Website review

lei

Hi guys, I would really love your feedback and review of my new portfolio website.

I spent quite a while designing and curating it, but anxious incase I have missed something really obvious that I need to change...

Please do have a look and let me know your experience/first impressions of browsing through. Is it easy to navigate? Quick/slow to load? Does it fit nicely in your browser window?

www.tao.cx

Thank you in advance!

tombarrettillo

Website looks nice. Organized well, good variety of work.

Couple things: I would remove the "Hello, this is a blank space." at the top right. Looks too much like the sample text that might be in a template before it is edited.

If you can, I would turn off the "zoom in/magnify" feature of the gallery. It was too hard to locate the magnify button to "unzoom", and I do not think it is a necessary feature to those searching for illustration.

Good luck!

lei

@tombarrettillo Hi Tom! Thanks so much for the review. I never even noticed the ZOOM function, gosh you're totally right it's pointless, haha. I will get that changed ASAP.

Also, thanks for pointing out a valid point re: the "blank space" text... for some reason it amused me a lot so I wanted it there, but I understand that maybe it could look like an accident. I might customise the message to something else irreverent...

Thanks again, appreciated!

TessaW

Things are looking good on my end. The only thing I'm seeing is that when you click on the creature crochet image, it takes us to a different image in the slide show. But maybe this was intentional? Generally it's pretty quick to load for me, sometimes it takes a few seconds.

I think you should be very proud of your website! It's attractive, easy to take in, and shows off your work well.

lei

@tessaw Thank you for having a look! Hey, that's a good point, I'll make sure that thumbnail opens with the same image so it isn't confusing.

Really happy to have had a couple of outside perspectives. Appreciate it a lot!

JohnMK

the website complements your artwork perfectly, top job Lei. Although personally I'd keep it simple and have one thing on one page. So instead of having the 'About' info at the bottom of everything I'd put it on it's own page and add a link/text next to 'sketches'

Heather Boyd

Just popped in quickly.
Two things I like.

About the Illustrator (you) is at the bottom of each page that's unique and for that reason I wouldn't have any more pages or might become redundant or excessive, but you have kept it to 3 pages.
Like the Load More button. Put your best work up front and more work below in case people want to see more of your work. It looks clean when your audience isn't confronted with an overpowering number of images.

@lei

lei

Thank you @JohnMK, @Heather-Boyd!

John - Ah ha, I actually hadn't thought of the About section that way... I sort of approached it with the intention that one should feel as if all the portfolio sections appear within ONE page/framework (but in reality yes, coding-wise it does switch between physical pages)...

I'll consider the potential of using the bottom space for something a bit different on each page, for a future version of the site, thanks!

HBryant

My initial reaction to this was "wow". Bold, bright, clear as to what the site is up front, easy to find the core information for the most part.

I do have a few questions about intent, so that I'm on the right page with my other comments. I don't want to critique something from a look and feel perspective and find out something was 100% intentional.

This site is purely a portfolio site, right? The core intent is to show off your work, correct? Is it just to show your work? Or, are you looking to produce other leads (possible other freelance work)? Would you want to use it to possibly sell prints/merchandise/etc of your personal work?

As it stands the way it is now, the one thing I would suggest is to have a link in your link row above the art, that goes to the "about"section. Although most modern internet users understand that there is additional information in the footer of the page, not everyone does. While the older Art Directors are aging out, there may still be some who don't "get it".

Also from an accessibility standard (WCAG / WAI-ARIA / general improved usability), it helps people who have some mild to moderate disabilities access and navigate your site. I have yet to use Chrome Vox on it, but a quick peek at the code shows a lot of javascript use.

Also, missing alt tags? Do these get filled in via the javascript?

Overall my initial reaction is very good. (And your art is really beautiful!)

lei

@hbryant Thanks for taking your time to have a look!

Oh yes, the site's purpose is purely as a professional portfolio. Completely! Aiming to showcase my work, and get more work!

As a link to 'about' has been mentioned a couple of times, so I may add that in so it's absolutely clear I have a section 'about me' and I'll have it automatically scroll the page down to the about section.

HBryant

Good to know! Thank you.

There is one more item then, that I would suggest - BUT - I don't want you to get into trouble with any company you are working for currently.

To help draw it paying clients, you need a way for them to see what you charge, or to request a quote. A professional online portfolio works well for showing off your work, but like a museum with no gift shop, a majority of folks will just look and then walk away.

To get that conversion from visitor to interested party, there needs to be a way for the visitor to get a sample of your prices.

However, I go back to my initial point of "not wanting to get you into trouble". Some companies may have issue with their employees freelancing on the side in the same general realm as they are currently working. (ex. freelancing illustrations when you also do illustrations for a company).

If this won't be an issue for you, that would be my other suggestion up front. To perhaps put a "get a quote" or something like that near your "contact" link.