My Flash Site --- Needing opinions from the best, namely all of you!

#1

Hello friends…

I’m very new… I will get around to posting my introduction very soon.

At the moment I need input, feedback and critique. I just finished part one of three of my Flash Website. While my muse takes her dear-sweet-time in coming back, please feel free to let me know what you think.

It’s in a way a new start for me; I’ve relocated after being dropped by an important bread and butter client I had in a different State. So I’ve decided to move, clean the slate and, in a way start over. This site is one of the manifestations of these changes I’ve let myself slip into.
And although, logically I’m personally attached to the project, it’s because of this attachment that I’m needing honest feedback. To help me look at things in different perspectives (pun not intended)

I’m going through a career mood swing (ever since I hit 40)… your input will indeed redirect me onto a new pathm hopefully.

Oh! yeah… the website address is: http://www.danielbolivar.com

Cheers Everyone!

PS. ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL SITE YOU HAVE HERE… The Art, the creativity, the visions, but most of all the PEOPLE!!! Some of the BEST artistry I’ve ever seen!
I don’t know how I’ve missed it until now… well actually I do; non-creative, non-innovative, engulfing clients!

#2

simple yet very catchy…
I like it… congrats!

#3

Daniel Bolivar, Welcome to the site!
I hope to see more of your work in the future, if this website is any indication of your work…
:applause:
Let me start off by saying that this website is very good! I really love the animations when flipping through the pages of the portfolio
:thumbsup:
The one thing that (in my option) does not seem to be up to the standard of your great site, is the “contact me” piece of paper inside of the folder
It looks
well, frankly really bad
It looks like it was made in paint shop! I hope that was not too harsh, because the rest of the site is top notch stuff!

[right]-DevilHacker[/right]

#4

Yes I agree, I think what happened is I focussed on the PHP aspect and forgot about the front end… But frankly, by the time I got to that part, which was the last thing I added, my muse was packing for a long weekend.

What would you suggest? keeping the torn page and enhancing the image, or changing to a different type of skin for that?

Be my muse today, I will love ya forever. :slight_smile:

#5

Thank you for the pat on the back; I needed it after toiling with my own site for years and never hitting on something that I feel represents me until now.

Harsh are friends that don’t really tell you what they think. :slight_smile:
Besides you were absoutely right about the “Contact Me paper”. I made a few changes to that part of the movie, some shadows, cleaner outlines and changed the actions on the former simple buttons. Please give it a check now and let me know if you like :slight_smile:

Cheers!

#6

I disagree. I like the note. To me, it seems realistic, as though somone scribbled your info on a piece of paper and stuck it in their binder.
I’ve seen sites like this before and yours is very well executed.

Edit - Sorry I should have read the subsequent posts. The paper animation that is on your site now - I like. Not sure what was there before, but this is good. :slight_smile:

#7

For anyone else that is watching, this is the paper that I was talking about:

As for any changes, I would still say that there needs to be more work on the paper…
Maybe add some wrinkles in the middle, and make the color a little grittier like the folder/organizer around it…

PS: I looked at some more of your stuff
very nice, I [color=white][font=Times New Roman][font=Verdana][size=2]really [/font]hope you start some WIP, here at CGTalk, or show some more of you new work when it comes out
[/size][/font][/color]
(My personal Favorite is “Toby”) :thumbsup:

#8

This is so very ironic. The website that I am designing for myself is very similiar to yours. Difference: you are using a professional zip-up portfolio (which looks fantastic, btw), and mine is based loosely on the Necronomicon book design theory. The main problem I am having is the turning of pages; scripting how to turn the pages and making the pages look as if they are flipping. You have done a fantastic job with it. If you can point me in a direction of a tute online on how to do such a thing, I would gladly appreciate it.

