Citrus Nursery

[jcombs_31]

A while back I started a re-design for a citrus nursery that is also a race car driver sponsor.  They are just now ready to go through with a new design.  The one I started way back was this http://www.a1acitrus-racing.com/new

I'm not really sure I like it and started a new drawing here...  http://www.jcombs.net/~jeff/A1A4.jpg

Please give me your opinions on which design you like more and what improvements can be made or what you dislike about either.

[AndyB]

I think the 'old' navigation with the 'new' site layout would be a winner.  There's a bit too much citrus stuff in the new header for me, and the old one looked much crisper.

[jcombs_31]

so you think drop all the citrus crap in the header and the text glow?  As far as the navigation, they are virtually the same, what exactly do you like more about the origninal?

[AndyB]

I saw the actual navigation is virtually identical and didn't have a preference - either is fine. I suppose the text glow and all the citrus stuff just made it appear a lot messier than the single simple orange.

[jcombs_31]

Thanks, maybe I'll do something like this http://jcombs.net/~jeff/A1A5.jpg and change the fruit to something different for each page.  What do you think of that?  Or do you like the original little orange?

[AndyB]

I liked the stylised small orange.  I can see that you might want to randomly use a different citrus fruit in the header (even Canadians know there's more than oranges grown in Florida).  One advantage of using photo-images is that they have 'real' colors which are often better choices than a designer might make from a palette.  The difficulty with a real fruit against a solid color background is the obvious color mismatches that are likely to arise.  I guess that might make a photo-image a disadvantage in this case.

Stuff like this is what makes designers spend hours on a detail that 99% of viewers might never notice but always slightly bugs the designer.

Maybe someone else has a less ambivalent opinion (I always defer to my wife's decisions in cases like this).

[jcombs_31]

Here is with the styled orange http://jcombs.net/~jeff/A1A6.jpg just to compare.

and yes Andy, it's all about the little details.  I sit there and pick my stuff apart way too much, probably only hurting me in the long run. I do ask my wife for input sometimes about design.

[jcombs_31]

well, I think #6 is what I will present to them, any final comments?

[ober]

I personally liked A4... the big orange doesn't look as crisp and the groups of slices look a little more ornate.

Just my 2c.

[jcombs_31]

Thanks ober, for me it's a tossup, so I sent both and await a reply.

[ober]

Sounds like a plan... never hurts to give a client options!