Armando Salas 17 Jul 2008

"We can not make every person happy"

This sentence reminds me of the hardest times when very talented artists (premium members by the way) left AW because they became "official troublemakers". I named it "kindergarten spirit" because of AW Staff behavior.

Of course you cannot make every person happy but must correct the MAIN problems because of COMMON SENSE: color background because of taste and -FIRST OF ALL- fonts. Because for me, the fonts size IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR MY EYES: IT AFFECTS MY HEALTH!

The main problem in the NEW AW is:

-- AW Site is the ABSOLUTE PROTAGONIST, not the artists, and this means:

YOUR layout is your priority. Artists are only "food" for cash.

BUT... ITSN'T A GOOD LAYOUT.

Most of icons are bizarre, too big, unelegant and with no taste.

The fonts and background are inadequate.

Yes: I truly prefer the OLD friendly AW with the FEW REAL IMPROVEMENTS you made on the new one.

Enjoy YOUR site, AW. It's yours, not mine.

Leigh Karchner 17 Jul 2008

There seems to be a split between the old and new look....... maybe AW could give members the option to continue with the old look OR select the new look for those who see it correctly?? Just a thought......

ArtWanted.com Staff 17 Jul 2008

While most of the feedback we have received has been very positive, we can see that there are some members that prefer the old layout.

As we read through the comments of those that are unhappy with the layout/design of the new site, we can group those comments into three different areas. Let us talk to each of the three issues:

1) BAD FORMATTING

This has to do with all of the issues that are about the formatting of the site. Text/images going off the screen, bullet points not lining up, portfolio layouts, small text sizes, excessing scrolling, etc. For these issues, our staff is busy working on making these changes to make the site look good and consistent on all browsers and operating systems. These are simple changes that usually just involve tweaking the code to make the site more browser compatible. We have already resolved many of these issues that have been brought to our attention. We expect to resolve most of these issues about formatting in the very near future. Your screen shots of what the site looks like on your computer are very helpful to resolve these issues.

2) BACKGROUND COLOR

Over the last 9 months, as we have been going through how our site would change for the new update, we reviewed a ton of feedback from our members from our previous design and went through many different mock-ups of the basic colors schemes the website could have. We found dozens of comments from our members that did not like the light gray background we had previously and all of these people were wanting a black/dark gray background. As we reviewed the mock-ups of potential design ideas, the design that we currently have resolved almost all of the complaints we received about the previous design and so we went forward with the design you see today.

We also had tons of complaints about the background images. Complaints about inconsistency in the website design, some backgrounds uploaded by members were huge files, which took long to download, and other complaints. Because of all the issues associated with the custom background feature, we decided to discontinue this feature in the new version of the site for a more consistent look throughout the entire site.

As we have already seen, there will be those that love the new layout, like the new layout and dislike the new layout. It comes down to a personal preference.

The question is, can the background be changed in the future? The answer is yes, the background could change and it does not involve a major change to do this. Additional feedback from our members will determine if this changes down the road.

3) OVERALL SITE DESIGN

The 'theme' that we came up with for the site (site layout, colorful stylized icons, etc.) has been in the works for 6 months. It has been a huge project to get the site to what you see now involving changes to hundreds of pages of code and countless hours of programming/design work. To change the theme of the site to a different theme would be a huge undertaking and not something that we see happening in 2008. Even if we started today on a new layout/design, it would take many months to complete. However, we will continue to make tweaks to the layout/design/graphics based on the feedback we receive.

As for running the old and the new site, this is not really an option at this time. It would also be very time consuming to maintain two sets of code-base. Also, all of the new upgrades and bug fixes we have done over the last 6 months have all been done in the new format and would not be available in the old design.

In our 9 year history, we have done 5 major overhauls to our site design. From this history we know that people generally don't like change,. However, many of our members that rejected a new design at first, later came to enjoy the new layout after they used it for a while. We expect this will be the case with many members about this redesign as well.

We feel the best solution is to continue to gather feedback from our members of what they do like and don't like and make tweaks to our site, based on that feedback. That is exactly what we plan to do.

