My new site

Get some feedback on your site or ad from other rental owners and techies. Also a library of online resources so you can make DIY improvements to your web presence.
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

My new site

Post by Topcat »

Would you mind having a look at my new site, please? I think I'm just about there. It's taken ages because I've only just managed to drag some pictures of his paintings from my tutor!

www.watercoloursinspain.co.uk

I know it's not exactly an apartment site, but it's part of my attempt to make good use of the apartment so i hope you don't mind.

Regards,

Pauline
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
guest 4
Posts: 990
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:33 pm

Post by guest 4 »

Hello Pauline,

I think it looks fantastic. I may just take up painting so I can come!!

I have often looked at painting holidays for my Dad, (I would like to treat him some day) he runs a class for painting at our local U3A group. Went to art college when he left school but never persued it until his retirement.

The only thing is my Mum (non-painter) would have to come with him, so I look for what a partner could do whilst the painting bit is going on. Perhaps you could build a bit in about that?

Just one other small point, on the 'about us' page, I found the writing is running into each other, perhaps it needs to be justified in the center, not sure of the correct term, hope you get what I mean.

I think it is a lovely site. Well done.

Ruth
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Thanks Ruth. I know what you mean about the writing running into one another, but I can't stop it, as it's the fault of the template. Maybe I'll try a different layout for that page and see if that improves it. I may just have got too much on there.

But thanks. I take your point about what to do for non-golfers, and will try and work on that a bit. I think I made the mistake of stereotyping amateur painters as women, and focused on what men could do, but I've subsequently had to eat humble pie on that one already!

Pauline
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
User avatar
enid
Posts: 5599
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: Labretonie France
Contact:

Post by enid »

I agree it looks great - I love the blues. I'll have another look later - on a break from ironing!!!!!!
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Oh Enid, that's what I'm doing! Supposedly, anyway!

Pauline
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
User avatar
mon269
Posts: 277
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:43 pm
Location: Granada, Andalusia
Contact:

Post by mon269 »

The whole site has that painting theme going on, spot on for the content of your site. Very good descriptions of what to expect and what not. I can tell that you have written the text very carefully.

There is only one thing I found surprising and that’s the Site Map. A map would normally give you direct links to all the pages, a means to see how the site is structured. In your case, the site map is the only way to get to a number of pages :shock: . I’m not saying this is wrong, only unusual and surprising but if you are happy with this layout there is no reason to change it. However, I almost missed a lot of information because I never look into the site maps. I don’t think this is making much sense but it’s been a long day :oops: .

I hope this helps somehow.
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Thanks Mon. I agree about the site map, but that's how the template did it. However I discovered today that I can change it, and thought I'd wait to see if anyone commented first. Now you have, I'll do it!

Thanks,

Pauline
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
User avatar
mon269
Posts: 277
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:43 pm
Location: Granada, Andalusia
Contact:

Post by mon269 »

I can be a pain in the neck! Ask around, they will tell you! :P
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Not at all, Mon! You only told me what I really knew, anyway, but was burying my head in the sand over!

pauline
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Hi Mon, Is this better? I think it is. Thanks for spurring me to do it!

www.watercoloursinspain.co.uk

Ruth, if you really fancy it I'll provide you with the paints so that you don't have to lay out on them in case you don't like it!

I've added a chunk to activities about what there might be for non-painting partners, and I've also invited them to lunch, and morning and afternoon teas and coffees as well and said they can use my jacuzzi (though not all at once!)

Pauline
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
guest 4
Posts: 990
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:33 pm

Post by guest 4 »

Well, I've dug out my best 3 inch pure bristle Harris brush, last used to paint my bedroom coving. :lol:


I think it is great now. I too, nearly missed the extra info cos I never click on site maps, always thought it was just a load of tech stuff.

Well done.

Ruth
User avatar
enid
Posts: 5599
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: Labretonie France
Contact:

Post by enid »

Lovely - I like the new menu - can't think of anything to improve it - my problem is usually text size but this is fine. Well done you!!!! :)
User avatar
Ju
Posts: 1949
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 6:56 pm
Location: Vendee, France
Contact:

Post by Ju »

Nice site.

My main coment would be that I am a little put off by the fact the font changes from page to page. The "setting for your painting holiday" page is very difficult to read with the columns. Is there any reason it can't be put into ordinary text like the other pages.

Other than that it is a good job.

Ju
User avatar
mon269
Posts: 277
Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:43 pm
Location: Granada, Andalusia
Contact:

Post by mon269 »

Yes, much better now. This is exactly what I meant earlier (I see it made more sense than I thought).

I knew there were 2 things I wanted to pick up on on my last message and I forgot the second one. I remember now. It’s regarding the About Us page. It confuses and distracts me (not that this is difficult to do). You have a 2-column format, which I’ve got no problem with, but you use two font styles for each column. Italic font gives emphasis to that text but then the other column uses a bigger font to give emphasis. See what I mean? I see the page and think “right, the Tutor is the main area to read and the About Us is a bit of a side text� and “hang on, if it’s in italics surely that’s the main thing to read�. It does not matter what is more important or whether one is more important than the other, what matters is that it’s distracting me from the main thing which is the content of the text. I would suggest using the same font.
User avatar
Topcat
Posts: 1888
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 6:43 am
Location: Isla Canela, Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Topcat »

Thanks for your comments (all of you) about the text on the 'about us' page. The reason it looks like it does - well there are several. It's in columns because to begin with I thought it looked best like that. Then Kips pointed out that the text ran into other text, and that was why I tried changing the font in each column, as a means of separating it.

Maybe I'll try another layout altogether. Unfortunately there's a very limited choice of layouts, but definitely the tutor is more important so I could put him first. I've always known that page wasn't quite up to scratch, so I'll play with it some more.

I do appreciate your comments,

Pauline

Actually, Ju, the font doesn't change, it's Trebuchet on every page. But I think the size may be smaller on the 'Setting' page, so I'll alter that as well as looking at the about us page.
Debut novelist at http://tinyurl.com/or89jle

http://wivenhoewriters.blogspot.co.uk/
Contributor to anthology 'In a Word: Murder'
Post Reply