[Project Complete] Due Jan 20 - Multi-purpose template - $600

[nsanden]

Admin code added by Abby - 5WV822620P830184S

I'd like to have a template that is designed in such a way that I can swap out images/colors/etc and use it for multiple websites. So perhaps its best to think of this as a single template, but multiple themes.

All websites will have the same basic structure:
1) A list of articles
2) 2-3 spaces for advertisements
3) Contact Us, Related Resources (link directory), Disclaimer, About Us links
4) Search Box
5) Newsletter Signup box

Two websites, for example, I will list below just to give a basic idea. I have created a temporary design for them, but it is rather boring and doesn't have all the elements I listed above.

---

Site 1

Name: Grocery Coupon Guide
Slogan: A guide that shows you how to save money on groceries
Currently: http://www.grocerycouponguide.com

Site 2

Name: Debt Reduction 101
Slogan: Common sense tactics to reduce your debt
Currently: http://www.debtreduction101.com

---

Company Details

1a) Name of Company

See above

1b)Company Tag Line or slogan:

See above

1c) Do you have a company logo?

No

1d) Do you have a corporate visual identity (a customized (non stock) logo and color scheme carried out throughout your office, stationery, business cards, etc.)?

No

1e) What is the nature of your business?: Briefly describe your products or services:

Free information in the form of articles, charts, graphs, etc.

1f) Who is your target market? Who are you hoping to reach with your site?

Varies, but probably mostly middle-aged, women

Website Details

1b) Do you have an existing website? If so, what is the URL?

http://www.grocerycouponguide.com
http://www.debtreduction101.com

2b) IMPORTANT: Please list at least 3 URLs (web addresses) of high quality sites that you like the look of (these do not have to be sites who’s business is similar to yours. It aids us in determining what your design style is.) Please consider layout, colors, navigation, graphics, and typography.

http://www.savingadvice.com
http://www.forbes.com
http://www.bankrate.com
http://www.sitepoint.com
http://www.istockphoto.com
http://www.pfadvice.com

3b) What colors or color schemes would you like?

Surprise me!

4b) List the Navigation links for your Site:

Please see the current websites for list of links.

5b) What type of look are you trying to achieve? (e.g. clean, high-tech, conservative, warm, flashy, etc.)

Simple, clean, warm, inviting

6b) Please provide the addresses of competitors' sites, if possible:

N-A

7b) Do you have any images for use in the design of your site? If not, do you have images, can you offer suggestions of what you type of imagery you feel would be most suitable for your website:

No. Use your best judgement. We have credits at istockphoto.com

Deadlines and Deliverables

1c) What is the deadline for the design of your project?

No big rush. I'll set the date for Jan 20, 2007

2c) What is required breakdown of the files you require our designers to supply you with on finalization of your project?

HTML or XHTML / CSS
PSD source

Are there any other comments/specific ideas we should keep in mind while designing your project?

Do whatever you think looks best.

[mbleigh]

Here's something to start you off.

[nsanden]

Here's something to start you off.

Good start Michael, thanks!

A few things come to mind:

1) I would like to see things laid out a little differently. Your design looks a lot like what I have up now, except obviously more professional looking. I'd like a different look though, pretend I don't have a site up right now. Maybe put the list of articles in a different place? I don't know.

2) I like the HOME, FORUMS, NEWSLETTER buttons, and would like more of that! Maybe more icons, images, colors, etc.

3) Need a newsletter sign up box and a search box somewhere.

[nsanden]

Also, don't be afraid to add images/graphics that have a debt reduction theme to them. Or grocery theme. I'll simply change out the graphics for each site once the template is complete.

[sawan]

Here are my ideas

[nsanden]

Sawan, thank you for the ideas... I like where you're going with the second one there, layout.jpg. It looks like a quick draft, but I get the idea. Wouldn't mind seeing it cleaned up, and maybe expanded a little bit.

[will]

Here are my concepts :D

[nsanden]

will, those are perfect examples of what i'm looking for. you've set the bar

[sawan]

am working on revisions.

[Severner]

I am working on something for you and will have it to show tonight.


Thanks very much,

Sev (:

[nsanden]

Thanks sawan, thanks Sev.

Will, as far as improvements, those designs are good but maybe just a little bit too simple? We do need a newsletter sign up box, and a search box. That might help make it look less simple. Also, i think the text should be a little bigger. Also need some google ads in there.

[sawan]

Still working on some variations.

[will]

changes :D

[Fabian]

Using just one colour to change the whole feel of the designs, the neutral beige I believe works nicely with both designs adding a touch of class.

The idea I have in mind is to code the left hand menu in CSS that controls the background colour and rollovers.

So hopefully I’ve achieved a simple useable design the with a few picture swap outs can be used for any manner of business.

Interested in your thoughts on these designs.

