Weblog design changes - Work in progress

If you’re reading the feed you won’t have noticed but visitors to the weblog page will see some layout changes. I’ve changed the side-bars to a right hand layout and “de-cluttered” them:

• The media “I’m reading, watching, listening” side-bar lists are now only on my Personal Blog.
• The TypePad Photo Album links are gone:
  • I’ve uploaded all the existing images, and over 4000 others, to Flickr Collections & Sets which can be accessed via the Flickr “badge” in the "My Blogs" section of the R/H side-bar.
  • My future photo content will be on Flickr but if you want to see the old albums the links will remain on my Personal Blog.

Hopefully this should make things look a little cleaner and load a little faster. I welcome comment on these changes, better or not?, and any suggestions for more!

Comments

[colourful photos]

I saw one website with all different kinds of design templates. It’s a stock photography site but has vector art and illustrations. Just use those keywords to narrow your search, and then use the great visual search tools to quickly find what you want.

You can check it out at http://xcavator.net/

[Mike Perry]

Hi Robin

No worries...

I think the "thin black vertical dividing line between the white content area and the 1st grey right hand side-bar" looks good.

If going with the grey (#CCCCCC) side-bar colour for the background area below the white "Comments" area, I would be tempted to add a thin horizontal dividing line between the white content area and the grey area.

If going with a fluid-theme I would definitely look at making the banner graphic fluid...

Take care, Mike

[Robin Capper]

Thanks Mike, Have added the line & gone to sidebar colour for the background to avoid the ragged ending look where the post is shorter than the sidebars.

Re Fluid: I size stuff for fixed width so can change back, still have mixed feelings either way.

[Mike Perry]

Hi Robin

Oops! almost forgot, I would move the "Subscribe" area up above the page fold.

Take care, Mike

ps Generally I am not a fan of fluid-themes (especially on blogs). IMHO, a decent width (1000 pixel minimum) theme that is centre justified looks much better and provides greater control from a designers (bloggers) standpoint.

[Mike Perry]

Hi Robin

Less clutter is good, faster load times are also good :)

I prefer the 2 side-bars on the right side.

A couple of suggestions:

1. Add a thin black vertical dividing line between the white content area and the 1st grey right hand side-bar.

2. The area below here (white "Comments" area), I would change from blue (#003366) to black (#000000).

Take care, Mike