[Creecher]

I'm redoing a client's website and he says he wants it to look more flashy, since it looks a lot like some other people's do (I'll provide links below).

His version of the website: http://www.mechanica...antagetech.com/ (godawful)
My version (thus far): http://mati.neverpool.com/ (a bit bland, I know)

I'm trying to avoid using CSS3/HTML5 on this site due to some browser issues he said he wants to avoid (his words, not mine) so using rounded corners, gradients, ect, is out of the question. He also wants to keep the bandwidth load down, so I can't use images for the template.

Here's what he said after I showed him my version (linked above):

Quote

That sample template you sent looks good, typical for what most people are using. I looked at a few similar companies and they look like the same kind of template....
http://www.tlc-engineers.com/
http://www.ecslimited.com/
http://www.bpcgi.com/
http://www.samschwartz.com/

gotta be flashier then them:)

Any ideas on what I can do to improve my work?

[BenignDesign]

Sounds to me like he likes your work, but is looking for a totally different direction than where you're headed.

If it were me, I'd scrap it all and start from scratch... avoid the horizontal layout. Give that man some pizzazz!

What I typically do when I hit a design block is browse template sites and make note of anything that really pops out at me - whether it's an entire layout or just a well done portion. Then I take all those little elements and try to put them together. Might be a good starting point for you.

Don't think "mechanical", think "attention-grabbing".

[Nakor]

I think you need to have a discussion with your client to determine what he really wants. He can't expect his site to be "flashier" than those other sites and also expect you not use any images and/or html5/css3.

[Lemur]

Trust me when I say HTML5/CSS3 are fine. They gracefully degrade, and you can find easy ways to manage that. Don't punish your high end users for the sins of those less technically inclined.

Now, what you should really look into are various machines and contraptions. Find watches, bikes, motorcycles. Start sketching parts that look cool to you. Think anything with gears, and get a good 5 pages full of little sketches of anything you find interesting off any around.

Use these elements, and start making thumbnail sketches of what you want the site to look like. You should have a few pages full of 3x3" squares of ideas you have for your site. Remember, at this stage you only need to get ideas down, and fast. Don't worry about refinement, that can be for later. Get it all down, anything that jumps to mind. Sketch sketch sketch sketch sketch. Carry that sketchbook around like it's your life support, as if you'd die if you were ever separated.

3:1 planning to implementation, you need to know what you're doing before you even think of opening a design program or typing your first hawk bracket (<) in HTML.