Review Request: MikeJeannotte.com

Hi,

I found the site to be on the plain side and the picture of your brother took a very long time to come up which would scare me off of going to your pictures page. Look for some photo optimizer software.

And how might you liven it up?

Please people, if you are giving criticism, please suggest alternatives, usually that helps more than a simple: "I didn't like it..."

Thanks - Mike

This is okay but for a personal site I find it a little boring. The colour scheme, for example, is nice but sort of lacks character. It's the same as your business site, and the TWF colour scheme so maybe that's why I find it lacking (seen it! often!). Pretty much every aspect of this design has the same problem (layout, checkered background, logo etc.) There's nothing wrong with it, it's just unoriginal.

I can't give you specific suggestions about how to fix this. Originality in a personal site has to come from you. You could start with the welcome image, which I think is good. For some reason orange is coming to mind as a suitable colour for this site. I'm seeing orange with green (?) on a black base. Above all, throw the boxy layout out the window and start fresh. Resist the urge to draw lines around everything.

With a personal site you can throw out your design preconceptions and get as creative as you want. DO IT!

One small thing - the arrows next to the navigation buttons gave me the impression that there was a drop down from there. Find another symbol to use instead.

My business site?

I think you're mistaken... Target Zion Studios hasn't had a site up for a couple months... We've been too swamped with other work to redo our own site... If you look, http://www.targetzionstudios.com is nothing more than a 404 error... Perhaps you're thinking of someone else?

Thanks for the suggestions though... Good advice on the arrows, I had thought the same thing, but I don't really work much on this site, just kind of whenever I get a spare minute, so I really haven't done a whole lot yet... Thanks again...

You do know that people have long visual memories? It struck me the same way -- the background is the same (the grid) and the style is similar -- boxy, heavy modifications to title text, but basically there is little else there in terms of layout or content.

Take a few chances, look around, find something that inspires you and really push the edges of your design or your writing. And show, don't tell. If you have to tell someone that you're brilliant and beautiful (and especially if they still doubt it after you've told them), you're probably not demonstrating those characteristics.

http://www.freewebs.com/mikejeannotte/bio.html

An IQ of 130 is Above average, 180 is genius =)

It's a good start, keep working with the content. it needs more, it's too bare. Also, the logo isn't working for me... at all. I have a feeling you can do much better than that.

nicora wrote: http://www.freewebs.com/mikejeannotte/bio.html

An IQ of 130 is Above average, 180 is genius =)

It's a good start, keep working with the content. it needs more, it's too bare. Also, the logo isn't working for me... at all. I have a feeling you can do much better than that.

You sir, are also mistaken. My site's claim that a genius IQ is 130 is a typo. It should say 140. And, while 180 is genius, it is not the lowest score to be considered so. I put my score and the comparison to the genius mark on there as a part of a running joke between my mother and I. She always busts on me for just missing it. She says since I'm the oldest of my siblings, I should be an example. LOL. Funny lady, she is... At any rate, Mr. Nicora, you are indeed mistaken.

http://www.wilderdom.com/personality/L2-1UnderstandingIQ.html

As far as your comments on the design, I think you're right. As I've said, it's pretty preliminary, and I haven't done a lot yet, and don't have much time for this site, just a little bit here and there. Which is why I've submitted it here, so I can get a feel for what I should do in the precious few moments that I do actually work on it. Thanks for your time to review, appreciated.

Suzanne wrote: You do know that people have long visual memories? It struck me the same way -- the background is the same (the grid) and the style is similar -- boxy, heavy modifications to title text, but basically there is little else there in terms of layout or content.

Take a few chances, look around, find something that inspires you and really push the edges of your design or your writing. And show, don't tell. If you have to tell someone that you're brilliant and beautiful (and especially if they still doubt it after you've told them), you're probably not demonstrating those characteristics.

I actually don't remember what the old TZS site looked like, really. Most likely, I based this design off the now unused TZS site without even thinking about it. The grid background is temporary. I thought plain white was too 'ho-hum' but I don't have any textures on my computer that would fit this color scheme/design. I'm sure I'll find a more permanent one soon, most likely a darker one. Thank you, Suzanne. Always like hearing from you.

