Redesign Ideas, Tweaks, Implimentation

[Kyle Nilson]

http://metrobiology.com/macapper/wp-content/themes/graphite-10/images/logo%20orig.png

Hi guys. I'm the person who's been having a little fun on the side with your site layout. Right now, I'm currently looking at either a new front-page layout OR image overrides to the existing new layout.

Here's a link to my current new layout in progress if you chose to actually change your theme: http://metrobiology.com/macapper/

Here's a link to my current photoshop mockup if you chose to simply replace graphics in your current layout: http://metrobiology.com/files/test.jpg

You can see the other work at http://utdallas.edu/~kan061000/design/macapper/

Any comments or suggestions? Please note I'm going to try to work with your existing layout graphics because 1) it's cheaper, and 2) it means you don't have to excessively redesign your forum.

[Alex]

I think I would prefer a combination between your wordpress WIP (http://metrobiology.com/macapper/) and the logo number 3 (http://utdallas.edu/~kan061000/design/macapper/macapper3.jpg) on the utdallas site (except probably a smaller logo). Also, I'm not sure I like the wood background but its better than white. The blog design itself is nice and simple.

[Nick Cotton]

Hey Kyle, I like your new theme design, very cool.

With the image replacement idea, I'm not so sure about the brushed metal background, it's too distracting from the content. Maybe if it was a lighter colour?

Thanks for all your help.

[Alec Feld]

As I've said to you for days on end over AIM so far, great work.

I love the simplicity, but it feels a bit empty as of now. Looks like ones personal blog. I suppose if you expanded the content area (and the navbar to match width) to fill more of the page horizontally, it'd look way better.

[mad0214]

wow, great job...now redesign my blog

[Kyle Nilson]

http://metrobiology.com/macapper/wp-content/themes/graphite-10/images/logo.png

Josh Holloway had some nice ideas for the logo which look particularly slick on both backgrounds.

http://utdallas.edu/~kan061000/design/macapper/hardwood.png
http://utdallas.edu/~kan061000/design/macapper/gunmetal.png

[wpholmes]

I love it, especially the new layout.
http://metrobiology.com/macapper/
^that one

[Kyle Nilson]

High resolution logo recreated using Josh Holloway's styling.

http://utdallas.edu/~kan061000/design/macapper/newlogo.png

[wpholmes]

High resolution logo recreated using Josh Holloway's styling.

http://utdallas.edu/~kan061000/design/macapper/newlogo.png

I say definitely go with that concept there.

[Miles]

Looking good guys :)

[Jack Cory]

i love the gunnmetal

[Kiro]

The Wood Looks Great! It's really Awesome! Glad to have you here! I can't wait to see more.

[Kyle Nilson]

If you don't mind, could one of you guys go ahead and export your Wordpress database, and send me a zip folder of your local install, plugins, themes, and all?

Many thanks!

[Miles]

Hey glad to see you Kyle. My connection is to slow to download the database (20mb), I just tried. I will email you with it tomorrow.

I moved this thread into the main forum in the hopes we can generate some more suggestions, advice, etc from the readership.

[Conner]

I like the look, and although I like wood, that particular pattern is overused. Check MacThemes, it's everywhere!

[Kyle Nilson]

I knows.... sadly, I got rights to use it royalty free about the time everyone started ripping it from screenshots. ;)


Gunmetal will be an option.

[Conner]

In case you are still working on this, I still like the one with the wood. But, I say the sidebar from that, header layout from the current (just not the same design), but you're new, nice logo in it, space for ads below the sidebar (sponsors), and one aligned with the top of the sidebar (google/yahoo generated ads, whatever MacApper uses), and some other things. But, I like what you've done so far.

[Kyle Nilson]

I actually haven't touched it in a while, though now that life is finally calming down, I'll go ahead and resume work sometime. Miles? Go ahead and let me know when I have access to the dev server. ;)

[Miles]

Miles? Go ahead and let me know when I have access to the dev server.

You should have access now.