Is My Bandcamp Banner Literally Offensive To The Eye?

[Gangleri]

So recently I changed the design of my Bandcamp site (a site that hosts your music for people to buy from) and I uploaded a much fancier header/banner that I made with my name on it and stuff.

My housemate came down and immediately insulted it but that's his way and so I immediately ignored him. Because he can be a dick like that. But now whenever I go on the site, I genuinely feel like my eyes are a bit like "gah, no, wtf!".

Either there's something in the sharpness or colours of the image or it's my head playing tricks on me because my housemate's comments got to me.

Could you guys have a look? I promise this isn't a shameless way to direct traffic to the site (though I'd be lying if I said that I minded!), it's just I'm sure we can all agree that having a site that doesn't look good will immediately turn people off you and I don't want that to happen at all.

Any comments appreciated, here's the site.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Gangleri

[Mahesh]

Hello Gangleri

I took a look,it seems kinda odd in a way that its blurred and that makes it oddly distinct from the sharp layout all around.

ie., the different soundtrack covers are sharp and clear while the banner is almost the opposite.

It might look nice for a rugged chrome/black design,but in this case it just looks like your banner is of low quality.

I dont mind the design personally. Its just that they could be sharp.

[Just1L]

I wouldn't say it's "offensive" but it does look like you tried to use a really lo-res image for it all. I don't mind the image looking blurry as much as I do seeing the blurry typeface. I also think it needs some white space above the name. For me, seeing it so pressed up against the top kind gives me an "uneasy" feeling.

Edited December 21, 2012 by just1l

[Gangleri]

Good comments, enough for me to know that I should probably change it, just to be on the safe side.

Thanks a lot guys, very helpful!

[Gangleri]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for replying, I absolutely agree, I'm starting to see the discrepancy in the design, it's not coherent and it doesn't tie things together.

Excellent, at least that's decided on and I know I should change it! Not sure exactly what just yet but I'm sure I'll find something!

Cheers!

[Steve]

The image does nothing for the site! You need something that immediately associates with the content of the site! This doesn't do it. Go buy your housemate a drink.

[MikeRobinson]

I generally feel that the site lacks a cohesive visual focus or message: there seems to be nothing in-common between the several album covers (?) that are depicted, and the title-art (with its fuzzy text) seems to me initially to be a picture of an empty swimming-pool.

I suggest that you should think about what you want the "at first glance message" to be. Then, if you do not have a large high-def image to use there, go buy one. Size it down to the dimensions you need. Then, using Gimp or Photoshop, add a razor-sharp text line to it. (Use the "layers" facility.) Save it, then save a copy as a JPG at, let's say, 300dpi resolution, and use that on your site.

Literally within two seconds or less from my first arrival on your page, my first glimpse of it, a message of your own devising (and conscious planning) should be passed from you to me. Make it count.