Professional Website examples

After browsing the internet I have selected some website examples that possess different elements that I believe work well for the professional branding of a MUA.

The first website I analysed http://sarahbpromakeup.com/beauty/ below. Sarah has been featured both in Make-Up Artist International and FaceOn Magazine, and was trained at AOFM in London. I really like the Logo background, with the smear of lipstick behind the logo, which links to the industry and adds an enticing bit of colour to the monochrome website theme. I am not as keen on the text used, I think a slightly cleaner clearer text would of worked better, and worked well with the neat images on the first page. Sarah's website uses the scrolling side to side feature to look through the homepage images which has been very common throughout my research.

Once I went onto the gallery pages, I thought that they did not work as well with the Home page as they could of done. The small uneven spaced imaged, which enlarge when you click the, docent have the same sleek look as the homepage and the images also do not work in a shoot order, and I think this is something that needs to be looked at.

The second website I looked at was http://kristinagasperas.com who has won awards for her specialism which is Bridal Make-up. The main positives from the Homepage of this website in my opinion is the logo, which using simplistic monocrome colouring and a small logo looks really professional and polished. I also am very keen on the font, which is quite futuristic and suggests it is forward thinking almost. Although there are make-up brushes in the left side of the top bar I find these distracting and they also look a little bit 'lost' from where they are placed. I also am not keen on the different fonts on the top bar and writing on the home page, however this may look 'sketched' and give a relaxed approach which for the industry of bridal make-up seems more appropriate.

Obviously Kristinas specialism is more in the bridal make-up industry, however I found her gallery to be quite unusual, comprised of 'before and after' images. I didn't like this layout at all, and think that using polished beautiful images from weddings themselves would have been more professional and appropriate and is not something I should be doing when designing my gallery.

The third website I looked at was truthbeauty.com representing Elizabeth Hsieh. Trained in London and now teaching she specialises in HD makeup and also underwater make-up as well as all aspects of fashion make-up. Her website again has a monochrome backing, highlighting the images which is something I identified worked well within my WOP unit last year. Her images again are scroll across images which is a format I have now identified as one that I may look at using. I also like the placement of the logo above the drop down menu.

Below is a screenshot of Elizabeths Fashion page, which again looks really sleek and professional. I like how the images are in order based on the photoshoot as this allows them to flow. The effects of having a monochrome background really show here where the images are so vivid and stand out well.  The choice of font for her logo is really nice, however for the sidebar I find the square capital letters very conflicting with the curved modern logo. The format of this website is defiantly going to be considered when re designing my website.

The final website I looked at was sarahjagger.co.uk. This website again uses a completely monochrome tone, however I think when in such a creative industry colour within the photographs on the homepage is essential. I like sarahs branding, which looks quite regal, and from the font reminds me of Vogues editorial title font. I am not so keen on the italic, handwritten style font on the sidebar, which I always think doesn't actually give much of a feel, just looks a little conflicting with this modern, black and white, square, neat layout.

Her gallery was a little better, using a square format to select the images. I do find the squares can be quite restricting, for instance the model in the top left has had her hair cut off, and this may hide something amazing, so either the viewer will click to see, or like myself not click and move on. I think showing your best work in a good frame is essential. I did find this format a little boring and the fact that all the images met a certain colour palette dosent show me she can work well with colour, or specialise in glitter application, and other alternate products, which if that is what is appropriate for her that is ok, but for myself I will be demonstrating all the techniques I have used in fashion photography.