Thanks for your comments about the changes and we value and appreciate all that has been said. We hope you enjoy the new features that are available with this website update and continue to give us feedback on how it can be improved. Thanks!

ashok nayak 17 Jul 2008

1) BAD FORMATTING

This has to do with all of the issues that are about the formatting of the site. Text/images going off the screen, bullet points not lining up, portfolio layouts, small text sizes, excessing scrolling, etc. For these issues, our staff is busy working on making these changes to make the site look good and consistent on all browsers and operating systems. These are simple changes that usually just involve tweaking the code to make the site more browser compatible. We have already resolved many of these issues that have been brought to our attention. We expect to resolve most of these issues about formatting in the very near future. Your screen shots of what the site looks like on your computer are very helpful to resolve these issues.

ME:I hope so

2) BACKGROUND COLOR

Over the last 9 months, as we have been going through how our site would change for the new update, we reviewed a ton of feedback from our members from our previous design and went through many different mock-ups of the basic colors schemes the website could have. We found dozens of comments from our members that did not like the light gray background we had previously and all of these people were wanting a black/dark gray background. As we reviewed the mock-ups of potential design ideas, the design that we currently have resolved almost all of the complaints we received about the previous design and so we went forward with the design you see today.

We also had tons of complaints about the background images. Complaints about inconsistency in the website design, some backgrounds uploaded by members were huge files, which took long to download, and other complaints. Because of all the issues associated with the custom background feature, we decided to discontinue this feature in the new version of the site for a more consistent look throughout the entire site.

As we have already seen, there will be those that love the new layout, like the new layout and dislike the new layout. It comes down to a personal preference.

The question is, can the background be changed in the future? The answer is yes, the background could change and it does not involve a major change to do this. Additional feedback from our members will determine if this changes down the road.

ME:I have never got an email from you about this stupid grey color, even you have mentioned earlier that there will not be any sneak pick, we'll put directly live.It's simply a blonder question from you dear AW.

3) OVERALL SITE DESIGN

The 'theme' that we came up with for the site (site layout, colorful stylized icons, etc.) has been in the works for 6 months. It has been a huge project to get the site to what you see now involving changes to hundreds of pages of code and countless hours of programming/design work. To change the theme of the site to a different theme would be a huge undertaking and not something that we see happening in 2008. Even if we started today on a new layout/design, it would take many months to complete. However, we will continue to make tweaks to the layout/design/graphics based on the feedback we receive.

As for running the old and the new site, this is not really an option at this time. It would also be very time consuming to maintain two sets of code-base. Also, all of the new upgrades and bug fixes we have done over the last 6 months have all been done in the new format and would not be available in the old design.

In our 9 year history, we have done 5 major overhauls to our site design. From this history we know that people generally don't like change,. However, many of our members that rejected a new design at first, later came to enjoy the new layout after they used it for a while. We expect this will be the case with many members about this redesign as well.

We feel the best solution is to continue to gather feedback from our members of what they do like and don't like and make tweaks to our site, based on that feedback. That is exactly what we plan to do.

Thanks for your comments about the changes and we value and appreciate all that has been said. We hope you enjoy the new features that are available with this website update and continue to give us feedback on how it can be improved. Thanks!

ME:Over all design is ok, yes as i said before it'll attract more young peoples,in my opinion, AW deserbes to be in matured art society catagory. Thanks.

Nira Dabush 17 Jul 2008

First, AW, And stuff. THANK YOU, FOR MAKING THE COMMENTS FONTS NOW- Perfect !...yet the REPLIES OF ARTISTS ARE NO LESS IMPORTANT. One of your VERY BEST IMPROVEMENTS of this site during the last 2 years I think, was the ADDING of artist reply.... Personally, I love it, it help to makes us MORE FRIENDS HERE. Now, you honored so WONDERFULLY The written comments, with proper font size. No less is the importance of the ARTIST REPLY. Please make the fonts of the artist reply as bigger as the comments, IT'S IMPORTANT NO LESS. To honor, those who TRULY Take the time to REPLY BEST. More about artist reply, I was never sure about the italic kind of shape, it makes it less clear to my own understanding.. YET, If you find the italic better I don't mind it.. BUT, The size must be just a bit BIGGER. To help the readers. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS. IT'S THE BASE.