Cheers
Fabian

[Fabian]

:)

[nsanden]

Will,
Thank you for the changes. Looking Good. No more changes at the moment.

Fabian,
Very interesting. I like it. I'm more of a fan of blockier designs like this.

1) Can you make the titles and slogans a little bigger. The title should be the biggest text on the page I think. I want these to look less like cookie cutter templates and more like individual, important sites.
2) Some of the text looks a little jagged. "Articles", "Partner Pages", "Grocery Coupon Guide", etc can you find anything smoother? Perhaps tahoma, verdana?
3) The shade of gray behind #2 just doesn't look right to me. Something seems off. Can you play with that, maybe it just needs to be a little darker?
4) Can you make the 'Latest newsletters delivered to your mail'. an actual email signup form? Just need a text box and 'subscribe' button.

[nsanden]

Is anyone else planning on submitting a design? Sawan and Severan, did you get a chance to work on them yet?

Would anyone reconsider if they only had to submit a PSD?

[Severner]

Hey,

Here is my entry so far;

[nsanden]

Severner,

Love it. Only thing that stands out to me right away is the footer. The 6 links down there. Something doesn't look right. Maybe if that green at the top was down there and stretched all the way accross as well. Can you play with it?

[will]

Here are two "more blocky" variants :D

[nsanden]

Thanks Will!

Thoughts... It seems like the headers/footers dont go with the bodies. The headers are beveled and the bodies are more flat. Also seems like too many colors. If you make changes and want to save time, feel free to just change one template, Groceries or Debt.

[Severner]

How is this?

[will]

Changes :D

[nsanden]

Severner,

Great! Some more small changes if you will.

1) Can you see what it looks like to put little 'home', 'forums', 'newsletter' icons next to the text in each tab. You can take the ones from the current sites if you think they look right.

2) Unless it makes it hard to read, can you make the 'Articles' and 'Partner' text the lighter green, same color as the 'Grocery Coupon Guide'.

3) Can you add a newsletter sign up box somewhere. I really like how you did the search box (please do the 'subscribe' button the same way you did the 'search' button). Something like that but maybe in the body of the page or left side bar if the body doesn't look right. Maybe embed it somehow in the apples picture?

4) Tougher one maybe... Try to add a little more attraction to the left menu. Specifically each sub menu item. Maybe a list item square next to each one, some sort of icon, or only on the moused over one. I don't know... Any ideas?

5) Would love to see some kind of grocery/coupon logo image on the left or right of the logo text. Something like this? http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/who/facial_expressions/friendly/1460369_clipping_coupons.php?id=1460369 Maybe not possible with the green background though.

[nsanden]

Will,

Sorry, I'm really leaning towards Severner's submission now. Seems more clean, warm, etc to me. Just don't want to waste your time, but if you want to start with something new please do. Would like as many design ideas as possible.

[will]

Hey, not a problem at all. :D

[Fabian]

Do you still want those changes,or are you going with Severner's?

[nsanden]

If there aren't any new designs I think we'll go with Severners. Thank you everyone who has submitted so far.

[Fabian]

Congrats Severner,nice design champ :)

I'll move this to revisions for you guys.

[nsanden]

Fabian, I'd like to wait until the 20th if possible. Just in case anyone else has a design they want to submit by then.

[Fabian]

Ok,I have moved it back.Good luck:)

[Zoe]

Just wanted to let you know I am working on a concept.

[Zoe]

Hi,

Here is my entry. Happy to muck around with colours etc if required. I look forward to your feedback.

http://www.demex.com.au/templates/grocery-coupon-layout.png

[nsanden]

Demex,

Thanks for submitting a design. I'm not really digging this one. Shame too, I love how you integrated the google ads.

[Zoe]

No problem,

I made a variation of the design which is toned down somewhat.

http://www.demex.com.au/templates/grocery-coupon-layout2.png

[nsanden]

Demex,

Wow. They're like night and day. I really like it!

a couple things:

1) Can you change 'Grocery Coupon Money Saving Guide' to 'Grocery Coupon Guide' and make the text bigger, fatter, maybe no shadow.

2) Something about the tabs at the top I don't like. Like they need some depth. Maybe if you added that white line under them that would help. Just seems too flat.

3) The search seems too bold, can you try a different look for the button?

4) Can we get a newsletter subscribe box :) Maybe just above or below the picture of the woman.

[nsanden]

Demex,

Oh, and my only concern is when it comes time to change the template for a different website. What colors do I change, how hard will they be to change (images or just html?), etc. What do you think?

[Zoe]

Amazing what some colour changes can do. :)

Re: changing colours.

When I finalise the PSD file, you will be able to easily change the colours if you use Photoshop. It would all be sliced and the slices named appropriately so you could save the images to a new file and copy the html file across to another directory and you would have a new website. :)

Some colours would be changed in the CSS file but I would have it commented so you know what you are changing.

