Hosting Template Improvements

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Hey, I am making a web hosting template, and at the moment it's not looking very good. Here it is so far:

http://sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/Templatedraft.PNG

I know it's crap, so don't bother posting 'haha you suck' 'lulcakes u noob' or anything like that.

If you're going to post, please give me tips on how to improve the template. For example, somehow to improve the boxes for the content? How could I improve those?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Vince.

[l3etrayed]

Cluttered. First thing I could see... Images in the "banner" are all over the place. The "content boxes" are way too plain and defined. Smaller borders? White background with white content background and black borders arent the right way to go...

I think the best thing for you to do is take a look at other successful hosting layouts, maybe try and recreate some of the designs they do and then later come back to your design.

[Excellent1]

I take it that this layout is made in paint? The boxes are too dull and boring and the border just makes me cringe. You want to throw in more colours like reds and grays. Take a look at some hosting companies to grab inspiration.

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Cluttered. First thing I could see... Images in the "banner" are all over the place. The "content boxes" are way too plain and defined. Smaller borders? White background with white content background and black borders arent the right way to go...

I think the best thing for you to do is take a look at other successful hosting layouts, maybe try and recreate some of the designs they do and then later come back to your design.


I take it that this layout is made in paint? The boxes are too dull and boring and the border just makes me cringe. You want to throw in more colours like reds and grays. Take a look at some hosting companies to grab inspiration.

Yeah it's made in paint, thanks for the advice guys. So I'll put the borders smaller, what coloured borders do you think and how much thinner? Should they be multiple colour? Should they have shading? Any other things I can change?

- Vince.

[ThisNameWillDo!]

http://sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/Templatedraft2.PNG

This is a new one I have done, how can I improve from here? Is it any better?

[Dentafrice]

You've just pasted pictures on there, and drew boxes. This is paint, you're not going to get many good looking designs out of paint (except pixel ones).

How many websites across the internet do you see that look like that? That are successful? That people use?

Not many.

Nothing is aligned either, things are just placed all over the place:

http://img.skitch.com/20090404-d85etf85ht3fqj1pgkjucjwupy.png

Look at the spaces between the boxes.. it's just placed sporadically.

Where would a logo go? You've got this big picture of a Dell Poweredge server in the way, and it's misaligned.. so that draws your eyes to it.

Your boxes are now grey, and sort of opaque in a way to blend in. But then on top of the boxes, you have these big black servers over and over.. that doesn't really mix and match.

Plus the servers don't even line up:

http://img.skitch.com/20090404-pth472pxwbynpews29j988fi3g.png

You don't need that many repetitive big images on the page. You loose content room when you have huge images like that in a box.. over and over.

http://img.skitch.com/20090404-8nu7tgiy3ncc4fssgkgqg9ff24.png

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Thanks for the advice, I've left you an IM.

[blanky12!]

You shouldn't use paint, you should use a program DESIGNED for templates.. such as photoshop, etc.

You will get better fonts etc.

The only things I can see that can be improved is that dentafrice said

[Dentafrice]

Thanks for the advice, I've left you an IM.
You mean a PM, and no, I'm not a designer.


You shouldn't use paint, you should use a program DESIGNED for templates.. such as photoshop, etc.

You will get better fonts etc.

The only things I can see that can be improved is that dentafrice said

Not trying to be a smartass, but photoshop was designed for photos ;P

[blanky12!]

You mean a PM, and no, I'm not a designer.



Not trying to be a smartass, but photoshop was designed for photos ;P
however, it can be used for template creation, yeah thats fine, I also knew that.

[ThisNameWillDo!]

I think I'll just give up and leave it to a designer :P

http://www.habboxforum.com/showthread.php?t=571482

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Okay I redone it, what do you guys think? What can I improve on?

http://www.sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/Templatedraft4.PNG

[MrPinkPanther]

Okay I redone it, what do you guys think? What can I improve on?

http://www.sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/Templatedraft4.PNG
Better but needs much more colour and flare. Its a bit too light for me too.

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Better but needs much more colour and flare. Its a bit too light for me too.

What colours would you reccomend and in what parts?

[Excellent2]

Okay I redone it, what do you guys think? What can I improve on?

http://www.sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/Templatedraft4.PNGBloody good improvement from your last attempt but I still feel it's too bland. Having them images all over the place doesn't compliment the design. You will need to make some space for a logo. Fill it with content and see what it looks like.

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Bloody good improvement from your last attempt but I still feel it's too bland. Having them images all over the place doesn't compliment the design. You will need to make some space for a logo. Fill it with content and see what it looks like.

Okay I'll fill it in, then we'll see what it's like. I'll post back here when it's done, or edit this post if I can.

[Excellent2]

Okay I'll fill it in, then we'll see what it's like. I'll post back here when it's done, or edit this post if I can.Just post below so you don't get infracted :)

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Okay thanks. I've filled it in, but please note, these are not the fonts, text or images I will be using, it's just an example, just incase some people take it seriously.

http://www.sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/Templatedraftfilledin.PNG

[ThisNameWillDo!]

Sorry I forgot to put in my last post, what do you guys think? Anything specific I can improve on?

Thanks for your help so far.

[Dentafrice]

You're trying to portray what services you offer.. not what other services and companies you use.

In your design, you're putting your main focus on the other company's logos.. when they should be at the bottom.. if you even have to have them on there.

You need to focus more on your own company and your own services then what services you use.

[ThisNameWillDo!]

K I've added/changed bits, tell me what you think, which one is best? What can I improve on this time? :D

http://www.sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/templatedraft5.png
http://www.sacillianmafia.co.uk/hosting/templatedraft6.PNG