airbrush artist web site - themecolour.com - review please

[themecolour]

This is my website, please review it. Any feedback accepted...
Hard hat on and a box of tissues at the ready..
Thanks..

[bcmedia]

Hiya,

I love your work but the website doesn't present it in the best light. Lets disregard all technical stuff & concentrate just on presentation.

Your site makes you look like an extremely talented hobbyist rather than a talented creative business. The pictures you've taken of your work do nothing to enhance your work and don't reflect the calibre of your art.

So, if your site is for a hobbyist then fair play - I love your work. If your trying to present yourself as a serious creative company with a wicked concept then it unfortunately falls way short.

I do love the laptops though - Good work!

Regards
Craig

[bcmedia]

Oh yeah and your prices do not show up on Firefox

Check out my site if you want to see some of my creative work, its still only 50% finished but the presentation makes it.

[zookx]

I agree with Craig. Fantastic looking work but the site doesn't do it justice. That said, ultimately its the work that will sell your services not the site, so while it wouldn't put me off, it could certainly work much better for you.

On the navigation bar is I would sugest adding a dedicated contact button as, while I know you have the details listed at the bottom of most of the pages, it just makes it that much easier for your customers.

Also the 'back' button, doesn't go back at all, it just goes to the home page whichever page you are on.

Also I think the gallery area could be much better to navigate.

As for the Prices? I didn't see any at all in IE 7?

Hope this was some help.

Chris.

[themecolour]

Thanks Guys,
I have a lot of work to do then!
I will take on board the advice given, as you have pointed out most of my work is not sold through the web site but it gets my clients looking and of course helps them with design ideas.
First stop is going to be professional photography of some of my work pieces. Then I may play around with the menu bar. Craig I love how yours works with the drop down menu, maybe that would work for my previous bikes and resolve the gallery issue Chris mentions.
Many thanks so far, keep it coming
Dave

[bcmedia]

Hiya bud,

Little hint for budget product shoots>
Get a white sheet & some boxes. Place the boxes to create a corner and then drape the white sheet over and you have created a product studio for you photos!

http://www.dansdata.com/phototute.htm

http://jyoseph.com/diy-light-box-for...t-photography/

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/200...to-studio.html

Its your work, I imagine your a fairly hands on geezer if your prepared to dismantle a bike to paint it, so why not have some fun and give it a bash yourself. If you want I can take the shots and do some tidying up in photo shop afterwards.

Obviously your not going to get a motorbike into your bedroom for a product shot, but if you can master it for small things then I'm sure your creative enough to make some kind of contraption/photo area for a bike or car.

Regards
Craig

[fisicx]

What do you want the site to achieve? It's not a daft question but one you need to ask yourself to make sure everything is focussed. I'm assuming you want to generate new business so that's the message you need to have on every page. Looking at one of you motorcycle page the copy is excellent but if you finished it with:

'If you want a custom paint job for your hog/tank/helmet call Dave on 01234 56789 or email ....'

Make your gallery your homepage - your strength is your work so get it in front of the punter ASAP.

So really it's just a matter of a bit of reorganising. There are a lot of technical issues that could be addressed but thet's pretty secondary - it's your content and call to action you need to focus on.

[ceejay77]

tidy site but could use more examples of your airbrush work nice shot of the motorbike some close up photos would impress

[themecolour]

I suppose I want to achieve bookings from the web site, People look at my site to assess if they should use my services as oppose to buying anything from me.
The web is really a platform to portfolio my services therefore I may have my home page changed to the gallery as suggested.
Having no expierience in the technical aspects of web building (self taught html and using dream wever) I am not sure how to overcome some of the issues mentioned.

Craig, I have taken on board what you have suggested about photography and my spray booth with a white sheet on the floor should work, I dont know why I didnt think of that before. I am gathering new photos for the changes I am planning.
Ref your site, how do I get the drop down menu boxes with, for example, a list of bikes I have painted, hyperlinking to the individual pages for thoes bikes?
Many thanks everyone
Dave

[bcmedia]

Hiya,
I would look at using a CMS like Joomla or even word press, which is a pre made platform for you to add your work onto so your not writing all the code yourself.
If its really just a gallery you want then maybe something like this http://www.ezlava.com/make_website.h...making_program could be of assistance.
My site uses a combination of Java tools, php, css and html to run it, however these come as standard with Joomla (http://www.joomla.org/about-joomla/getting-started.html)!
Regards
Craig