Mini Art School: Post I- Critique of Website Design.

Dawn R. SanFilippo

Mini Art School: Post I-

Critique of Website Design.

I selected an attorney website because of my familiarity with them. I find that firms focusing in certain areas of the law, e.g. municipal, often have amater looking websites.

To capture the entire first page of this website requires taking two screenshots, combining, scanning and uploading them. I have attached the link to the website here if you wish navigate to it. The home webpage is so long that a potential client would have to scroll down to reach the important information.

1. White Space: This page has virtually no white space. It is visually noisy and does not provide the viewer’s eyes a place to rest. Haagen & Golombisky (p. 47).

2. Line Placement and Flow: The layout does not create clear lines for the eye to follow. The large center background block has a defining shape, but no lines continue from that point. The blue overlaid block also has strong lines, but it does not create any discernible sections in the overall page . At the top of the page “The New Jersey, Ticket Defence” is centered in what could be a division one three columns; but the columns are not distinct, and the middle quote is not centered in what would be the middle column. The lower half of the website appears to be in two columns, one headed by a graphic of New Jersey, the other advertising a free consultation. But, the two columns are really three because of the testimonials. The webpage does not create movement for the eye to follow. Krause, 98-119; Haagen & Golombisky (p. 47).

3. Layout: The layout lacks form and balance. The page confuses the reader who must scan the page to find the information they are looking for. Haagen & Golombisky (p. 37). .

4. Color. The webpage has six colors (although two only appear in logos on the bottom right). The number and use of the colors does not have any discernible pattern.

5. Fonts: Website uses to many several fonts, and has copy in all caps, italics, small and large caps, standard type, bolding. In addition to the above, the website also has a number of graphics. Haagen & Golombisky (p. 34; 36-37).

6. Emphasis: The webpage lacks clear emphasis. There is no coordinated plan for the use of bold, text boxes, all caps, or italics, etc. The list of services which the firm provides is competing with the offer of a free consultation and the attempt to obtain information from the reader. The black buttons representing various areas of law and “Free Consultation” are both in all caps. Haagen & Golombisky (2017), states text in all caps is more difficult to read and should not be used, or used sparingly (p. 42). It can also be interpreted by the brain as yelling.

7. Bullets: There are to many bullets in the black box at the top of the page. They are not laid well. Further, the text in the black buttons are all caps, and each button has a box with a check mark in it. Which serve no discernable purpose. Haagen & Golombisky (p. 43).

8. Busy Background: There is so much going on, that the large banner background is just distracting.

9. Missing information. After, the “The [NJ graphic] Traffic Ticket Experts*” there is an asterisk, indicating information/clarification. I can not find the second asterisk or the additional/clarifying information.

10. Tacky Type Emphasis: There are a number of examples of tacky emphasis, but the most prominent are the “FREE CASE CONSULTATION” and “Get My Free Advice” with obvious information gathering software. Haagen & Golombisky, (34).

11. Unprofessional: The unvarnished attempt to capture information from the viewer gives an unprofessional impression.

Mini Art School: Post I- Harmony Workshop

(Initially I completed the Visual Echo exercise; but though I might have misinterpreted the instructions, so I completed the Repetition. I am totally brand new at this. So, I am posting both exercises I would like to hear your comments and suggestions.)

Repetition: I selected a picture of a sunflower to use as my inspiration for the festival posters.