What is your flash site you have developed or a flash site that you have seen that is kick butt?
The two layout ideas I have for the site I am working on are just not doing it for me, and I am looking for something else that would work for a portfolio type site.
Hey Vixie… I think that the animations can be distracting. The “torn” look is nice though, but it may look best in place. Your pictures have that “sepia” tone to them, which can be pleasing… you could leave the pics in place and have the pictures fade into color, one by one, or perhaps at random. That way, the sorta come into view.
I would recommend the web design WOW Book. Check it out at your local bookstore. YOu won’t be sorry.
I would try to avoid using gratuitous use of animation unless you are **** good at it. Otherwise, dont make people sit through your experimentation.
I’m not sure your proposed site ideas are really going to help boost the image of your company. I think http://www.hermanmiller.com does a good job on the front page of making me feel like they’re a reputable outfit (in the furniture world that is which is also what you are apparently addressing).
Use flash sparingly - maybe for layout (if thats easier than HTML) or button highlights. Personally, I’d avoid the photo/flash/fading for cabinetry screenshots.
Do you know how to use Photoshop? I think your pics would look great if the borders were feathered and put a mask on them to fade them out on the edges. I can see the white border around your pics as there coming in… Learning good design is a process and doesn’t come over night but keep at it!.. check this site out…I think you’ll love it. Http://www.2advanced.com
You may want to think about the site as a mixture of different elements - HTML and Flash
Embedding a smaller Flash movie into an HTML structure can be a nice multimedia touch that is accessible to a larger number of viewers.
In my experience, a Web site’s chief function in informational - whether that information be commerical, aesthetic, personal, et al.
For Golden Willow, I’d say it’s a combination of commerical and reputation, so a flat HTML page with an embedded Flash movie along the lines of what Iammontoya suggests might acchieve those goals more effectively.
For design, you can’t go wrong with Jakob Nielson’s “Designing Web Usability.” He’s very codgery, but creates a nice foundation of guidelines for creatives to work from
