our new website

might want to downsample those initial thumbnails a bit...unless you have so much traffic that its bottlenecking, they load slow for me

got a great look however

 

looks great. awesome design.

 

i'll go the opposite....

i feel like i am getting yelled at by the big bold text, the pics in the center are a bit awkward, and really don't "get it"

i understand the intent and what you are going after i think, but it would turn me away as a potential client, just sayin

 

I liked it, more new wave. Nice building also.. Thanks for sharing

 

the files load way too slow. takes about 3 seconds for the mouse over to pop on the images.
And it's very choppy... nice idea though. Might confuse some people who aren't very familiar with websites or computers..?

 

Sorry man really don't like it. Slow loading, confusing to navigate, and the headline is overpoweringly bold and had to read it twice to get it. You have skillz man, I'd rework it.

 

Agreed. Slow loading, but cool for all who are patient (not all are)

Also, I'd add that navigation should be where people look: top or near the top and not the bottom of the page. Put a table of contents at the end of your book and few will read it; ditto on Web pages -- put navigation at the bottom of your page, and few will click it.

JMO

 

I understand what you're trying to do, but the files on it are WAY too big, and just don't load fast enough.,

 

just my opinion, i like the idea..
The large text taking up the page looks more like a armature design. Try making the text smaller, and making the keening of the height deeper. And it all honesty, i really don't get what your site is portraying. Yes cool, but might hurt your business.... because it really doesn't make any sense.

 

i get it, because you told me. And i'm in the same industry as you. i DO like the idea, just not for your type of business.

It's a good idea for a portfolio, not a "corporate, high end grand format printer"

 

Well, I think your second post was most important. You have a client base, and they expect large unique personality. The website exemplifies that. Good work. I think what you tried to do, is take the energy you feel in your business and bottled it into a website.

Sure it needs some tweaking, but stay true to who you are.

Now if your intentions were to "just" attract new business, than yes the site is all wrong. However, you pointed out that was not your goal. Your goal was to have a place people can go and experience your vibe, and your work.

 

I will make one suggestion, add something to your "about" page. The whole page is text, both big and small. At least throw a goofy pic of your employees posing with 40 oz beers or something ya know?

 

Sign Up Graphics

Nice design, Slow loading.

 

Looks great and bold, not traditional-- loaded quick for me.. no problems..

 

Cool Site, but I also think the header could be easier to read. The least you could do is make forge graphics stand out from the rest. IMHO.

 

I like the overall design but everything moves to slow and the text is way to big, and on the design example pages, you have the same text below every image:

