The ones that didn't quite make it / journal / hicksdesign

28/10/04

The ones that didn't quite make it

Clearing out my ‘dev’ folder on the new site, I came across some of the site comps (created in Fireworks) that didn’t make it. They’re just the initial ideas, but here they are if you’re interested…

I quite liked this one, but The Missus felt that the whole retro/worn look is getting quite common, and others do it better. I’ve got a thing about 1940’s-1960’s car magazines, and I’ve been desperately wanting to use that MG illustration somewhere

This one was trying to get away from everything. I’d found an illustration of a boy holding a prism up to the light, and again, really wanted to use it. This wasn’t it though.

This is the one I created in July, that parts were taken from for the new design. Too bland, odd hierachies of headings. You can see some of the elements that made it into this new design though.

This was the next attempt. A refresh of the previous design – rounded corners, more colours. I still like this one, and who knows, it may appear again. There’s that boy illustration again…

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Malarkey said 1367 days ago:

Jon, Lurrve the MG illustration! Keep that in mind for the <ssssh>B*** P***</ssssh> thingy maybe … ;)

Tim Kimberl said 1367 days ago:

I like the first one, I wouldn’t worn look is a bad thing because your mockup makes it look so good. But in the end, what you picked is prob the best. GJ :)

Michael Simmons said 1367 days ago:

I love the first two.. Great stuff. Use them. :)

Eric Cotton said 1367 days ago:

All of your mockups look great, but I think this one is my favorite. I just can’t get enough of that logo.

John Oxton said 1367 days ago:

I give up… s’not fair I tell you! ;)

Jason Santa Maria said 1367 days ago:

You made the right choice Jon. Not to say that the other designs are bad, but this one is easily the strongest and most resolved. The other ones, while interesting, don’t do your skills justice the way this one does. They feel like you were shoehorning what you really wanted (this design) into your old design. Anyway, good choice, great work. Rollo grunts in agreement.

Steve said 1367 days ago:

I still like the succinctity and cleanliness of your previous site and the bottom-most offering above.

Jordan Gillman said 1366 days ago:

I have to agree that you made the right choice Jon. I think that the new design stands out much more than any of those mock-ups would have. I really love the look of the Old MG and the first example, but for mine it looks too much like most of the other blog designs out there. I think that the new design breaks those boundaries, it makes it much more memorable.

Dave Foy said 1366 days ago:

Lovely ideas Jon!

Andy – I’m noticing you’re fond of having great secrets aren’t you? You often mention, “I can’t talk about it yet…”, maybe u know where Lord Lucan went to?! ; )

Only jesting mate.

#10

Rob Mientjes said 1366 days ago:

Wonderful. Even the things you didn’t like are better than my best comps or even work.

The boy is fairly cool.

#11

Ben said 1366 days ago:

I always find it fascinating, following a series of comps , ever inching forward to the final design- I only wish more people (er myself included) had the balls to do it.

Andy wrote:

B*** P***

Aaah – BritPack.co.uk !!

Couldn’t agree more on the MG illustration- simply spiffing!!

Ben

#12

Denis Radenkovic said 1366 days ago:

Not an expert, but you did make the best choice. Also because it seems that the new logo was made for this one!

#13

David Barrett said 1366 days ago:

You definitely made the right choice Jon.

I’ve never used Fireworks… purely as a matter of interest, why do you use Fireworks and not Photoshop?

#14

Mirko Scholz said 1366 days ago:

OMG – I wish I had any design of this quality .

But agreed – the current one is the best.

#15

Blair Millen said 1366 days ago:

I agree with you regarding the worn look becoming a little too common these days, however I’m very keen on the first mock-up with the MG illustration.

#16

David House said 1366 days ago:

I really like the second one there. Hope to see that sometime in the future.

#17

Kevin Francis said 1366 days ago:

I really like that second one there—great colour and space. The current one takes the prize though, I think—the full length repeating image is very well done, and quite innovative.

#18

Mike Stenhouse said 1366 days ago:

B** P***? Gotta be Bag Puss. Now there was a TV programme!

I love that boy-rainbow illustration – it’s absolutely lovely. That said, I think that the design you went for in the end was the right choice… Malarchy has the retro-illustration thing sewn up already and the new one is the cleanest of the modern-look ones.

#19

Andy Budd said 1366 days ago:

Hi Jon,

You’ve got some great designs there. It would be great if you could provide these designs as themes via a style switcher like Jeremy does on his site.

#20

Allan R. said 1366 days ago:

the third one is my favorite, but i still prefer the one you finally chose… i don’t like the boy… looks like one of those mocks in the photoshop fridays of SomethingAwful…

anyhoo, i admire how you spend time making more than one graphic sketch of the design before taking it to code… impressive dedication and a way of granting that the chosen one is really the best…

#21

Zelnox said 1366 days ago:

Ya, style switcher! I want to use that first one.

