forumtools.net

[ericgtr]

Well, I've decided to buy another vb license (my 3rd now) for a new site http://www.forumtools.net I realize there are plenty of others like it but I have been wanting to do something covering forum specifics for a while. This is the first I have announced the site so it's empty.

This is my first theme, basically I just tweaked the css and added a few of my own images to get it some what the way I wanted. A lot of the images are still stock but I am happy with the way it worked out all in all. Any feedback is appreciated.

[Paul M]

Well it's easy on the eye - I hate overbearing forum layouts. Seems fast as well.

[ericgtr]

Thanks Paul, and thanks for registering too. You know now that I look at it I could have just as well used Zak's admin silver style, oh well it was cool to tweak around with and learn some of that stuff still.

[Albus]

Originally Posted by ericgtr

Thanks Paul, and thanks for registering too. You know now that I look at it I could have just as well used Zak's admin silver style, oh well it was cool to tweak around with and learn some of that stuff still.

I said before that I liked your guitars site. Well I like this one too for many of the same reasons as above. It's easy on the eyes, a reasonable amount of categories and forums, and it's fast. This makes three sites I've seen recently that I plan to join.

[ericgtr]

Thanks Albus!

[Dean C]

Greetings Eric,

I'm not a big fan of the style at all. The silve gradients look amateurish and also the white text on top of them is hard to read due to the sharp contrast from grey to light grey. Also I think it would be a good worthy investment to spend a few dollars on branding yourself with a nice logo Best of luck with your site.

Regards,
- Dean

[ericgtr]

Originally Posted by Dean C

Greetings Eric,

I'm not a big fan of the style at all. The silve gradients look amateurish and also the white text on top of them is hard to read due to the sharp contrast from grey to light grey. Also I think it would be a good worthy investment to spend a few dollars on branding yourself with a nice logo Best of luck with your site.

Regards,
- Dean

Thanks for your thoughts Dean, good advice. I have a guy that I will probably approach for a new logo I also agree that the white doesn't work too well. I have tried different variations but the bleed of the light to dark makes it hard, maybe I will try another gradient. I did that up in Fireworks, obviously I am not much of a graphics guy.

[Albus]

Originally Posted by ericgtr

Thanks for your thoughts Dean, good advice. I have a guy that I will probably approach for a new logo I also agree that the white doesn't work too well. I have tried different variations but the bleed of the light to dark makes it hard, maybe I will try another gradient. I did that up in Fireworks, obviously I am not much of a graphics guy.

Dean has a point on the white text, but that's an easy css fix. I don't know about the logo. I've always liked simple ones best, and yours is simple. I don't know of course if it's a bought thing or not, but whether or not you need 'branding' is up to you. The board will continue to grow as is, I have no doubt.

[ericgtr]

Originally Posted by Albus

Dean has a point on the white text, but that's an easy css fix. I don't know about the logo. I've always liked simple ones best, and yours is simple. I don't know of course if it's a bought thing or not, but whether or not you need 'branding' is up to you. The board will continue to grow as is, I have no doubt.

Yeah, the logo is something I put together in Fireworks also, as far as 'branding' goes I guess I am not sure what that means, is it just a unique logo or something more? I have a skin that a paid for on one of my other sites and it's just a fun little site so I don't really care about it. What I do care about with this site though is speed and scalability, I want it to load fast and do not want to load it up with a ton of graphics so it cascades in all over the place.

[Albus]

Originally Posted by ericgtr

Yeah, the logo is something I put together in Fireworks also, as far as 'branding' goes I guess I am not sure what that means, is it just a unique logo or something more? I have a skin that a paid for on one of my other sites and it's just a fun little site so I don't really care about it. What I do care about with this site though is speed and scalability, I want it to load fast and do not want to load it up with a ton of graphics so it cascades in all over the place.

Branding is more along the lines of a non-textual image people associate with your site, and or service, but not entirely. It is possible that in branding your site, your symbol uses text as well. For example, it could be something as subtle as the distinctive way Microsoft has that notch in it's O or as complex as the firefox depicting the fiery fox wrapping itself around the earth. The reason I said branding may not really be an issue with your site is because if your current logo is of your own design, and you stick with it, regardless of style (the three boxes on either side of your sitename) then that IS your branding.

:. ForumTools.net .:

See, even in text that is distinctive. I also like:

.: FORUM :: TOOLS :.

and other derivations. Pick one and run with it.

Try something like this, and use the added colors in your theme for a soft highlight. The colors represent the RGB spectrum and the shapes represent getting work done. Or use it as a spring board for your own ideas.