1. Strong Photo Logohotographer Craig Strong’s LensBaby company builds custom blur-and distortion-creating camera lenses used around the world by professional shooters. Craig asked Forge to craft a logo for his personal company that might also reflect the features of his lens products. What we came up with did just that, while also resonating the clean, simple style his own photography has become famous for.2009 Halo 3:To increase visibility of one of the world’s most popular console games, we designed flexible displays with parts that could be taken out for use elsewhere in-store. The super-secrecy of the project itself added to the intrigue: locked down by teams of lawyers, we were severely restricted in supplied assets, given only the game package art to work up concepts.2007 Supris Beer Logo:Bridgeport Brewing Company tasked us with creating a bold new identity for their new Surpris brand of blonde ales. Armed with only a creative brief, a bottle opener and ample product samples, Forge went to work. The look we went after featured an exclamation point and clean, bold colors and typography. In the end, the design for Supris was something we all could raise a glass to.2006 Lensbaby P.O.P.Lensbaby needed retail displays to raise awareness among photographers on the benefits and practical use of their effects lenses and camera attachments. To get there, we created an icon for each product while demonstrating how each was used to shoot the photos featured on the display boxes. It’s a design formula that is a blueprint for success: Great Photography + Great Products = Awesome Design.2009 Dale EdgarBrand Logoale Edgar Brand came up with a formula for some of the best horse and dog supplements on the market today. We were excited to create their core identity piece in the form of the logo seen here. A solid first step in the ongoing evolution of the brand, we then moved into packaging, trade show awareness pieces and retail displays – all featuring this piece as the core design element.2010 Pink Panther:Black Cat Productions asked us to step in and help them with concepts for a display they were working on for a line of Pink Panther themed headbands and other accessories marketed to young girls. We came up with a standee that was easy to assemble, effectively merchandised product and increased brand awareness in-store all while maintaining a small footprint in a typically crowded retail environment.2007 Loring StreetStudios logo:One day our neighbors at Loring Street Studios came in to see about getting a logo designed for their nearby office spaces. Being neighborly types ourselves, we were happy to oblige them with a freebie and not long after, we went over to show them this emblem. They were pleased as it fit seamlessly within the block, adding a hint of authenticity to an older, industrial section of Portland.2007 LeBron James:Forge designed the Lebron James “Chamber of Fear” retail display package as part of an Asia-Pacific regional launch by Nike. To get there, we hired a photographer to shoot the shoji screen backdrop and put together this 70’s "fighter-flick" style set drawing inspiration from classic 70’s Kung Fu B-movies. The graphics were designed to illustrate a hand-to-hand battle which had just taken place on the screened stage. We provided art-ready files to locations across Asia allowing them to customize their own scenes based on the localized needs.2004 Daegu Logo:This logo was designed to integrate both the English and Korean languages into a single logo, helping Nike identify their athlete hospitality suite at the World Track and Field Championships held in Daegu, South Korea. Factoring in traditional colors and fonts, the Swoosh, and two languages, the design is deceptively simple.2011 Dale Edgar Brand Packaging:One day two fellas came in, said they was now representin The Dale Edgar Company. Problem was, there weren’t no company just yet, they were a hopin’ we could fix ’em up with pretty art for bottles they sell their fine horse and dog vittles in and such. We aimed at russlin’ up a heap of logos and other big-city brandin’. First, we come up with the moniker “Dale Edgar BRAND” (see what we did there?), and then writ us up a mighty tall tale detailin’ the exploits of Mr. Dale Edgar hisself . They were about as pleased as a fox in a henhouse, and filled their saddlebags with a real city-style brand.2010 Bridgeport BrewingCompany Logo:Bridgeport Brewery hired us to design VIP invitations to be used for their 21st Anniversary party. We knew the event would feature games of chance and saloon-style card playing. So, we dealt them this wild card: a spade-shaped logo featuring nearby iconic architectural elements, hops, and card deck shapes with a bit of hand-crafted wood-cut carved flourishes nestled in to add a bit of texture.2002 Take-A-Seatagarcorp hired us to design a brochure explaining their new "Take-a-Seat" product. This mobile, eco-friendly chair could be used at concerts, festivals, or any event where seating is unavailable. Without visual assets or photography budget, we ended up with something that worked at-a-glance and not only helped sell the idea of their product, but explained its use as well.2008 Jackalope Studios:Celebrated Industrial designer Matt Rask came to us needing a logo for his firm. Since he specialized in designing sports industry products they were looking for an aggressive logo that reflected both an affinity for the outdoors, and a real love for competitive “eat-or-be-eaten” sports. What we came up with did just that using blackletter font treatments, a skull and antler centerpiece and a sweet symmetry that looks great at any size and placement.2004 Dale EdgarBrand Brochure:You can’t be a great design shop without featuring great copy. And nowhere is that better expressed than the American Western linguistics and intentional drawl we leveraged to build out the Dale Edgar Brand. Everywhere their logo appeared, it was accompanied by this unmistakable mix of old Americana, Western, and medicine label influences yielding a warmly “Amurican” sound that bookended nicely with the design inspiration.2004 Jim GoldenStudio logo:Jim Golden is a professional photographer and color retoucher in Portland, Oregon who was in need of a logo. We noted his tattoo-credible obsession for elephants, which helped inspire us to design him a logo for his photography studio that matched his style. We mashed together a modern-classic feel with overtones of simplicity and just a hint of the futuristic.2007 Heelside Catalog:In 2001, Heelside Inc. hired us to design their dealer catalog. We were tasked with everything from the design, brand voice, copywriting, project management, and production management of the 60+ page catalog. After years of working with Portland’s well-established sports and apparel brands on similar projects, Heelside unleashed us to create our own distillation of their brand – and we went to town.2001 Black CatProductions Logo:Our friends at Black Cat Productions needed a logo. Because they specialize in design and fabrication of retail displays, we knew something industrial (like the cog, for instance) would be a great start. And when they insisted we NOT feature a cat on their logo, we did one anyway. It turned out so well they completely flipped and realized why they hired us in the first place.1998 Surf Cup Expo:The Surf Cup is an annual soccer tournament in San Diego featuring many of the nation’s top youth teams. We designed the expo graphics using stock athlete imagery we modified and customized for application of various graphics and collateral pieces used throughout the experience.2009 Fieldhouse logo:For five years, Nike established a prominent event and retail venue for the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, located a couple blocks from the stadium where it was held every year. When Nike asked us to design the logo, we did so with the idea of reflecting the 50-year heritage of the College World Series, while weaving in the boldness and brand voice of Nike. With an old-school look and heritage colors, the logo reflects this history.2006 Tony HawkRetail Display:For the Tony Hawk “Proving Ground” gaming launch, we were tasked with coming up with concepts for end cap presentations, POP displays, and mobile educational displays – all without any available assets to work from. Featuring a new game controller and little detail on it, we were forced to take a blind risk in hopes that we could start with what we already knew – and design it as the base for the new stuff once it arrived. We went with an “old school” backyard type ramp feel, featuring worn skateboard ramps with distressed graphics.2007 Nike GlobalDiversity logo:Sports embodies integration and transcends prejudice. Armed with this knowledge after working for years with the company’s leadership teams it didn’t take long for us to really get inside the idea for the logo we were asked to design representing the company’s Global Diversity. The choice of world colors, “openess”, movement and implied three dimensions reinforces this concept.2001 Alan Wake:Black Cat Productions asked for our help in designing a standee for the new release of an Alan Wake video game. We came up with a unique design using clear standoffs to create a cool backlit effect similar to the game packaging, as well as multiple layered standoffs for a dimensional, eye-catching presence. Despite the perceived complexity, the piece could be folded down flat for low-cost shipping and compact storage.2007 The Squad Logo:After being briefed by Nike on their desire for a unique brand identity to highlight a group of elite youth footballers chosen to participate in various Nike-sponsored soccer matches throughout Europe and abroad, we arrived at a defiant, youth-oriented logowe felt resonated with the age group.2007 Key BiscayneTennis Expo:To create buzz around this Florida tennis event, Forge used imagery originally shot for another project at Nike, and retouched it with a color scheme that also worked with the tagline we came up with “Enjoy the Sun Sets”. This worked well to connect up with playing tennis under the hot Florida sun. After a very positive reception in-store, the company migrated it into many of other retail installations around Florida.2008 Forge GraphicsAboutDesign ServicesPrint ServicesUploadContact

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