The “contact me” slip is pretty neat. Critique: I wouldn’t have the writing appear out of no where. I would already have it scribbled on, and a bit of the writing poking out with the paper from the sleeve. This will catch someone’s attention and have them rollover it ("eh, what’s this read on this piece of paper jutting out of the sleeve? Hmmmm… ". Cheesy scenerio, I know). I was trying to figure out what everyone was talking about and found it by accident. Also, the boldness of the scribble doesn’t look right. Looks too much like a thick-nosed marker. If you are using a digitizer, I would use a smaller pixel size when writing this. If it is a font, then get the bold off. Due to the color, with a smaller pixel size for the width of the line, this would remind me of (what I call, but don’t know the actual term) “marker pens”, the type that look like pens and have a tip like a .028 refillable pencil lead.

Great layout, design work, easily readable, accessable… ‘teacher’s pet’ material .

Overall: 4.8 out of 5.1 (I use a 5.1 scale, with the additional .1 being absolutely original, flawless, and ‘tilt-your-head-this-is-unreal’. Only 2Advanced has gotten that score from me for a Flash site. But, for a portfolio of your caliber… you earned this well ).

edit note
I just realized… perhaps bump up the font value for the head page. I am currently viewing this at work at 1024x768 with a tad bit squinting. But, I wonder about others resolution. Average is what I have above and 800x600, which would be good for those who decide to read it. But, at home, I have my rez at 1280x1024. I’m wondering if I will have issues reading it? I also wonder what other graphic artists use. But, then… we are talking about corporate-type of people here that will view your site. And they fear above 1024x768 rez and usually stay below that. So, after coming to an understanding within myself about this issue, I just now wasted precious moments of my time and yours, and taking up space on CGTalk’s server.

#9

The turning of the pages is based on just 3 images, a little motion-blur on each, and then superimposed fade-in-fade-out, over fade-in-fade- out. Simply export a flat page, use some envelope deformations, a little perspective, well placed motion blur and presto. Export as PNG to retain Alpha transp. Also, you can actually export them at 50% original size 1) to save loading times 2) because the blurrier the better 3) No one will notice at that speed. 4) It works. :slight_smile: I tested a different method of creating the page turn using 3D MAX and applying deformations, yadda yadda…then motion blur, but it wasn’t worth the hassle. Much easier using the steps I eventually used.

Hope this enlightens you a bit until I get a chance to pound out the method more thoroughly. :slight_smile:

The entry letter will be replaced; it’s a placeholder of sorts for now… when my muse returns from her vacation on Saturn I’ll probably know what to place there. :slight_smile: So I’m not too concerned about the font size, but you are right about it being a tad small.

As for the paper getting any grungier other than the folds it has now, that’s not going to happen… it’s not my style. Even though I love the worn look that some favor; it’s simply not me. I used to be grungy at 25, at forty I keep my papers in slightly better condition. :stuck_out_tongue:

Anyway, it’s only a piece of paper not a ‘Monet’! Now, what I was thinking along the lines of giving it a more natural look was possibly embedding a handwritten font for the text entry fields… Maybe it’s the cold-system-Verdana that’s giving the impression of distance in style between the portfolio and the section in question… your thoughts?

Funeral Laugh: What scribble are you referring to? The text that reads “contact me” or the mouse-over circles? The “contact me” is meant to be thick. I don’t know of other’s habits but I always use a Sharpe to leave post-it notes… sort of aiming in that direction

.

Thanks for your input guys… I feel less lonely in my search. :slight_smile:

#10

I didn’t literally mean it to be “scribble”, just my way of referring to the handwritten style used for the “contact me”. I was thinking that if it didn’t fade in after the rollover, but was “permanently” already on the paper and the writing was a little bit visible from the sleeve, then your guest would spot it quickly and easier and get curious of what it says and roll over it. I found the note by accident as I did the zipper on the bottom. Because this note is important in contacting you, I believe more attention should be drawn to it so your guest is propelled into wanting to see what it is. If it was just a bunch of Droogs such as ourselves surfing to your site, sure, have it be a search-n-seizure. But for potential clients, keep the game of guessing out.

