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Site Name: Artistic Sunshine
Owner: Julia
Reviewed by: Georgina
Reviewed on: 2nd May 2009
Site Name
It’s quite a nice name, but it’s rather long. I don’t see why you couldn’t have a more relevant URL, like artistic-sunshine. The URL is also quite strange with the numbers as well as the letters.
Generally, you could have gone for a much simpler URL.
Coding and Validation
Your coding has 51 errors and 9 warnings.
Your CSS has 12 errors and 53 warnings.
Of course I am not going to make you fix all these, nor will I correct every error. You probably can’t even fix the majority, since it appears that you’re using an edited template from Freewebs.
However later on you may wish to take a look at my validating HTML or XHTML tutorials. I also have other tutorials which may help you later on when you can progress.
Browser Compatibility & Usability
According to Browsershots.org your site looks fine in all browsers.
The font size is alright – easy to read and all.
The navigation is nice, and easy to see.
Layout
Most of this layout was not made by you. I don’t feel the need to comment on the fundamentals like coding.
It’s a nice subtle background with a good blend of colours. I am guessing that you chose it yourself; Freewebs/Webs wouldn’t normally offer something like that.
You’ve chosen the colours for the fonts well, actually. I can tell you’re trying to make everything work with the layout.
Content
Visitor
Contests. Gah, I’m greeted with an advertisement at the top of the page; a flashy one telling me I am the ten millionth visitor. Bulldust! Excuse me.
Interesting contest. There should be more boundaries to this contest though. It’s not too fair if people can just make any graphic.
contest, resulting should be contest – resulting
To Enter should be To enter
Have the email subject be should be The email subject should be
when contest should be when the contest.
Activities – nothing hugely interesting here; it’s definitely something unique though.
On your advertising page:
you link should be your link
have one), should be have one);
VIOLA should be VOILA.
Your title on “things to do with friends” – “idea’s” – should not have an apostrophe!
This page doesn’t look nice with all the colours like that. You should stick with one colour for your font. Only the titles should be changed, or bold and italic effects. It looks tacky if you’re always changing the font.
Just be sure to keep the font and colours consistent on this page. You can colour the headers though, like “Bake some cookies” and “Read a magazine”.
Your recipes also need some organisation. I know you’re using a template and you probably just copy and paste, but please keep the font consistent, and try and make things organised.
You just copied these recipes. It would be nice to credit the site you got them from. Even then you shouldn’t just display it on your site; you should get permission from the author. You’re just redistributing someone else’s work.
The graphics are boring. Did you really take these all yourself? You might have made some but used a photo from someone else and edited it. Make sure you CREDIT that person, and make sure you are allowed to be editing their work.
Generally, you need to improve on these graphics. They’re small and not of good quality. The soccer ball one, for instance. Would someone really use that? Don’t you think you could have played with the fonts a bit and maybe made it look more appealing?
On the order page, Thank’s should not have an apostrophe. I don’t know if people order graphics, but perhaps it’s best to improve your graphics before offering them to people.
“Audio” on this page should probably read “Media” – I don’t think photos are audio.
The photos in the photo gallery are nice. Would you let people use them as image stock? These are really great. There’s always a photographer in everyone. Perhaps these photos would be better to offer to people and let them use – or even to put in your layout!
Website
Just going to point out some errors:
inspirational like should be inspirational-like
became born should be was born
jlm1230, that should be jlm1230; that
tid bits should be tidbits.
You should have standard sized buttons for your link buttons. Something like 88 by 31 pixels and 100 by 35 pixels are commo.
Since you have the links at the top of the page, it might be an idea to put them on the other pages in this section.
Excuse my comment about your recipes. You have credited them here. But you need to credit any photos you used or images you used, as well as Freewebs, and image hosts, and not to mention why you’re crediting! (Eg. Why are you crediting me? 
)
Guestbook – can’t say much here. “Thank’s” doesn’t need an apostrophe.
Webmiss
Just a few errors:
Julia, nickname should be Julia; nickname
yet should be just
luv should be love
u should be you.
Don’t write in chatspeak, please!
Blog
Obviously I won’t review your blog. Try to keep the text the same though, please. “Thank’s” again should not have an apostrophe.
Originality & Creativity
You’ve got some original stuff here. I can see you’re trying to build on that; great job.
I guess you could be a bit more creative in graphics. You can improve your skill simply by practising! Practise with effects, colour schemes – things like that.
Organisation & Errors
Organisation in sections was alright. However, you should keep the text consistent throughout and only use different styling when necessary – in headings or subheadings and such.
“Thank’s” is incorrect and doesn’t need an apostrophe!
I didn’t find broken links or images.
Overall Comment
Julia, you’ve got a very basic Freewebs site. It isn’t too bad, and you certainly do have a lot of content most beginner Freewebs sites don’t have. I like how you are trying to be original even if you are in the beginner stages.
My advice would be to clean up the pages and keep the text nice and with a consistent style; it’ll look a lot neater.
You also need to brush up on those graphic skills. If it fails – and honestly – your photography is great and is something you can use for graphics, not to mention original.
To further your skills in webdesign, I recommend you try using a premade layout or at least looking at the coding for one. You can easily learn from other people’s layouts and even modify them (crediting the person of course) to help you understand how it works, and even make your own layout.
Best of luck!
