Header / logo

[PhilR]

I've spent some time this morning looking at different ways of presenting the logo; colors, backgrounds etc. but I haven't been able to come up with anything I'm happy with.

Since then I've had a go with the original BWE logo and the more I look at it, the more I like it. I've done it so it's "free-floating" above the navigation bar. See these two screenshots with two different views (i.e. stuff on the page below the header area):

design-with-original-logo-1.jpg

design-with-original-logo-2.jpg

I know we spent some time revising the newer logo with emails back and forth etc. but I've never really been happy with it.

What do we all think?

By the way, I've just realised you can click an image to get rid of the scroll bars.

[JimHow]

I like this better, but I'm wondering if, sooner or later, we should just go with something completely new. I think the logo clashes a bit with the rest of the homepage. The homepage is very succinct, clean, the lines are sharp and clear. The lettering in the logo is italicized, contrasting with the spartan fonts of the rest of the homepage. Still, the logo is a remnant of the old site, it is familiar. In the end I'm overanalyzing, I don't think it is a huge issue. But I do like the old version that you have here better. My recollection is that we narrowed it out at Mike's suggestion so that there woyldn't be as much empty space at the top. I guess I would want to see what it looks like on the homepage.

Also, what was the strategy in removing the red borders at the top?

Also, regarding the pictures in the gallery, we should put a few pictures with BWEers in there, like the groups in front of the chateaux, etc., but i don't think it should become a big album of scenes of BWE debauchery. And I would keep the first two or three pictures the way you have it, with buildings, and barrels, etc. I like leading it off with Pichon Baron like you have it now, that's a cool looking building and is so representative of Pauillac.

[PhilR]

I agree with you on the way the style of the logo clashes with the rest of the site, but it would mean redesigning a new logo, which we don't really have time for now. Also, I like the old logo's slightly "home-made" look, I think it makes the site welcoming, as well of course identifying back with the old MSN board.

Re. removing the red borders, I felt like that didn't balance well with the rest of the site, it was quite stark compared to the light, solid-colour backgrounds we've got elsewhere. Also, I think removing it makes it seem like there's less of a need to fill up the 'empty' space and allows the logo to breathe as well (to use a designey sort of term).

Just working on the pictures now, I've chosen most of the ones that were in this thread, excluding portrait-oriented ones as they wouldn't fit the layout of the gallery (landscape). Anyway have a look in a bit and see what you think.

[JScott]

I suggest we leave it as it is for now as it is certainly serviceable at the least and does recall the old BWE site. It's one of those things we can work on over the coming months, if necessary, but we may find it grows on us, if even in a familiar, kitschy kind of way.

[JimHow]

Nice job with the pictures in the gallery. Either way on the logo is fine with me, it is certainly serviceable and we can always change it later.

[PhilR]

Thanks Jim.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[DavidG]

Looks fine to me. I love the photo gallery.

Can the front page be updated with announcements from time to time? Or links to important threads? We may want to highlight some things for people as they enter, like the annual convention thread, even though we now have "sticky" threads that will stay at the top of the page. OTOH, I like the simplicity of the front page just as it is - you see the whole thing on one screen without having to scroll, so I'm inclined not to junk it up.

[JimHow]

I've been having the same debate myself, David. I really like the simplicity of the welcome page.