New header for site

[SagaLore]

Check out -, and you'll see the current header I'm using.

I need to redo my layout html/css as part of a migration to a newer version of the cms I'm using. While I'm doing this, I might as well give the site a facelift.

So here is a mockup of one of the ideas I have:

-

Does this look better? More symmetric? Or too crowded?

Any other ideas of graphic and main link placement?

update:
Okay new mockup:

-

 

[CrazyLazy]

It kind of depends on what your new layout is going to look like. If the new one is going to be center aligned as opposed to left aligned I would say yes it looks good. I might make the "/" a "|" instead for the link dividers. Also might make the search box bigger if you can manage it with the layout. Hope that helps.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: CrazyLazy
I might make the "/" a "|" instead for the link dividers.

Good point, I guess that would have made sense. I plan on adding some graphic division to make them look more like tabs.

 

[Crono]

This is probably a personal preference rather than a general style issue, but I would choose another color (blue, green or orange?) for the header, and another picture (that's a virus, right?) for the logo. Not that the virus itself is bad imagery, but if you had something attacking it (tech equivalent of a white blood cell!), or an X over it, or something symbolizing defending against viruses, it would have a more positive psychological effect. Again, its probably just my preference, so do whatever you think is best

EDIT: Also, I would make the "ANTI" a bold, caps font (maybe with a steel or iron texture/theme), and cast "Source" in white, perhaps a cursive style font or something.

Yeah, I'm not a graphic designer

EDIT2: Oh, I think spacing the topics in the left nav menu a bit would make it easier to distinguish them quickly. Other than that, I really like the design of the site. It's not too bogged down, and not to plain, either.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Crono
EDIT2: Oh, I think spacing the topics in the left nav menu a bit would make it easier to distinguish them quickly. Other than that, I really like the design of the site. It's not too bogged down, and not to plain, either.

Do you like the original header or the new header better?

Your other ideas are good, but I don't plan on changing the logo or color scheme. Its really just the layout and auxiliary graphics I'm concerned with right now.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: Crono
EDIT2: Oh, I think spacing the topics in the left nav menu a bit would make it easier to distinguish them quickly. Other than that, I really like the design of the site. It's not too bogged down, and not to plain, either.

Do you like the original header or the new header better?

I think I like the new header better, since its more compact. I do like the site description/mission statement you have on the old one:
"The All Inclusive Security Resource
Defending users and administrators against the
threat of viruses, trojans, spam, spyware, and hackers".

If there's no room for it on the new header, putting it as alt text would be helpful

Your other ideas are good, but I don't plan on changing the logo or color scheme. Its really just the layout and auxiliary graphics I'm concerned with right now.

Ok. Yeah, I didn't expect you to change the entire site just for me

 

[alexvorn2]

old header is fine, no change.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Crono
I think I like the new header better, since its more compact. I do like the site description/mission statement you have on the old one:
"The All Inclusive Security Resource
Defending users and administrators against the
threat of viruses, trojans, spam, spyware, and hackers".

If there's no room for it on the new header, putting it as alt text would be helpful

If the new header was stretched more, would you still like it? Its only horizontally compact because it made it easier for me to fit it in ms paint. Yea I do plan on keeping the mission statement, but I'll move it down into the little section that is explaining what the site is.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: Crono
I think I like the new header better, since its more compact. I do like the site description/mission statement you have on the old one:
"The All Inclusive Security Resource
Defending users and administrators against the
threat of viruses, trojans, spam, spyware, and hackers".

If there's no room for it on the new header, putting it as alt text would be helpful

If the new header was stretched more, would you still like it? Its only horizontally compact because it made it easier for me to fit it in ms paint. Yea I do plan on keeping the mission statement, but I'll move it down into the little section that is explaining what the site is.

Hmm, the difference between the two then is not great enough for me to say one way or another. I would say keep the old header, then, if convenience/time is a factor. The site is fine as it is.

 

[torpid]

What's the difference between these three, really?

