"Rebuild my web page" contest!

[AWD]

Jeff Seemann For Congress would like announce a contest to rebuild the campaign webpage.

I have had a finished webpage for some time now, but am not fond of it at all. I would like a new design, and I put it to DUers to make it better!

The current (but not the final version) can be found here - www.jeffseemannforcongress.com - and it has most of the product of the finished version....I have not uploaded the finished text.

The winner of the contest will be awarded one of the following two prizes - (1) 50 dollars cash, or (2) full credit for the design and a mini-link to whatever page you choose. Cash prize will be awarded in January, 2004. Web design credit will be awarded immediately.

Minor rules of the contest
- Updates of the webpage must be relatively easy to accomplish
- You must use the logo designed by nostamj (it can be found in my sig line)
- I have a B/W picture of my self I'd like to use in the early launch. It also can be found at the bottom of this posting.

The current geometric logo on the site is not mandatory. I like it, but would be willing to change it if you can design me a new one.

There's the rules and the prizes. Go to it. Get me a new design, and you may ask me any questions about the task in a PM here on DU. I'll be on all day and will be happy to answer your queries.

Jeff Seemann
Democratic Candidate, US House of Representatives

P.S. I'm quite fond of the design of Dennis Kucinich's campaign website at www.kucinich.us if that helps your design.


---------------------

[brainshrub]

1. Just the frontpage, or the whole enchalada?

[AWD]

4. The whiole damn thing

...but as you explore the version I am showing you, this will not be a difficult task. It's linear and similarly designed as shown.

[brainshrub]

7. The best webpage I have ever seen is at www.brainshrub.com

</shameless self-promotion> :D

[VermontDem2004]

2. I swear I know the best person who can help you with your site

Infact I showed her your website and said it could use her as the webmaster.

[AWD]

3. OK, but

she has to deny the existence of this year's Michigan/Ohio State game. It never happened.

[VermontDem2004]

5. Don't worry

She doesn't even care about college football. She is not here right now but when I see her I will ask her if she can do it.

[AWD]

6. Cool, thanks....

....I need to have somebody, as I am pretty damn bad at web design.

[AWD]

8. kick to the top

[ps1074]

10. Jeff, will you do the updates yourself?

How familiar are you with HTML?

[AWD]

12. Familiar enough...

....to update, but not build.

[HFishbine]

9. $50 ???

Well, you'll get what you pay for...

[AWD]

13. Let me clarify....

Fifty dollars is the prize for winning the contest.

The campaign also needs a part-time webmaster. Something tells me that a design that impresses the candidate might just impress him enough to pry open the campaign account for a position.

[MUAD_DIB]

21. I would have to agree with you on this.

Please explain. Why is it that everybody thinks that they can get something for free if they put the word "contest" after it?

I understand that AWD may be in the need of some design services for his site and that this is the DU Community, but as an art director with many years of experience it never fails to surprise/amuse/piss me off when our talents are reduced to contest level hobbies.

No offense, but if you are going to ask for this stuff in the future just ditch the contest BS and ask for some help.

[AWD]

25. Gee, I assumed.....

Why is it that everybody thinks that they can get something for free if they put the word "contest" after it?

...that when I offered 50 dollars, that kind of took the "for free" part of it away.

And I'm not reducing your talent to anything. I'm openly admitting I can't do it

[MUAD_DIB]

26. Sorry. You just don't understand.

Good luck.

[AWD]

28. I guess I don't

My apologies. Thanks for the luck.

[sendero]

29. It's a free country...

.... nobody has to enter the competition.

Bottom line, even if I were pretty sure I had the skill and creativity to make a great site, I wouldn't because it would take 20 hours of work and even if the result was really good there would be no guarantee that mine would be chosen.

But there are probably lots of folks who will do it just to help the campaign, or just as a "vanity project". To them I say, may the best design win :)

[Deja Q]

11. How quickly must it be done?

I saw Kucinich's web site. Quite nice... I wouldn't ever blindly copy a site, and websites should be diverse anyway. :D

[AWD]

15. No deadline yet...

.... maybe a week, but I have not decided on the timing. If a designer needs extra time, great.

