Online Potfolio Newly Published

[merchantweb]

Hi everyone, I graduated college a couple weeks ago and have been hard-core plugging away at my own site. It feels great to be free to design more!!!

Please check out and review my website!

www.joeymerchant.com

[QuirkDesign]

I'm diggin' your Flow and Mailpros logos.

[merchantweb]

Thanks QuirkDesign!

Any critiques or reviews would really help me fine tune things. I don't want to overdo it, but I am working on getting some more graphics and imagery in there.

[QuirkDesign]

The user interface is clean and easy to follow. My only critique would be having to click on each item and view it as a popup, but that's a personal taste thing. I do like your website.

[merchantweb]

The user interface is clean and easy to follow. My only critique would be having to click on each item and view it as a popup, but that's a personal taste thing. I do like your website.

your site

Thanks, I agree about the popup thing to a degree. I might play around with another interface. Thank you!

[inntoon]

Put the portfolio up-front. Showing design is much more powerful than talking about it. Nobody (and I mean nobody) will read the text on the front page of a site.

When it comes to the copywriting, less is more.

…I create everything from posters and catalogs to corporate identities (logos), and websites…

People worth working for know what designers do. If you got called to design a hot air balloon, you'd make some calls and find out the specs.

Graduating from Armstrong Atantic in May 2009, I have been awarded for work locally and abroad. Before earning my BFA in Visual Art I recieved my Information Technology Certificate from Armstrong in 2007. I combine these two fields to create innovative and memorable user experiences.

"Received" is spelled wrong as is "Atlantic." Having typos in your website can be death to your professional prospects.

This website is my Graphic Design haven. Here you can view a few samples of my Portfolio work, read about Graphic Design in Resources, or learn more about myself in Clients and About. If you would like to request a project or ask questions, you can always Contact me.

The navigation says all of this in fewer words. Better to drop this and focus on your middle paragraph. Do something typographical and engaging with that - even if it means making it a graphic.

Cheers,

[merchantweb]

Put the portfolio up-front. Showing design is much more powerful than talking about it. Nobody (and I mean nobody) will read the text on the front page of a site.

When it comes to the copywriting, less is more.

What about for SEO purposes....the linking to pages within my site...not needed??

…I create everything from posters and catalogs to corporate identities (logos), and websites…

People worth working for know what designers do. If you got called to design a hot air balloon, you'd make some calls and find out the specs.

I mean, I guess I see what you are saying....I am new to the business. I really like your idea about putting keywords in an interesting typographic display! I want to maintain that it is actual text and not an image so search engines pick up something at least...or am I putting to much emphasis on this for a portfolio site?

Graduating from Armstrong Atantic in May 2009, I have been awarded for work locally and abroad. Before earning my BFA in Visual Art I recieved my Information Technology Certificate from Armstrong in 2007. I combine these two fields to create innovative and memorable user experiences.

"Received" is spelled wrong as is "Atlantic." Having typos in your website can be death to your professional prospects.

Thank you, you're awesome!

This website is my Graphic Design haven. Here you can view a few samples of my Portfolio work, read about Graphic Design in Resources, or learn more about myself in Clients and About. If you would like to request a project or ask questions, you can always Contact me.

The navigation says all of this in fewer words. Better to drop this and focus on your middle paragraph. Do something typographical and engaging with that - even if it means making it a graphic.

Again, I just want to search engine optimize... you know...with links and stuff... however I can't justify any argument against you in the end, haha!

Cheers,

Cheers!

Keep em comin!

[inntoon]

What about for SEO purposes....the linking to pages within my site...not needed??

Not really in my opinion. Excellent work is done for excellent clients. Excellent clients come from referrals, not from people googling designers. The "yellow pages" approach may work for plumbers but doesn't encourage high-end inquiries.

Thanks for being a good sport as far as accepting criticism. Just bank on your good work pulling harder than the search engines. If you doubt me, just try doing a search for "graphic designer" and look at the crap that shows up on the first 6 pages. I do that as an exercise for my design students. They're always amazed at the tacky, corporate, boring website mcmuffin stuff that shows up using web searches.

