31Three.com - Version 5
Last week I had the unfortunate experience of losing most of my previous website (the database was thankfully salvaged) which pushed me to redesign this website a little earlier than I had hoped. It’s still very much a work in progress, but I wanted to get it launched sooner rather than later.
My first mockup for this redesign was a bit different. I actually came very close to running with it, until Chris Merritt convinced me that I’d come off looking like I sold poetry and scrapbooks instead of web design.
Thanks Chris… I owe you one.
Comments
WOW! This is why I come back again and again. It’s not just for the amazing visuals I could stare at for hours but as much for the INTELLIGENT hierarchy and layouts that clearly show how powerful design can be. It’s not magic or luck. It’s strategic design at its best! Thanks.
As usual, it’s inspiring and beautiful.
Totally stunning! I too like the revised version. Glad to hear you were able to salvage the db. I’ve had this same thing happen to me, but it took me much longer to get a new site up.
You are, without question, my web design hero. The new site is beautiful.
I was impressed with the redesign even before I knew it was a result of asset loss. I’m now that much more enamored. Thanks for the inspiration!
Love it. Simple. Clean. Quiet. Neat. Soft.
Love the bottle on the hp.
ML.
Props to Chris!
Though I have to ask Jesse: why the strange obsession with butterflies? :)
The new website is amazingly simple, yet elegent, clean and professional at the same time. However, one thing that did strike me, was your choice of having the user scroll a lot for the portfolio page. Maybe you should do something similar to what you had before or better?
Thanks for all the kind words!
@ Tanner… regarding the butterflies… I have no idea. I was positive that I was going to lose them this time around, but with the time crunch, I just reverted to what I knew.
Looking great as expected. The one-page portfolio can be quite slow on slower connections.
Awesome work as always :)
Very nice indeed.
Haven’t had much of a look at your site before but I must say that this looks like an improvement – or at least more up to date.
Good job!
Anyone know what font that is?
Jesse, this looks amazing! I’ll admit when I saw you were re-designing, I instinctively got one of those “Nooooo!” gut feelings. I gotta say you really pulled it off nicely.
Well done, especially under the circumstances!
Best. Designer. Ever.
@Tuomas – I added a js lazy loader script to the portfolio, does that help?
@Benjamin – Maybe for 31Three.com :)
Great Work Jesse!
Wow, I love this clean, neat and quiet version! But there is something…
You seem to divert from your usual typographic style. Which normally can be recognised from miles away. With the type style I mean that of ‘ExpressionEngine’, ‘eWedding’ and ‘My Baby Name’.
That’s real you.
But I kind of miss that on this new version, especially on the home page.
The navigation on the top is really recognisable as Mr. Chamberlain, expecially the blueness in that bold upper-case sans-serif type. But the type on the homepage doesn’t really strike me as you. It’s a great design, but why did you go with the Sans-serif in stead of Slab-serif? You kind of own that type classification.
“Creativity Bottled Fresh Daily” that’s a little spark of You.
That low-caps serif (and maybe slab serif) could work on the blog titles, which are now a bit too normal and mainstream.
As I said, the navigation rocks, so I would love to see that white-blue coming back in the rest of the page.
Don’t get me wrong. You’re one of my favourite, non-shouting, really cool and quiet webdesign heroes.
But I just can’t recognise this version as You: Jesse Bennett-Chamberlain.
@Jesse – Yes it helps, naturally. I had no problems with it. It was just something that I thought about because of those big images :)
You’ve done it again! A Norwegian high-five to you.
Awesome work. Some really nice touches.
The design you went with is definitely better than this butterfly/moth inspired version. While I like it, I agree with Chris that it’s not immediately obvious what you offer with this version of the design. That said, both this and the final look are quite attractive, not that I didn’t love your previous website. Nice work, Jesse.
Oh, and stop making the rest of us look bad. Thanks.
Amazing work, I especially love the JS fades on the portfolio page as you scroll down—great idea.
Hi Jesse!
Congrats on the redesign.
You’ve done it again. Awesome work man.
Nice navigation and palette!
Only someone as talented as yourself would redesign what was already a gorgeous website which you had before. Keep up the inspiring work.
Amazing design. I always like your work.
First of let me say that I think you just might be the most talented webdesigner I’ve ever seen.
However, I agree with Thijs Visser that this design isn’t really “you”. I think the font you’ve chosen is actually pretty ugly.
Your choice in fonts have always impressed me so I’m surprised.
It’s still a great looking site, but the fonts could be a lot better…
@Thijs Visser You’re right in that the typography on this site is a little different than sites I’ve done in the past. One of the challenges I face is trying to evolve my style over time… as clients are often asking for the same particular look. Give it some time, it might grow on you.
@Martin I chose to go with this font because I wanted to stray a little bit from what I was comfortable with, and because it has a bit more personality than what I was using before (Gotham). It also has a nice strong “3” which is important when you’re name starts with that number. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Congrats on the redesign! Looks amazing.
And yes, Chris was right, the first mockup looked like from a poetry book…
Hi Jesse,
just stopped by to say thanks for the high quality web design inspiration you provide.
Keep up! :)
Very nice! Congrats!
The new design looks great, refreshing, clean, beautifu. I love it.
The design is simple and elegant, very inspiring. Jesse, did you receive my email regarding design work on my site?
Beautiful work as always! I’m overly impressed.
Thanks for all the kind words everyone.
@Rob… yes I did, I’m just getting through my mail this morning. It’s been a busy week :)
This effin’ rocks.
so far so good. but what’s up with these kitchy graphics you’re using now? Reminds me a bit of elfs and dragons, fairy tales and over-exaggerated symbolism and part stock.
so far so good. but what’s up with these kitchy graphics you’re using now? Reminds me a bit of elfs and dragons, fairy tales and over-exaggerated symbolism and part stock.
lol… Thanks for putting a smile on my face. I think my wife sees it the same way.
Very lovely, as usual. I really like the new layout of your portfolio too. Maybe it’ll inspire me to get off my butt and start working on our redesign already too.
Jesse sei un grande!
Jesse – have you looked into being able to having a person click on one of the three circles on your front page and landing at the corresponding portfolio? Would be magic, no?
@walter I was thinking the same exact thing.
I really like how this design is so different than what I had expected. In my world, this might be considered a “developers” nightmare, however this is some really cool use of typography, imagery, and well taken photography. After a day of being unmotivated, this design made me want to fire up Photoshop and start creating.
Haven’t been around here for a while. Was already a fan of your work, but this is amazing… Love the new design!
Very nice work Jesse!
Hmm. The original butterfly looks more unique than the all too usual grunge and the more than somewhat stockish bottle image. Why not listen to your own designer voice and let your advisor buddy do his own pixel trope websites without any hints of risqué butterflies.
By the way, the guys at TVWorks appear to have your old site ‘backed up’ at least the aurora header so why not pay them a visit and admire the design work at https://support.tvworks.com/
Help Wanted
Your new site is absolutely gorgeous. Nice work… and yeah I like the revised version better. You’re better off as a web designer, rather than a poet. ;)
Joshua Giblette - November 03, 2009