Anne Vis 17 Jul 2008

2. BACKGROUND COLOR I would prefer a white background ... just my five cents ...

ashok nayak 17 Jul 2008

overall color should be from blue family and please change these ugly buttons, aren't those too big in size?

Digital Creation

Armando Salas

Nira Dabush 17 Jul 2008

BACKGROUNDS~~~ BACKGROUNDS ~~~ BACKGROUNDS!! I understand what you say here.. YET, I simply see this colour choice as it is now, COLD, VERY RIGID, NOT FRIENDLY... NOT CORRECT, TO REPRESENT MY ART. Not correct for the purpose it was designed... Never forget the purpose !!The minute I open my portfolio, after this change, I wish to close it.. IT DOES NOT INVITE ME, TO ENTER. I feel as if I'm in prison in those GREYS.. I mean it. It affects the overall look. The page, is SO BUSY.. That I find my way to REALLY see the image, THROUGH VERY HEAVY RIGID Feel. The contrasts, between white to grey as I explained, and also Nelly as I read her.. is TOO STRONG.. with the new lay out.. it's MUCH TOO MUCH OF A SHOW. You must understand, that the IMAGE, MUST COME FIRST. About dark backgrounds.. it could have been good for exhibiting images, without so many readings of comments and replies each day. What i mean, to my opinion, as an artist, who view and read everyday here.. I WISH TO SEE LIGHT,In my eyes, NOT DARKNESS. It is true that black put the emphasize on an image... YET, If we ALL DAY LONG VISITING AW.. We can't view all day long black backgrounds.... and less to read on it. SO.. The white is perfect.. The background should be a choice to my opinion. I understand your problem with people, such as myself who wish to use their own background, that goes ALL Over the portfolio of other AW members.. I think this is a problem, you must try to solve. If you don't give this kind of choice...you can't force, SUCH RIGID, DIFFICULT Choice to the eyes... IT MAKE WRONG, To the image. This colour choice still the image show. While the image should be the center, and NOT YOUR CHOSEN BACKGROUND. Perhaps your choice of background help to weak images on this site, such as blurred photos, for example... but it takes away from the beauty of VERY FINE ART SEEN HERE. You understand, this grey + white = YOUR IMAGE... VERY STRONG POWERFUL IMAGE, WHICH CONTROL THE LOOK OF THE PORTFOLIO. ME, WOULD NEVER GET USED TO IT.. IT'S LIKE A PRISON FOR ME, I'M TELLING YOU... And I don't enjoy now viewing my images this way... There are 2 options as I see it. 1 --to let us use each a background that we wish. 2 -- to give, at lease 10 example of colour ways for over all design.. including buttons, and Let us VOTE... In this way, that you selected this colour for background, WE , As VERY CREATIVE, Artists has no choice... i feel as if my hands are tied... it's like dictator, sorry to use so strong word.. but the FEEL, IS SO TOTALLY NOT MINE... AND I'M CAPTURED IN YOUR WEB-SITE, WITH THIS COLOUR USE.. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND ME ?... Please give us a democratic choice of this basic thing such as background. IT IS SO IMPORTANT !!!!!! IT IS BASIC DESIGN FOR WEB SITES.

ashok nayak 17 Jul 2008

ERRORS FOR ANONYMUS GUESTS

Oops - An Error Has Occurred.

To submit this error to our webmaster, please click the link below.

Only ArtWanted.com members are allowed to post to this message board. If you are already a member, please login to the

Return to ArtWanted.com Home Page

ERROR DETAILS: error.template: /mb/new.cfm error.HTTPReferer: http://www.artwanted.com/mb/topic.cfm?Topic=463862&PageNum=7 error.diagnostics: The value "Only ArtWanted.com members are allowed to post to this message board.

If you are already a member, please login to the Only ArtWanted.com members are allowed to post to this message board.

If you are already a member, please login to the [email protected]

ArtWanted.com Error Details: Template: /mb/new.cfm Referrer: http://www.artwanted.com/mb/topic.cfm?Topic=463862&PageNum=7 Diagnostics: The value "Only ArtWanted.com members are allowed to post to this message board. If you are already a member, please login to the Date/Time: Thu Jul 17 09:58:31 MDT 2008 Browser: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1) Remote Address: 210.89.62.190 QueryString: Cat=2&Topic=463862&PageNum=7

I am bit confused, is it a proper page or error report?If guest is trying to reply, at that time guest has to notify about membership, why an error report??