Ok, so I have made two variations for you to overview.

Option A

http://www.demex.com.au/templates/grocery-coupon-layout2b.png

[Zoe]

Option B

http://www.demex.com.au/templates/grocery-coupon-layout2c.png

[nsanden]

Demex,

Thanks for making those changes. I like option b.

1) Can you take the body of the page (the side bar and the body text, etc) and stretch it so the sides are closer to the light blue background? Maybe leave about half as much blue padding as there is right now. I would just make the white/body text wider, don't make the side bar wider. It's perfect.

Can you also move the body text just a little further away from the side bar.

2) I like what you did with the search! Can you make the curvy gray bar behind the search box be about the same width as the search itself? Does that make sense?

3) Instead of the brown, can we try any other color you think looks good? Just not totally into the brown.

[Zoe]

Great suggestions. I must have been colour blind today - I thought it was red, but it IS brown. :)

Refresh the page and you will see I have updated the last image I uploaded. I think I like the blue/grey combination.

[nsanden]

Demex,

Looking great! Just 1 thing this time. Can you make the SEARCH button the same as the subscribe button. Same color, font, not all caps, etc.

So back to my concern. This design looks perfect for Grocery Coupon Guide. What about Debt Reduction 101 though. Not all the colors would have to change, but at least 1 would, in addition to the photo, to make it look different enough. What color do you think would be the one to change, and can you show me what it would look like? No need to change text, photo, etc, just the colors.

[Zoe]

I have switched a few colours around for the debt reductions site. In the end it will come down to just trying out different colour combinations until you find the ones you like.

I appreciate your interest in my designs, and should you decide to go ahead I will be happy to continue these minor changes.

http://www.demex.com.au/templates/debt-layout.png

[nsanden]

Thank you everyone who submitted a design. I really do appreciate it.

and the winner is... Demex

[nsanden]

So a few more (hopefully minor) changes, Demex.

1) I would be interested to see what the sidebar looks like without the shadow.

2) In the debt reduction theme, can you add a color behind the google ads at the top, or was white the only thing that looked good?

3) The tabs... I think the thing thats bothering me about them is the font. Maybe they just need to be bolded. Can you try that?

[Zoe]

Thank you. :)

Please refresh to see the changes to the debt reduction design.

re: So a few more (hopefully minor) changes, Demex.
I am sorry if it sounded as though I didn't want to make changes. That certainly wasn't my intention. :)

[Zoe]

quick question.

Would you like the design to be centred or liquid across the page?

If centred - would you like the background to stretch the whole page?

[nsanden]

re: So a few more (hopefully minor) changes, Demex.
I am sorry if it sounded as though I didn't want to make changes. That certainly wasn't my intention. :)

No it wasn't that, I just feel bad asking for all these changes! Funny though, because I have one more for you now, sorry ;)

Can you remove the white border around the sidebar. Then, move the sidebar up just enough that the bottom of the newsletter box lines up with the blue line on the right. If the blue newsletter box is too big, you can remove the 'Name' field.

[nsanden]

quick question.

Would you like the design to be centred or liquid across the page?

If centred - would you like the background to stretch the whole page?

I think just aligned left, not stretched would be fine.

[Zoe]

Hi again,

I have made the minor change for you. :)

I also wanted to let you know that I have family arriving shortly from interstate so I may not be able to do any more work on this over the next couple of days, however that may give you some extra time to think of any minor changes. hehehe :)

Seriously though, if you do have changes, please list them here and then I will be able to get right on to it after the family leave.

Meanwhile...

http://www.demex.com.au/templates/debt-layout2.png

[nsanden]

Okay, i was completely wrong. Looking at them again, i like the shadow, white border, etc around the side bar. Can you bold the tabs in the Grocery theme and use that for slicing up. No need to update the Debt Reduction theme again.

Only other thing I see is the body of the page needs to be stretched a little closer to the side bar. It's noticable when you look at the boxes under 'Flashes Coupon Blog'. Other than that, I think we're good to go!

Once you make those changes, lets slice it up! I assume you will be doing most of these things already, but I want to put them out there just in case.

1) SEO is very important to me. The logo/slogan for example, if you can keep that as HTML text, that would be great.

2) Small file size is important as well, so any pieces that have to be images, please use whatever image format you need to make them as small as possible.

If you have any questions, let me know before you spend a long time cutting it up. I don't want you to have to do it over again. We have plenty of time, so don't feel rushed (and no problem about your family).

[Zoe]

Hello,

Just wanted to let you know that I will be working ont his today. Thank you for your patience over the weekend.

[Zoe]

Hello,

I have sent you a link to the files via PM.

Thanks.

[BlueCherryGraphics]

PROJECT UPDATE: This thread has been moved to Template Archives.