the designer to make the contact information at the bottom of the website in bigger font so the viewer could easily find it. 

California Center for the Arts Escondido

The website for the California Center for the Arts has one of the nicest websites I have visited. The background contrast with the font and pictures makes the text easy to read and the pictures add color to the white background. The logo is easy to find on the top left and the navigation tabs are in large font which makes them stand out. The contact information is a large size and at the bottom of the homepage with their social media links. The flow of the website doesn't make readers feel overwhelmed with information and the multiple topics on the website are nicely spread out. All of the fonts on the website are legible and make the important information stand out. Also, there is a back to top option at the bottom of the website which helps the reader from having to scroll back to the top.

Headhunter Hairstyling

Headhunter Hairstyling does a lovely job of using contrasting colors and repeating them throughout their website. That makes the website flow well and easy to look at. The navigation bar at the top right helps visitors find information they're looking for and the logo is also on the top left. The typography chosen for the website is a breeze to read and compliments the background. The contact information is available at the bottom of the website and on the contact page, which has a call to action for the reader to fill out to find out more information from the business.