Version Two
The moment has arrived. Bradezone has been redesigned. I hope you like it.
Much like the previous iteration, this one was coded and styled in a flurry within only a couple of days. But the ideas have been stewing for a while. I knew I wanted bold contrast, larger type, a liquid layout, and a design that plays to my strengths. I’m pleased with how things came together, although WordPress’s methods of dealing with site domains and image URLs assured the redux wouldn’t happen without a fight. But I do like WordPress, particularly its seemingly new feature of finding the correct URL if you enter one that is slightly different.
The big thing for me was organization and placement of content and links. Prioritizing based on text size and color is at the heart of the redesign, and I spent much time thinking over it. Hopefully the many things I’ve learned since working at BigBlueHat are evident in the logic behind the site’s new layout. Eventually I just needed a primary color, and what better choice than my lifelong favorite: red? I’ve also added my “greatest hits” atop the left sidebar and placed links to my social networks at the top right of the site. Moving forward, I plan once again to incorporate randomized photos in the upper left, and I need to check the links from past entries for current validity. I’m also considering some widgetized content above the footer, such as my Amazon wish list or Picasa web albums. I have even debated whether to join Twitter at long last so I can have some up-to-date content in the currently empty upper right, but we’ll see.
So that’s the whole mundane tale. The timing of this redesign was quite unexpected, but after a truly bizarre last couple of weeks, I felt a sudden urge to pool my creative energies into something fun and, at least to me, worthwhile. I’d be glad to hear your thoughts, especially if you find something weird.