Rebranded. Redesigned. Redeveloped.
It's taken over a month, but it's felt like a year - presenting the fifth redesign of coda.coza in as many years.
Before you click anywhere, pick apart my code or run it through any validators, you should know that this is something of a beta version. I've done almost no cross-browser testing (I'm aware of some behavioural glitches & twitches) or any other form of QA. What I have done however is completely overhaul the backend, improve functionality, add features and finish my portfolio!
You'll also notice the new "projects" menu item. There are a couple of things I'll be adding to this section in due time, but for now it's empty. My weblog now has it's own home - http://coda.co.za/blog - where you can view the latest 10 posts, or search the archives (although the calendar feature doesn't work yet). Otherwise the structure has remained completely intact.
My intention with this home page, as mentioned previously, is to place a stronger emphasis on my portfolio, photography and projects. Also, the introduction copy is permanently visible unlike this design's predecessor. The image between the menu and intro copy will change over time. I might even integrate a user upload function.
Also worth noting: I've added an e-mail form to my contact page, search keyword(s) on the result page are now highlighted, and my portfolio is now partly database-driven which will allow for more flexibility in the future.
Design Notes
I've changed fonts: I'm using Lucida Sans Unicode for body text, Century Gothic in my logo-line and page headings, and Georgia for blockquotes.
The width of this site does not exceed 980px - I've used the max-width CSS property for browsers that support it, and for IE I've used a proprietary expression to achieve the same effect. My primary reason for taking this approach is that users with resolutions of 1024x768 or larger will view my site at the maximum width, while at smaller resolutions, 800x600 for example, it will downsize reasonably well. In some places, text and images pushed beyond their boundaries will obtain a scrollbar.
Therefore a liquid layout to a certain extent, and a definite improvement on the fixed 800x600 width or smaller designs you see on almost every blog these days, including my previous design. This layout I believe is a much better use of space considering the default dimensions of a web browser.
My new logo, if you hadn't figured it out by now, is a broken "c" - it's that simple.
So this is it. I'll be playing around with a couple of things over the next few months, inbetween backpacking. I'm not sure how closely a redesign of digicam.coza will match this one, but for consistency-sake I'll most likely keep it identical. For now I'd love to hear your initial feedback. Leave a comment or e-mail me with your thoughts.
- leave a comment
31 Comments
Great new site. Easy on the eye, just like JD.
wicked damien… wicked!
I love it! You are a design demiGOD :)
Tuesday’s coming, did you bring your coat?
Loving the new redesign dude
I just wonder what THE POLICE will be saying about it
PS, apart from this damn “PLEASE LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS FIELD”DAMN YOU !!
Hey dude, nice work. I love it. But I’m going to be honest. The grey/white on black text at that size is VERY difficult to read on my resolution (1600×1200). Not a complaint, merely an observation. Don’t you want to make an alternate stylesheet for me please?
Fuck, and don’t force me to enter an email address please. :)
Great Site! Good job! Well done!
Looking good, dude :)
I just wonder what THE POLICE will be saying about it
You missed it? Look at comment 1..
Fully Police-endorsed! ;-)
du Toit like a toiger, Day!
Keep mistaking kif grimy pattern in background for map of alien planet, but that’s my issue, not yours.
Honestly, have always associated black(ish) backgrounds and white text with ‘pseudo-underground amateur’ sites, but you’ve classed it up enough to completely change my mind – nice work.
STUNNING re-design! I always liked the previous one (never got to see the first couple) but this one kicks butt!
i really like the colours. white backgrounds are so amateuristic.
warrenski, so… let’s talk about your site then… hahaha!
Super fucking tight dude!
Great design, great colours, great text size (in 1600 x 1200), W’s just blind, too much porn will do that to you… :p
Thanks for all the feedback!
The first coda.coza design is here, I might add the others.
warrenski: increase/decrease font sizes using your browser
nat: so, how broken is my site in IE 5? ;)
I first thought, a little dark, but then after some review I really like it. I’ll keep it in my lists of sites to watch… :)
great redesign! (but to be honest, nothing surprising there – all your designs are great!)
Forking awesome redesign. Not many dark designs in the web standards community. This is great. I especially like your choice of background. I also appreciate the wider layout.
Found you via The CSS Vault.
Overall I really like the style you’ve got here, and the colors are interesting and something different, good things. I do have one big problem with your design and that’s that because of the default site, face, and color coupled with the tad bit distracting background it’s hard for me to read unless I bump the size way up. Even then the background still disracts…
Oh and before anyone mentions it, my eyesight is just fine! ;)
Not sure if it would be easy to change that as it might conflict with your style, but I thought I’d bring it up so you know.
Nice work anyway. I love the layout and the style and aside from my problem reading it, I dig the color as well.
I have added your website to my Elite bookmark section. clean coded, original layout, rich content, impressive portfolio. Great job, I will keep an eye on it.
It’s different. Love it!!!
Easily the neatest, coolest and niftiest site I’ve ever seen…
And that is out of 100s daily!
Well done!
Thanks!
brilliant site! i wish i could do one half as good. any tips? lol
you have been bookmarked
Followed some links on other sites to here, and was stuck on this site for a couple of hours! Nice photographs you have! As for the site itself, top design, and good navigation. Grats on the good job!
i discovered the site whilst googling ster kinekor… and being more of a designer than a developer… i am impressed by the clean-ness of the design work…
me likes.. lots too..
The site is great, man. I’m super-picky, esp when it comes to elements of “grunge,” but you’ve pulled off something unique and exceptional. Kudos!
beautifull !!!!
Yes! You’ve done it again, love the new design. Totally unique design and great accessibility. Well done, Damien :)
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23 July 2004
Charl van Niekerk08:39 am
Very nice. Accessible, clean code, good design, excellent job!
Oh yes, and you do validate now. :-)