Latest News
Security Topics
Latest Topics

It seems to me that those are two things total: News, and Articles (i.e. content exclusive to your site). Am I wrong?

I feel like you could gain some vertical real estate by having a diagonal cut on the bottom as well and putting in News / Security / Latest (or just News / Security depending on the above).

What happened to login/register? Are those officially gone or could they go into the right side of my imagined diagonal cut?

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: torpid
What's the difference between these three, really?

Latest News
Security Topics
Latest Topics

It seems to me that those are two things total: News, and Articles (i.e. content exclusive to your site). Am I wrong?

I feel like you could gain some vertical real estate by having a diagonal cut on the bottom as well and putting in News / Security / Latest (or just News / Security depending on the above).

What happened to login/register? Are those officially gone or could they go into the right side of my imagined diagonal cut?

One half of the site is articles, the other half is forums.

Oops I forgot about Login and Register. I'm already logged in so I don't see them.

I don't understand what you mean by diagonal cut on the bottom...

 

[AVAFREAK182]

Does this look better? More symmetric? Or too crowded?

Fixed. New one looks better.

 

[venkman]

Why does your logo have a Japanese sex toy in it?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

i like the new one, but i would shrink the graphic and make the red section more narrow

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: venkman
Why does your logo have a Japanese sex toy in it?

My site aims to please.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: torpid
What happened to login/register? Are those officially gone or could they go into the right side of my imagined diagonal cut?

Okay I understand now. I put up a new mockup with some of your suggestions.

 

[The Godfather]

The mockups aren't bad. Crono's ideas are good. I agree about changing the color, and maybe making it a gradient/light effect on it. Maybe also add a white shape with low opacity above parts of it. It just looks a little old fashioned and can maybe use a little more color/variety as far as the header goes.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: The Godfather
The mockups aren't bad. Crono's ideas are good. I agree about changing the color, and maybe making it a gradient/light effect on it. Maybe also add a white shape with low opacity above parts of it. It just looks a little old fashioned and can maybe use a little more color/variety as far as the header goes.

What color would you use?

I don't understand what you're saying about a white shape...

 

[The Godfather]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: The Godfather
The mockups aren't bad. Crono's ideas are good. I agree about changing the color, and maybe making it a gradient/light effect on it. Maybe also add a white shape with low opacity above parts of it. It just looks a little old fashioned and can maybe use a little more color/variety as far as the header goes.

What color would you use?

I don't understand what you're saying about a white shape...

Probably some light hue of blue. I'm saying something to look like a gradient. As if a lighting effect or such as a white curvalinear shape over a few pixels of the header with very low opacity.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: The Godfather

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: The Godfather
The mockups aren't bad. Crono's ideas are good. I agree about changing the color, and maybe making it a gradient/light effect on it. Maybe also add a white shape with low opacity above parts of it. It just looks a little old fashioned and can maybe use a little more color/variety as far as the header goes.

What color would you use?

I don't understand what you're saying about a white shape...

Probably some light hue of blue. I'm saying something to look like a gradient. As if a lighting effect or such as a white curvalinear shape over a few pixels of the header with very low opacity.

Oh... I just can't budge on changing it to anything but a red. Security has always been equated with red. So what you're suggesting is to give the top a curved edge?

 

[Q]

I like header1 better only in the Latest News / Security Topics part, because the slash is easier on the eyes rather than the | on h2.

But overall h2 is better, but the login and search need to swap places.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Quintox
But overall h2 is better, but the login and search need to swap places.

I could do that...

I need to also put in fields for username and password.

 

[SagaLore]

Bump.

I kind of let this go while distracted on other stuff, but I need to revisit this. I never did decide what to do with my design.

 

[James Bond]

H2 feels slightly uneven to me because it has grey on top AND bottom on the right side.

I'm not a professional, just my opinion.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: James Bond
H2 feels slightly uneven to me because it has grey on top AND bottom on the right side.

I'm not a professional, just my opinion.

Given the color scheme and design of the site, do you have any ideas for an appropriate header? Something a little bit newer?