Cheers,

[merchantweb]

Awesome, all I want to do is excellent work for excellent clients.

I am going to take what you said and run like hell with it! When you are a design student, and you have to put your work up in front of a class, you learn criticism is a good thing. At first I was a little taken back, but I actually read what you said and it made a lot of sense.. I really appreciate it!! And I did ask for it. [/QUOTE]

[Matthew Carroll]

Hi everyone, I graduated college a couple weeks ago and have been hard-core plugging away at my own site. It feels great to be free to design more!!!

Please check out and review my website!

www.joeymerchant.com

I like the website... clearly very thoughtfully planned. I noticed some took issue with your pop-ups... I see what they mean, but what I want to know is how you did those. How did you create those popups?

[KHDZN]

Congratulations on your recent graduation.

Nice work—I love the Polar Lounge design!

[merchantweb]

I like the website... clearly very thoughtfully planned. I noticed some took issue with your pop-ups... I see what they mean, but what I want to know is how you did those. How did you create those popups?

Thank you for the kind words! I thought it was a cool script to use.... I like showing a little and then letting the user choose what strikes them.

The script can be found at Highslide JS - JavaScript thumbnail viewer

Congratulations on your recent graduation.

Nice work—I love the Polar Lounge design!

Thanks KHDNZ, I get a lot of compliments on that one! I like it too...sometimes I wish it were a real ice bar or something you know!

[shefshef019]

You have some great work! I especially like the Flow logo and promo materials.

Overall, your site layout looks great. It's simple yet still catches your eye. The animation on the navigation banner is a bit distracting, though.

[shefshef019]

@inntoon: I like your advice about not being too wordy on your portfolio site. I'm guilty of doing just that, but I'm revamping my portfolio with the goal of making it more graphic-heavy and less "hi, my name is...and I do..."

I can't speak for others who do that, but I have a tendency to add text to fill a virtual "silence". It's a nervous habit, I guess. I tend to blab when I'm nervous on the phone or in person, too.

Thanks for giving us some food for thought!

[madelikethis]

I agree with other comments about not having you homepage be your bio. I would save that for people to click on once they've viewed your work. I like your basic color scheme on the site but probably would skip the animation. Also, since you list only 3 awards, I'd include that in another section, like your bio or about. Same with clients. I think that it looks a little "empty" in the various section. In Porfolio, I would start with "Identity" being open as that looks the fullest. I love your ceramic photos! Do more!

[Crimsonstar11]

First off, congrats on graduating from college. Your website is easy to navigate but isn't very appealing to the eye, the colors seem a little dull. However, all the information needed is easily found. Best of luck to you!

[Euphoria]

I like the logo, but the animated background in the header lagged really badly for me, which kinda took away from its appeal. Other than that it's pretty nice, though occasionally there is a little too much blank space for my taste.

[mikefortuna]

Consider using tables to support your type. It may create more of a website feel as opposed to just a gray space below the header and above the footer.

Cool stuff though.

[merchantweb]

First off, congrats on graduating from college. Your website is easy to navigate but isn't very appealing to the eye, the colors seem a little dull. However, all the information needed is easily found. Best of luck to you!

Thank you! Since making this site I have gained a lot of web business. It is definitely a great tool for any designer to have. I have had 2 past clients look my name up on the web and send me requests for more work through the contact form!

Yes, the flash can be annoying and I'll do something different in the future. I kinda agree with the statements about there being too much blank space sometimes, dull colors and being wordy sometimes. I am brainstorming on ideas for my new site and can't wait to find the time update the portfolio and design!

I agree with other comments about not having you homepage be your bio. I would save that for people to click on once they've viewed your work. I like your basic color scheme on the site but probably would skip the animation. Also, since you list only 3 awards, I'd include that in another section, like your bio or about. Same with clients. I think that it looks a little "empty" in the various section. In Porfolio, I would start with "Identity" being open as that looks the fullest. I love your ceramic photos! Do more!

Awesome suggestions and I have some more ceramics!!! I'll try to get some more photos up soon.


Thanks to everyone!!

[kungfuze]

your site looks nice and clean...but i know you can still add a little oomph to it to look more exciting!