Many times you have commited about showing member online status, it's a very attractive thing in online society, always people wants to interact with somebody right there , why you have forgot this?

Cassie Norwood 17 Jul 2008

Perhaps you could do like some forums do and have a few choices of colour combinations applied to members profiles. That way the looks would still be consistent across the site and what one person chooses would not affect what the next person sees, unlike those old backgrounds.

Nira Dabush 17 Jul 2008

About the buttons, and ALL KIND Of HUGE COLOURFUL Images, to help us understand , where for example i manage my portfolio, or delete an image or edit.... To tell you something.. Not only that it does not help at all... I find it MORE DIFFICULT, To understand what to do... All, I need is a CLEAR WRITING Of -- delete, edit -- hide -- reply. this should be written clearly, ALL Those new symbols, are like " traffic signs "... Sorry, but I need SCHOOL, To learn them... No need them.. ! it's very disturbing, especially if i'm tired, and, i have to figure our what the traffic sign telling me... Please understand... i don't understand these "traffic sign" buttons... I simply search for the simple words such as, delete, hide... reply... user perfences, manage portfolio... I need the wriiten words to be clear, NOT THE DRAWING, That I see, as traffic signs. As a person, who has problem with A REAL SENSE OF DIRECTION, IN REALITY - THE DRAWINGS NOT HELP. I'm afraid, and this already happened to me, that instead of reply artist, i will delete a comment.

THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.. BEST OF LUCK, TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHANGES, VERY FAST.. THE MAIN CHANGES, THAT TO MY OPINION, SHOULD BE SOLVE IMMIDIATELY, IS THE BACKGROUND, AND THE FONTS OF ARTIST REPLY. THIS MUST BE FIRST OF ALL... IN YOUR PRIORITIES.. ABOUT THE BUTTONS, I SAID WHAT I FEEL, BUT ACTUALLY.. I MIND LESS.. MAIN IMPORTANCE, IS READING TEXTS... MY Viewers, very much love to read my replies.. SO... REPLY ARTIST, IN A NORMAL SIZE OF FONT... N O R M A L !!! Just a bit bigger then it is now. And BACKGROUND, So i can breath normally in my portfolio...

Nelly van Nieuwenhuijzen 17 Jul 2008

Looking at my personal website now, is grey too, but with more blue in it, and black and hell grey, not that terrible contrast , just following suitable nuances. I can change the colors. Agree with Nira, this is not the best presentation for art, the site is dominating by its own presentation.

Armando Salas 17 Jul 2008

Just a question:

Are ALL the icons MALE or I need new glasses?

Nira Dabush 17 Jul 2008

Dearest Nelly. There is a BIG Difference between our official web- site, to AW. As I tried to explain earlier. In AW, We visit everyday, and READ, And SEE HUGE AMOUNT Of different images from different artists.It's loading; burden on the viewer... a day effort that members doing here. Here you have 50% of your portfolio is the comments + replies... and therefor.. it must be very clear and WONDERFUL, And easy to read... especially the stories, I'm telling you, LOL! Thanks for being here... I hope they'll understand what correct to do.

Sharon Gonzalez 17 Jul 2008

AW Would you please put the submit button closer to the comment or to the left of the comment. It is too far to the right and increases the arm movement unnecessarily. PLEASE!!!!! Thank you!

17 Jul 2008

17 Jul 2008

ArtWanted.com Staff 17 Jul 2008

Looks good Minerva. Why don't you create a female icon for Armando, he is wanting some cute lady icons on the site. :-)

Lynda Lehmann 17 Jul 2008

AW Staff, all of your upgrades and ideas are wonderful. I'm looking forward to the site being more "selling" oriented, as well as the other improvements.

Thanks for moving ahead with all of this!

Armando Salas 17 Jul 2008

We both are very busy, AW Staff, and cannot create the suggested icon.

But you can use our photo as icon for "Groups". (Sorry: no dark grey on the background) :-)