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Site Name: Randomiss Designs
Owner: Cher
Reviewed by: Georgina
Reviewed on: 5th July 2009

Site Name

It’s a catchy name and is easy to remember, even though I don’t really like the use of the word “designs” – it’s quite overused.

Coding and Validation

Your coding has 1 error and 7 warnings.

As you’re validating to HTML, the warnings will are not major; they result from WordPress coding your posts into XHTML.

This one error can be fixed. You’re using valign for a table, which is incorrect. It must be placed within the td element and not the table element.

You’re using a table to organise your layout, which is not recommended. Tables are harder to build and not all browsers account for them. It is fine when tabulating data (such as using tables for your affiliates as you are currently) but not when creating a layout. Tables are not accessible. Screen readers for the blind, in particular, will not read them in the order desired.

Also, having your layout split into parts actually results in slower loading time. More images means more HTTP requests, compared to a single image. A table might be easy for you for your network links and such, but the entire layout image should not be a table. I would like to point out though, that it is a good thing you have provided alternative text for these links.

Your CSS has 1 error and 77 warnings.

The one error is in your theme stylesheet. You have written ext-transform instead of text-transform.

There are many warnings for your stylesheet as well. Some of the colours of sections need to be sorted out and cleaned up. Also, while you quote fonts such as Century Gothic, you neglect to quote other fonts with whitespace, such as Sans Serif.

Attempt to use <strong> instead of <b> and <em> instead of <i> from now on, for semantic – more meaningful – purposes. This is useful for screen readers as it provides more meaning and emphasis rather than the more physical <b> and <i>.

Browser Compatibility & Usability

Looking at your site at Browsershots.org, your layout is looking consistent in most browsers.

The navigation is very clear, but I suggest a colour other than purple for the text on hover. “Journal” should be written as “home” to be less confusing.

The text size is good; easy to read.

I already mentioned the issue with the tables. They are not accessible, take more time to load, and have other disadvantages. Try to use the div element instead of tables. This Tutorialtastic tutorial can help you sort it out.

Layout

The colour in this layout is eye catching, and the vibrant colours on simple black and grey makes them stand out without being too blinding.

I like the way the layout is set out with the sidebar and footer elements, but the sidebar should be cut down a bit, or the number of posts on the front page should be increased. The blank space beneath the first entry looks a bit odd.

I like how the woodgrain background is used in parts of the content; it maintains the interest of the header image. Another good point with the layout is the use of a wide range of colours without having a negative effect. Generally, up to six different hues can be used in a design before it becomes too cluttered, but you have done a good job here.

The CSS is very interesting; you use a wide range of effects on text and underlines, without it being too overdone. You’ve done an excellent job here, maintaining the interest of the image once again.

The black background in the sidebar and footer headers can be lightened a bit. Black isn’t used so boldly in the layout apart from the RSS feed button, which is a lighter shade anyway. These headers should be made to match this button a bit.

Content

Site info

On the disclaimer page it’s type should be its type.

On the site history page, 1 or two should be one or two, and went more artistic should be become more artistic.

If I’m not wrong, I think you had a Happy Birthday layout, which you haven’t put on your past layouts page yet.

“Link us” should really read “link me”.

The Owner

On this page your age reads 13 when on your sidebar it reads 14.

Visitor Content

The brushes are great – high quality and a good variety. I like the previews. It’s nice that you have a wide range of brushes to suit different styles; good job.

The coded layouts are designed very well and have a unique set-out. They are quite large though. I can’t see the entire second layout, so keep in mind that they won’t look the same in different resolutions, especially those smaller ones.

There isn’t much one can say about colour palettes. People can generally pick their own though.

You didn’t make the fonts, and you should not be redistributing them, so remove them. You have great designs so why bother offering fonts that aren’t created by you?

The icon textures look great; I love the examples and the names are very creative. The effects look excellent.

The light stock is great. They’re quite bright lights too. I usually see darker lights being offered.

The Photoshop actions are excellent. The tinted ones are my favourite.

It’s great that you offer Photoshop actions as well as PSP scripts. I have noticed that not many websites do that. Your brushes are also offered in different formats so it’s nice that you do this with most of your resources.

Your stock images are of high quality and I can really see them being used. It’s also a good thing that you offer them in a smaller size, for those who might have a slower connection, or who might just want to work with a smaller graphic.

I can understand why you would like to put your website name on the textures but they are not as usable if you place them right in the centre of the image. They would be better in the corner somewhere.

The uncoded layouts look great. They’re well designed but they should be offered as coded layouts. People using layouts from websites generally do so because they can’t create their own.

On the backgrounds page, you should be using code and not textarea to display code. Textarea is intended for user input only.

The icons look great and have nice effects. Some could have a bit of text added to them to make them more interesting. As with some of your other graphics though, avoid using celebrity images as they are copyrighted to the photographers.

Tutorials

On the main page, unless if I say should be unless I say.

The layout tutorials are excellent. All these layouts are creative, just like the other designs I have seen on your website. It’s very nice of you to share these tutorials.

The Photoshop tutorials are detailed and easy to follow. The photograph on the Correcting Contrast: Levels tutorial is a bit blurry; consider replacing it with another one.

On the skin smoothing tutorial, showing the original image in comparison to the result would be a good idea; the only other image you have is of the process in progress.

The icon guide is full of some very handy tips and tricks – great job. Also, words that relates should be words that relate.

The pixel effect tutorial is unique because there is depth to it, which is a lot more interesting. Most tutorials don’t have the depth element. Having a larger image to show the result would be better and clearer as the small image you have here doesn’t show much.

I’m not a fan of soft light effects, though the tutorial you have here is good.

On the blending modes page, explainations should be explanations.

On the red and cyan PSP tutorial, the girl’s eyes stand out and look a bit unnatural; perhaps a different image for this tutorial would be better.

The icon guide here is the same as the icon guide you have under the Photoshop tutorials.

The resizing with quality tutorial is very good. I like how you have included all the options and the results and placed them on a scale.

The tutorial on Facebox is quite good, as is the one on the drop down div.

The div layout doesn’t really explain very well especially in terms of CSS. The tutorial is done very well but isn’t explained thoroughly. Explaining a bit about CSS and how to position the divs and such would improve this tutorial.

On the wrapping tutorial, the image is much larger than the text so it extends outside of the box.

Writings

Nothing much to say here, but keep adding more.

Originality & Creativity

You have very good tutorials, and your designs are very creative, of high quality, and clearly have a lot of hard work put into them. Some of the celebrity images could be replaced with more original photograph, though.

You have very unique and high quality resources, including photography, textures, stock images and much more.

Organisation & Errors

I’d personally prefer the tutorials to be thoroughly listed on the one page rather than having a number of subpages, but they’re very organised how they are.

All the pages were well organised, and the tutorials were extremely well set out.

Overall Comment

Cher, you have an amazing website with very high quality designs, and extremely helpful tutorials on graphic design. Your resources are also very unique and useful.

Your website is amazing and you have excellent graphic skill. Your content can really keep someone busy. Excellent job.

The layout can do with a little bit of improvement in the CSS and table-wise, but otherwise, an excellent job overall.

Rating

(out of 5)