#22

Greg said 1366 days ago:

While your wife is right about the worn look becoming more commonplace, that doesn’t mean there’s not room for a really well design in that space. That said, I’d agree that the direction you have gone in is more original and in a sense daring.

#23

Kris Khaira said 1366 days ago:

I like the first and third one.

The worn out look is cliched now but it doesn’t mean you cant use it in a different way. I like the kid. and the colourful buttons in the third one.

If you do bring thaet back, don’t stick it all in a floating center box. It’s too small. I hate scrolling too much.

#24

Jason Santa Maria said 1366 days ago:

Regardless of how cliche “looks” can be, there is always room for one more done in an interesting way. Ruling out a particular direction for fear of it adding to the pile of an aesthetic can be hurtful. With that said, to hell with “looks” in place of good design. period. Many people talk about incorporating a particular style when it comes to design. First and foremost, design for your information to be communicated well.

#25

Dave S. said 1366 days ago:

I agree with the general vibe—you made the right decision in the end. #3 was also good, but just doesn’t have the ‘it’ that this one does. I love the new one, great work.

#26

Lasse Gejl said 1366 days ago:

Why not use all of them – let users alternate between your impressive designs..?

#27

Joel said 1366 days ago:

I think style switchers make the designer look indecisive. The current one has been focussed and refined and is the best display of Jon’s skills.

#28

Dustin said 1366 days ago:

I really like the last design. Everything is balanced very well. The colors from the prism are balanced by the menu on the right. The leaves with the vertical green bar behind them are balanced with the brown vertical spacer on the right. Overall a excellent design. Pleasing to look at, and to the point. Just not sure how you would have lots of content, unless it stretched to the size (vertically) of the amount of content?

#29

Jason G said 1365 days ago:

I agree with what seems to be the common sentiment, that you chose the right design. There is something about this one that you just don’t see anywhere else.

While it has the two column layout that is common to blogs, to me it doesn’t feel that way. The landscape on the right really detracts from the two column idea visually, but it still works functionally as well as a two column layout. Which I think works well for blogs.

I think the MG theme would have been nice too, but not as nice as this one. You really should get that car in another design.

Good Job!

#30

Sam said 1365 days ago:

First, just to say fantastic design. I love it.

However, (there’s always a however) looking at those other designs, I think those BIG rounded navigation areas look fantastic and I kind of prefer them to the current pop out version.

Just my $0.02.

Or rather my £0.02.

#31

The Missus @ work said 1365 days ago:

For fear of looking like an old harridan, I shall explain myself a wee bit …

I wouldn’t rule out a whole look and style if I thought it was being done innovatively and had that extra ‘wow factor’.

I felt Jon could design something that strongly said Hicksdesign … and for all I liked elements of the other ideas, I love this one. In my biased opinion it has a freshness, is a fitting evolution of what’s gone before, and is an excellent place to showcase Jon’s work.

This is a business site as well and a personal site and therefore has to appeal to as many people as possible. I think this one has that edge.

Well, that’s what I think anyway!

#32

Angad said 1365 days ago:

I kinda like the 3rd one, but that’s just me. :)

#33

Sam said 1364 days ago:

Dito to above, but I think the middle bar would be more appropriate on the far right, because the main content seems to be of very little importance where it is.

#34

clint said 1364 days ago:

most definetely the right choice imho….I’m lovin this version,

your looping graphic request post was pretty eye opening as well…ack.

#35

Aidan Dunbar said 1363 days ago:

you’re too good at this designing lark.

#36

Domenico said 1362 days ago:

I think that your choise is the best one.
would be likeable if you add some background-loop, as an example some birds or the good-sound of the forest… :)))
anyway, thank you for you kind words. I have very appreciated your words in the previous article.
ps.: sorry for my bad english.

#37

Domenico said 1362 days ago:

I mean: the redesign has landed

#38

Azeem Azeez said 1361 days ago:

The 1st and 4th look awesome! The first one has this old and authentic look. Good job!

#39

MaThIbUs said 1361 days ago:

Dude, these so rock! I can’t believe you like, throw ‘em designs away!

#40

Ben said 1359 days ago:

Me +I+ really, really, really wants a style switcher!

#41

Rene Grassegger said 1358 days ago:

HI Jon,

I like number 4 most. the others are not bad, but the last one, gives you a positive feeling. :-)

$0.02

Rene

#42

Gabriel Mihalache said 1354 days ago:

It’s funny… programmers, even when designing static sites, would never prototype in graphics editors. I usually just write the semantical XHTML and then try to float and position things to my liking… arguably, my designs are rarely all that innovative but I’m done sooner :-)

#43

Kris Khaira said 1351 days ago:

I draw first on paper, then prototype in Illustrator—it helps me think better. Then I bring the graphics to Photoshop and tweak and export to JPGs and GIFs whatever I cant reproduce with CSS.