And blindly copying a site is not what I had inm mind...I just like the feel of DKs site. Very friendly and warm...and professional.

[LearnedHand]

14. Jeff, what overall message/image

...would you like your site to project? I.e., what subliminable message do you want users to get?

[AWD]

16. Many things

Progressive
Young
Energetic
Regular-people, not politician-world

[ps1074]

17. Jeff, you have PM

:hi:

[AWD]

18. I've seen it....

...and I like it.

An early graphic, folks....dig it!

[cmd]

19. Love that state flag on the Ohio map.

You're looking good, Jeff.

[AWD]

23. Thanks CMD

By the way, I met Richard Renner. Nice guy. Said he was in Coshocton on the day of your infamous protest.

[nostamj]

31. close! and the map effect is great.

use arial narrow and TIGHTEN the kerning

nudge "Jeff" up until the crossbar on the "f" hits the red bar and then right a bit to 'tuck' into the "S" and you'll have a good match to the underlying logo design.

but VERY effective! yeah!!

[AWD]

20. evening KICK

[CatWoman]

22. nother

:kick:

:hi: Baby!!!

[AWD]

24. Yo babe, sup?

[AWD]

27. I SHOULD MAKE MENTION OF THIS......

It should be noted that nostamj has done design work for me and I have adored his work. I stink at that kind of stuff and need all the help I can get. nostamj designed my sig graphic and deserves the highest praise for it.

I was not trying to replace him or denigrate his work.....I hope that nobody thought this was my intention, especially our "Question W" expert.

[nostamj]

30. and please note that the graphic Jeff is using

is till TOO fuzzy for my nerves.

the version of photoshop I have at home is an antique! I need to re-save it optimized for the web on the up-to-date version at my office.

sorry! will do monday!

[nostamj]

32. new and improved LOGO graphics

finally got the text sharp! (there's a jpg and a gif)

[Paragon]

33. With all due respect...

...lose the "geometric logo". It's distracting and has nothing to do with your campaign.

Banner at the top, links on the left, body on the rest of the page. Clean and simple.

on edit: Also, a sure sign of a poor webmaster is the phrase "under construction". Web pages are ALWAYS under construction. Lose it as well.

on second edit: "Meet Jeff" link. Where's your picture?!?

[nostamj]

34. i think that's the point

a draft of the new banner is in post #18

i agree that graphic makes it look like a 'tech' site.

[Catshrink]

35. Jeff.... that photo bothers me

I hate finger pointing. You look serious and committed and all that.... but another hand gesture would be more appealing. Something abou the finger pointing just puts me off. I don't know the context the photo was taken in but it feels like I'm being scolded.

You know I wish you the best. Just offering my 2 cents.

[nostamj]

36. perhaps something like this...

(this is a quick, down & dirty edit, but it's certainly doable)

[Catshrink]

40. Yes, this is better.... I like the shirt-sleeves look.

[AWD]

37. I agree somewhat...

...I only want to use the ppicture in the early launch.

In 2 weeks, I have a professional photographer taking shots of me for the website. We'll have many more images to use then.

Until then, how are these???? I don't like my hair (it was hot in that room), but they'll do for now.

[ps1074]

38. Jeff, I got a free hour or so...

So I will continue sketching out my idea of your web site. If I make some progress today, I will PM you.

[Catshrink]

39. I like the one on the right.

pleasantly serious.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the context of the first photo -- shirt sleeves, get to work, etc. It's just the finger wagging that got me. The cropped shot of that was good.

[never cry wolf]

45. For the photo shoot...

...can you borrow a flight suit from someone??

oh, a pair of socks too...

[ps1074]

41. Jeff, you have another PM

[AWD]

43. Got it, love it....

....I have additional text, and nostamj re-wrote the front page letter, which we will change on the finalized version.

PLEASE keep it up...I love it!

[nostamj]

42. i've been having some fun.... NEW banner art

i should be doing laundry, but........

[Catshrink]

44. Beats the heck out of doing laundry!

Nice job... I like that alot.

edited for spelling, again.

[nostamj]

46. thanks!

now that I have Jeff's OK, I'll do a final that will be a bit sharper and with some additional detail work on the photoshopped portrait.