By the way everyone... Just for future reference:
Though I claim to be 'gorgeous' on my site, I'm not as vain as it appears! If you knew me in real life, you'd know it's just some lighthearted fun with my friends, and as stated, the site is mostly for my friends and family while I trek off to higher learning (to save me from having to call all of them all the time, lol). Just a little FYI.

For someone who asked for the review. You don't take criticism very well. Personnally, I welcome it because it makes people better.

Just my two cents i guess.

War

I don't understand what you mean. I think I'm taking it fine. I'm not getting defensive or mean. Just responding truthfully, and THANKING the people who responded for their input. Warbishop, I'm sorry if you take this to be negative, but unless your two cents is referring to my site, please don't post on this thread. Kind of a waste of time don't you think?

For everyone who critiqued so far: Thank you again. If you took my responses to be negative, then you have my apologies for not being more clear. I have taken all of your comments with a smile. I don't think that faulty information being pointed [Megan & Suzanne were correct, I just dug up some old files and checked] out is negative.

So I ask you, Warbishop, "what are you talking about?"

According to you, everyone is mistaken, guess I am as well.

War

I guess you call yourself 'warbishop' because you like to start conflict. Just because I point out that someone is wrong, does not mean that I am being negative. I respectfully informed Nicora of the actual number IQ one needs to be considered genius, and I said that I thought Megan was wrong, but later confirmed she was right. So sir, your claims are unfounded. Good day.

Please keep the ACTUAL reviews coming, they're all very appreciated, and helpful. Thanks all...

Do you do any graphics work yourself, Mike? Or do you restrict yourself to text alterations? The reason I'm asking is that the skills are quite different and I'm wondering if you're resisting some changes because they fall outside of your comfort zone?

Just another kick in the pants to stretch your wings and take changes, make mistakes, get dirty!

(Also, I'm glad it's an in-joke, but it does come across differently without the context -- if nothing else, it's a call for you to make obvious what is hidden!)

Hahaha... Always the one to give me the boot in the *ahem*, aren't ya Suzanne? Actually I'm not really the 'graphics' guy in our little outfit, that's more of Brian's style... But, hopefully, I'll learn my fair share while I'm in college. For those who don't know, I'm majoring in Multimedia & Web Design at the Art Institute of Philadelphia starting in July.

But anywho, you're right, I do mostly text alterations because that is what I know, and I do very little non-text graphics on my own... I'm the code guy//Dreamweaver guy between Brian and I... Brian is also going to be attending the same school as me, in case you were all wondering. But he'll be studying photography.

Megan wrote: It's the avatar, Mike. You're using that avatar, which is modeled after that old Target Zion design you posted.

Hahaha... Touche...

Excuse me for being off topic folks. TargetZion: It's all relative, I scored 145 with Emode's IQ test, but I'm sorry to say that I am no genius. I scored 133 with MENSA, which would grant me membership, but that still does not make me a genius. Depending on which test you take your score will mean completely different things. Einstein, who really was a genius had an IQ of 160+. All I was saying is that a score 130 is not genius level. And neither is 140 for that matter.

Allow me to start off by saying emode is quite possibly the least credible source you can find... Past that, I'd like to know where you aqcuire your information on the actual score required... The only undisputible evidence I have is my score result sheet I acquired from a licensed tester. Unfortunately, I am unable to show you that for obvious reasons, but doing a basic google search [Genius IQ Score] gives you a list of results [I only went about 5 deep] that all say the same thing: Genius is 140 and above. What more do you wish for, Mr. Nicora? What proof will be good enough for you? I would say that my score sheet and the fact that my college of choice also accepts the results as accurate would be enough for me... At what point do you admit you're wrong? Because you are. No offense, of course, simply pointing out the facts... Also, Mr. Nicora, nobody is claiming that 130 is genius. As I explained in an early post on this thread, the 130 on my site is a typo, if that's what you're referring to... Anywho, please folks, let's get back to the topic at hand here... Any other comments on the site?

For those interested, I've taken the liberty of attaching links...

http://www.wilderdom.com/intelligence/IQWhatScoresMean.html

http://members.shaw.ca/delajara/IQBasics.html