Tags: Journal, Site Updates

Recently, I've replaced the large banner image with a smaller side "icon" of sorts. I think it looks much better over all, and it plays nicer with small screens. However, when drawing it, I found myself pulling back on adding some fun effects I normally add to my art. Normally I take steps to make my art look soft and "fuzzy", but here I didn't because I feared it would clash too hard with the otherwise fairly clean look of my website.

And then I thought about that some more.

Isn't that kind of stupid? To not make my art look the way I like to make it, when its being published to my own site, just because it wouldn't look right? So to hell with that thought! I'm going to fix it!

Now, the easy solution would be to just reupload the art with the effects I wanted it to have. So I, of course, decided to redesign the site.

... Okay, in my defence, I don't like how perfectly clean the site looks right now. I don't want to make it super messy - too hard to code, too hard to navigate, too hard to read and use - but I do want to give it a more "scrap book" vibe. Additionally, my code is kind of uh. A hot mess. I don't make use of any semantic elements aside from my random use of the footer sementic, I've used headings just to make text big (VERY BAD, DON'T DO THIS), I've used buttons for links, and despite my best efforts to organize my CSS sheets I still get lost in them. Plus a million other little things that could be improved. Anyone trying to use a screenreader to get through my site has probably (and rightfuly) given up by now due to these issues and backend stuff could be streamlined. So I'll take this as my chance to fix those problems as well.

Now, I don't know how long this will take. The update will require that I learn some new CSS skills. While I know one of my ideas is possible (as I've seen it elsewhere) I have zero idea how or if I'll pull it off. And a few things will need general testing to decide how I want to do them. I forsee a lot of temporary files being made just for me to play around in. I might also take the chance to play with/expand on the currently very restrictive color palate. Oh, and I'll have to make a few new site graphics :3 that'll be fun! All of that said, the over all structure of the site will remain the same (apperance wise, anyways). It'll still be two colums with lots of boxes to contain the content. I'm not moving anything around, just making it look nicer and making the code better.

Anyways, I don't know how to end this off so, uh. Here's some photos from my sketchbook showing my notes and ideas. I cannot promise my handwriting will be readable, but I think that recording as much of the progress as possible could be fun. We'll see!

... you know, I really thought I cropped them both to be the same size. And the fact they're not is bothering me a lot. Not enough to fix it at this point, but a lot. Ah well lmao.