Hell, since we are mainly talking about a lil’ piece of paper that’s hidden behind a sleeve, why not have a business card holder/slot where the guest rolls over it and it performs the same actions as the note does when you click on it to contact you (card comes out, zooms in, displays name, logo, and ‘contact’). When ‘contact’ is clicked, form will be similiar to what you have done with what you have now. Instead of a tattered piece of notebook paper, have it display “memo” on the top or something of the likes. This is only an opinion and an idea thrown in the air. The reason why I mention it is because you hinted to us that “at forty I keep my papers in slightly better condition”. I can only assume that since your portfolio is very well organized, then your notes will be also, especially if coming from prospective clients. Am I digging to far into this or what? :shrug:

If you use a Sharpe, allow me to nod you in the direction that you set forth. :slight_smile: I’m a fine-line man myself.

And thanks for the hints on how to do the page turn. I’m sure I will have issues doing it myself and will probably come up with another idea, as you have one using 3DSM. The way you do it is pretty awesome and I wouldn’t change a thing (unless your other idea brings forth a great compression size and you see each page realistically turning one by one).

And again… great job!

#11

The business-card is coming, as are several other “papers” for the front cover sleeve.

And you are right; some form of user friendly icon of sorts for the emerging notes is needed and was planned. I’m holding out on giving all the symbols consistency until I add; resume bio, links, etc… Each on its own notepaper (possibly post-it note like), along with the business-card.

For the resume you’ll actually open N.10 envelope, unfold it and pull out the document.

All this was in my to-do list from the onset… although the urgency was for a personal portfolio ASAP. After working practically sequestered by my last client, I abandoned self-promotion altogether… I know, “very BAD!”

Devil_hacker you do have a point… it’s a question of balance between the main the the individual parts, I’m sure that once I define all the sections in the front cover insert I’ll be better able to give them more realism as a whole… Please don’t think I didn’t seriously consider your suggestions just because I’m a bit stubborn. :slight_smile:

Now; having clarity for the ‘peeping’ contact paper to not lose potential customers is a good point on usability. Although, hmmm… do I really want to deal with the not so bright peeps in this mad world? Just kidding and keep 'em coming… Who knows I may do without my Muse this upcoming year!

Cheers!

#12

You have terrific ideas and know what to do. Go with what you have planned and don’t look back.

And don’t let the past client get to you. I’ve been sequestered for 2 years and have yet to get my page up. I keep saying “Summer 2003”… “Fall 2003”… “Spring…” … and yet I get stuck because of working two jobs, my ideas are too big to fit on a webpage, and I’m manic. Hell, in those two years, I was supposed to have my updated portfolio set and ready. Guess what?

Not one piece done.
So, my idea for my page is still going foreward, but I have to do a reversal in the “plot” of it all. It’ll be interesting, if not, a clinical study for psychologists. :slight_smile:

#13

Bleh… MONEY!

Who needs it anyhow!
I wish I could be well off enough to actually pick who I work for, but you know how it goes. It’s nice having my car and a roof over my computer. :slight_smile:

Now, believe it or not, my horoscope indicated that big changes were coming for me in 2004. I hate to cry in public but it was sincerely a disaster. Lost important accounts, my former apartment, and had to resort to picking up what would fit in my little Kia Spectra (including my Girlfriend although I almost left her for my bowflex) and drive 4000mi up here to Washington from S.Florida into my brother’s house… Starting over has given me an advantage though.

When you’re at the bottom of a pit, the only direction to look is up.

So I gathered my thoughts and promised to myself a change. A new portfolio (even if it has some old stuff as content), a new logo, a new look and I’m off. Now comes the hard part, networking in a town where I know no one, contacting agents that haven’t heard of me due to my previous habit of living under a rock (former clients). But hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

If I may hand you a freebee of advice; don’t let time pass, lest a situation not unlike mine chatches you before you’re prepared for it.

If you need any help getting your online portfolio at least presentable, at all, even if it’s only to bounce around ideas, please let me know.

Sorry to ramble, Mr or Ms Moderator…I know it may not be the specific focus for this particular topic but I just had to get this off my chest. :slight_smile: It wont happen again.

#14

Why is it you believe a reversal is necessary?

#15

To not throw this post off-topic, I answered this with great length via e-mail to your Hotmail account. Look for K.G. Zyon Eix with e-mail extension Alltel.net.

#16

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