New Banner

[kayger12]

Like the simple/clean new banner, Mark.

Here to stay for a while, or just transitioning to something else?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Here to stay for a bit. I found a nice font and created that banner last night. Also, turned the header all black. Goes well with the logo/font.

On my other site, I switch out banners from time to time. Always trying out new things.

My preference is clean and simple. That's why this current banner works well for me.

The impetus for change? A few people have said that the old banner is a bit bulky up there. Not sleek enough.

I've got some ideas for new banners, though. They will eventually be up there. The goal is to get about 6 banners that you rotate through the site over the year.

I'm always trying to keep the site fresh.

[kayger12]

Work the Mafia Magic :fistpump

[danewilson77]

How about insetting the ZHPMafia.com.....just a smidge to the right...with a BMW roundel next to it.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Would the zhpmafia roundel be to the right or left?

[danewilson77]

My idea was to put the roundel in the left corner....to soften the corner....then put ZHPMafia.com.....just to the right of eeeeeeeeeeet.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Good idea. Let me mess around with it.

[billschusteriv]

Banner looks good Marcus! Nice and clean. I also like your sig.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Thanks. How does the little roundel look in the banner now?

And as for my signature, the .com looks a little off. I'll need Dane to clean it up, since he is the one who created the ZHP MAFIA portion of it.

[danewilson77]

Like. You're getting good at this stuff.

There is a common identity that people associate with the roundel. Gotta have it up there imho.

[az3579]

I think the old banner was much, much better. I don't see what the problem was.
The new one to me looks way too plain and boring.

[kayger12]

I think the roundel needs some kind of circular border (a subtle one would work fine). The way it is now the circle of the roundel is lost in the color of the banner. Makes the letters around the roundel look like they're just out in space.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I think the old banner was much, much better. I don't see what the problem was.
The new one to me looks way too plain and boring.

It's not a matter of there being a problem. It really never is. It's more about finding something that fits the rest of the site. The previous banner was kind of dissimilar -- when compared to the rest of the site. It was one of our first attempts at a banner on the site. I was looking for a change from that one. Similarly, the current banner will change as well.

Also, even when there is an outstanding banner up top, you'll find that I will still change them. I'll find 6 really good ones and rotate them throughout the year.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I think the roundel needs some kind of circular border (a subtle one would work fine). The way it is now the circle of the roundel is lost in the color of the banner. Makes the letters around the roundel look like they're just out in space.

That's true. As I was affixing it to the banner, I noticed that. My biggest problem is that I have a heck of a time keeping the white border from breaking up once it gets to a certain (small) size. It starts to pixelize.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Perhaps I can make it bigger -- both the words and the roundel. Let me see.

[Mtnman]

I kinda liked my car being up there! Lol. Maybe it will show up again.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

How is the latest one? Too big?

It looks great on the iPad, for what it's worth.

[danewilson77]

I think the old banner was much, much better. I don't see what the problem was.
The new one to me looks way too plain and boring.

New banner is much cleaner.....more professional.

[danewilson77]

I would actually be up for seeing how the page looks with a front end shot of a zhp with the grills and the lights.....just to see how it would look. Right at the top...in the center.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

New banner is much cleaner.....more professional.

BP is correct, though. It is more plain. And I do agree that it is likely more boring.

At this point, I am striving for simplicity. Clean is the look I am aiming for.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Don't worry, guys, there will be banners coming with ZHP cars in them. For now, I'll keep this one up.

[kayger12]

Looks great, Mark.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

For the record, I do understand that not everything I do on this site will please everyone. I try my best, though.

And BP is not incorrect. The new logo is fairly boring and plain. It's just that boring and plain can work -- especially when it's simple and clean. That's why I went with this latest look.

Having said that, if BP said that he would never post on the site again if I left that banner up, I would remove it. :biggrin

[danewilson77]

I think you nailed the clean, simple look perfectly.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I did a few more tweaks on it. Made it a little bigger, so the roundel is less fragmented. And I dropped the ZHPMafia.com writing down a bit.

I'm content with the final product.

Thanks for all of the input.

[az3579]

New banner is much cleaner.....more proffesional.


