Sunday, August 15, 2010

A Radical Update

Ok. I know. This background color wasn't one of the choices I offered last week. Like so many things in my life, the choice of this pale green was accidental. I hit the wrong button to switch the color, and wonder of wonders, I liked it.

I wouldn't have thought to pick this almost neutral color, but I think it really makes JennJ's lovely header stand out. I hope you'll take a look at my website http://www.emilybryan.com/ and let me know what you think about my cyber-facelift.

Thanks again to Jenn and to all of you who've helped me along on my little color odyssey. Maybe this experience will give me the courage I need to change my white walls. Hmmm... we'll see.

19 comments:

Nynke said...

Wow, that is a big change! I'm not quite sure if I like it - it looks stylish and does complement the banner, but it also looks a bit grey and stern instead of warm and fun. I think I like it better on your website than on this blog, since it doesn't cover as much of the page there. I work (ehm, and take breaks, obviously) on a widescreen laptop, so the background takes up a lot of my view!

EmilyBryan said...

Hi Nynke.
Thanks for your candid opinion. It shocked me at first, but then I let it marinate for awhile. The old background worked when my header was simpler. I began to think I needed a simpler background to go with this busier header.

For some reason the color bleeds out on my blog but doesn't on my website. I don't understand all I know about that. If anyone can help me figure out how to make the color uniform on the blog, I'd welcome your "techspertise."

Unknown said...

I am in mad love with your banner. It's lovely.

I also like the green as it begins at the top, but I agree about the gradient.

I'm not sure how to fix that.

Otherwise, I think it's smashing.

Nynke said...

Oh dear, I didn't mean to shock you, Emily! I know I can be too blunt at times... I'm really sorry! I still stand by my opinion, though... With the gradient, as it appears on most of my screen, it's rather grey. I agree it works well with the header, but when you scroll down, you often don't see the banner anymore. I'm not sure how important the lower parts of the page are, really - my perception of it is now skewed, of course, because I was looking at the background and comparing it to the old one, instead of just reading the content as I usually do... I hope some more people will give you their opinions!
I think fixing the gradient would help, but I have no idea how either, sorry.

Anyway, I think it's great that you've made a bold move, colourwise, and I hope my reaction won't keep you from making some more in the future. (Also, with wall colours, it really doesn't matter what anyone other than you and the DH think, so please go for what you like!)

EmilyBryan said...

Oh, Nynke. I meant that the color shocked me at first, not your comment! Then after looking at it for a while, I began to like it. I disobeyed the writer's Prime Directive (First, be clear.) I always want your opinion, whatever it is.

EmilyBryan said...

I love the banner too, Saranna. I'm going to have to figure out how to make the background color solid, which will probably involve some html. Not something I'm really good at.

Nynke said...

Phew. Slight mortification replaced by feeling silly; better!

Good luck with the html!

EmilyBryan said...

I hope there will be more commenters too. If everyone thinks it's heinous, I'll certainly do something different.

See why I'm so hesitant to paint a wall?

Marcy W said...

First, congrats on making a color choice! Good start. That said, not everyone gets "beginner's luck" all the time, and I'm afraid you're just a tad bit off on this first choice. But, now that you've made a start, I know you can go on to make many other wonderful choices, and your confidence will grow! :-)
Your point about the background being simpler because the header has more going on in it is a really good one. I think I do like the simpler color, and (surprisingly) a more neutral one. But when I read your entry and you called it green, I did a double-take, because on my screen it reads very much more gray than green. I went to the website, and could see the green there, but still, it's not quite warm enough, IMHO. I think if you go just a shade or two toward a warmer, sagey, green, it might just be perfect. There's a gair amount of red in the banner, and green is opposite red on the color wheel, so it complements red well. I certainly wouldn't want to see a Christmasy green, but I think just a bit more color so it's definitely green but still quite neutral, will do the trick.
Now, as to the "how" of that, I can't begin to tell you ... sorry!

And no, Emily, you don't get off so easy about choosing paint colors! Changing the background color here and repainting a wall are both very do-able ... it's not like we're talking about painting the east wing of some huge country house from one of your books, after all!! :-)

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

It's great! Looks like tones of gray on the blog and green on the web site. The banner pops on both.
Mary

EmilyBryan said...

Thanks for your comments, Marcy and Mary. I thought I'd try the red here on the blog because I can't seem to get the green to saturate evenly. I can't do it with the red either, but I think it fades to a better neutral.

Is it bad to have the blog different than the website?

JennJ said...

Hi Emily I don't think it's bad to have a blog and website different colors variety is the spice of life is it no? :) And if you need some help with the html and background colors on your site honey I would be more than happy to help you if you like just let me know. :) BIG HUGS

mrsshukra said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mrsshukra said...

Emily! Love the change! It's refreshingly different and yet I still get the vibe of your old design. Best of all, it's easy to navigate.

PS
Old username was "compromised" so it's still etirv but with a different name!

Marcy W said...

Ooohh, I like the red! It fades to a pretty lavender-gray that is warmer than the greenish one. Aren't you getting brave, playing with color!! :-)
And I like the blog and website being a little different ... just more fun!

EmilyBryan said...

JennJ--You are an absolute doll! I'll email you later today. Thank you soooo much. As soon as I get the background nailed down, I'm blasting all my loops with your website. I hope you'll get lots of work from this.

EmilyBryan said...

Hi MrsShukra! So, I'm not the only one with more names than she knows what to do with. ;-)

I'm glad you like the new look. I didn't do anything to the basic layout of the website, this was truly a "facelift" instead of a "redesign."

EmilyBryan said...

Marcy--I have a friend who works with special needs children. She always says there is autism in all of us that resists change. I think I have enough that it'll bother me if the website and blog are too different.

Hoping JennJ can help me sort that out with a gradient for the website since it seems to be intrinsic to the new blogger template.

Nynke said...

I like the new red-lavender gradient too! Nice and warm, and still stylish and neutral :).

I recognize something of myself in your autism comment. I have it especially bad when fun plans get changed - I can go into pout or even sulk mode if a picknick is rescheduled as a regular dinner, for instance. I need some time to readjust (even if a dinner with friends is always fun, of course!.)

I wonder what colour your wall(s) will turn out. You're creating quite some buzz for that ;).