And BP is not incorrect. The new logo is fairly boring and plain. It's just that boring and plain can work -- especially when it's simple and clean. That's why I went with this latest look.

Well, what is so unprofessional and/or unclean about the previous one? I thought it was very well done and well integrated with the colors on the site at the time. I know you changed the colors a little, but it would still match what's on the site now...


Having said that, if BP said that he would never post on the site again if I left that banner up, I would remove it. :biggrin

I'm never posting on this site again 'till you put up the old one. :biggrin
(j/k)


For the record, I do understand that not everything I do on this site will please everyone. I try my best, though.

Of course, this is a given. I was just wondering what was so wrong with the old one, that's all. I always thought logos/banners that were more well blended with Photoshop effects were more professional from a design standpoint, not a business standpoint. If the business-professional look is what you're going for, Marcus, then I think you did alright. I just don't see the need for a "business"-professional as opposed to a "design"-professional. Know what I mean? I don't think I'm explaining it very well. lol



I could definitely get used to the current banner and will end up not caring, just thought it was much cooler to have a member's car up there with cool blended effects. Gives the site more personality, which is important for a site as people tend to remember a site with personality more than one without any. We have quite some personality here, but that is in the form of posts, not immediate "wow, this site looks cool!". I'm sure this will change with time, but just giving my view as someone who's seen quite a few forums and have dismissed a few simply because of the presentation.

[Mtnman]

Im sure i wil mention not seeing my car up top some other time in the future, but for the record, i do not mind the clean look of the banners. Im sure you will find the happy median, marcus!

[Marcus-SanDiego]

BP, I very much appreciate the feedback. Much respect to you.

The site, in its infancy, will undergo a lot of change. Change does not reflect negatively on what came before. I've made a lot of changes to this site during the first two months. Some 99% of the changes have been so subtle that most members have not even mentioned them.

Tonight, when I get home, I will look at some of the cached pages and see if I can detect all of the changes that I've implemented.

Separately, getting to your comment about business-professional v. design-professional, I see what you mean. At this point, I think the simple design kind of conveys what we are. You get less flash here and more substance. The logo is a reflection of that. That's my thinking. Indeed, how many times have you seen a shiny, pretty object that made you think it was better than it was. The wrapper bedazzled but the product failed to deliver. Here, we deliver without the need for a pretty and slick package.

Now look what you have me doing. I'm beginning to wax philosophical. Hehe.

Anyhow, this banner will not be the be all, end all in banners. There will be more iterations in the future.

Thanks for indulging me, guys.

[Tampa330i]

Do you want a copy of the logo minus the white ring around the outer edge + beveled to look 3d? Such as in my signature and avatar. This wouldn't work so well with a black background, unless you somehow define the edges. I miss the old one, but I made it so of course I liked it. I still made part of this one :) I'm glad everyone likes the roundel. You could have nothing up there and I'd still love the site, though.

[Tampa330i]

No white ring, black border, slight white glow to separate roundel from background (no beveling & with beveling):
http://i56.tinypic.com/amuvbn.jpghttp://i53.tinypic.com/2niaaaa.jpg

[Marcus-SanDiego]

JB, I will see how those two roundels look on the site.

Your efforts have been appreciated, sir (as you know). I've expressed my gratitude in private. I'll do so here in public as well. Thank you very much for your continued support of the site -- both monetarily and with services. It's a real pleasure having you here.

[Tampa330i]

A pleasure to be here. I wish I knew more car stuff to contribute, hopefully my inpa project will return some valuable results. I think I finally understand why the cable I have isn't working fully, and I'll try and fix it today. Factory level coding for the price of a $20 cable would be pretty amazing.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

JB, I just uploaded the roundel you made. This one, of the two, looked best. It's on the site now.

Separately, I don't know a lot about cars either. I do what I can to pitch in around here -- just like you. We've all got something to contribute. Technical know how, though, ain't my forte. :biggrin

[Tampa330i]

I like em all. I think it looks good flat and like that. I'm probably not the best critic of my own work, lol.

[pyreguy]

Personally I like the clean look... but even more I like how it keeps changing. I like seeing something different up there every so often. Keeps this place fresh.