Pardon? I have both sites open in my tabs, switching back and forth, and I don’t see any similarities…
Please enlighten?
(side note: I think the site is fairly bland. It strikes me as odd/unnatural for text to just be on top of the wood background. His portfolio work actually looks better than his portfolio, though it would be nice to have links to the work he has done, rather than cropped images.)
There are thousands of websites with wood texture backgrounds — surely all of them didn’t rip off your website. I actually can’t even believe you’re comparing the two.
Agreed Paul. I don’t think the relative proximity has anything to do with the argument of ripping off your site. Still, there’s nothing wrong with using the influences of other’s work as long as it’s not blatantly stolen … which this is not.
I think the website is TOO personal for a portfolio site. I like the idea of adding personal touches but this website is a strange mix.
For example the main image at the top doesn’t relate to web design at all.
Also the inclusion of Flickr photos is a trend at the moment but unfortunately this one shows pictures of a funeral. No offence but I think this would put people off, it’s a very personal event and again has no relevence to web design. Too bloggy.
On a positive note it has a nice balance and some nice elements but overall i don’t think it’s great.
I couldn’t agree more with your critique. It’s a hodge podge of “inspired” elements. These two particular sites don’t look similar to me, but at least the second uses it’s fonts correctly
Not a huge fan of the site, but I know what is INFINITELY FAR MORE distasteful:
@Laura, what a pathetic ploy. Nice transparent smear campaign against your nearby DIRECT business competition and nice blatant plug for your local competing website. I particularly like that you Gbombed your exact location and explained you were a “large firm”, while simultaneously belittling this developer as “ONLY” some web developer/local blogger.
Time to throw some muck now he’s gained some exposure huh?
If you are not deliberately negative astroturfing (but you are), then you are displaying a vomit-inducing level of arrogance/megalomania. The similarity (as there is ONLY ONE — he dared to use something resembling “wood” even though it is aesthetically totally different) is SO tenuous…it’s laughable. I assume you have the patent on web woodgrain?
I think too, like most young designers, he looks to the REAL big names in the industry and has better people to emulate than someone 25km down the road who needs to resort to hitting the ‘turf.
At least his site makes some attempt at a design aesthetic, which is more than I can say for your “here’s a big dull slab-o-wood and a couple of flash squigglies”.
Not bad work, but nothing earth shattering. And here’s another vote for ZERO similarities to the WILDLY inferior 12 Grain site. Shame on you, Laura. Weak!
A simple but nice site. I like how people selectively cut out photo’s and blend them into the background of the website, while not a new technique I personally like the style, and this is another nice example. I do like the choice of typography on this site.
18 Comments
personal portfolio site
(comment removed per request)
Pardon? I have both sites open in my tabs, switching back and forth, and I don’t see any similarities…
Please enlighten?
(side note: I think the site is fairly bland. It strikes me as odd/unnatural for text to just be on top of the wood background. His portfolio work actually looks better than his portfolio, though it would be nice to have links to the work he has done, rather than cropped images.)
He might not be able to display the whole image or something like that.
(comment removed per request)
They look nothing alike.
There are thousands of websites with wood texture backgrounds — surely all of them didn’t rip off your website. I actually can’t even believe you’re comparing the two.
Agreed Paul. I don’t think the relative proximity has anything to do with the argument of ripping off your site. Still, there’s nothing wrong with using the influences of other’s work as long as it’s not blatantly stolen … which this is not.
I’m actually lol’ing because there’s a “rip-off” topic about wood textured websites.
I supposed this link will soil your days then ei?
http://www.cssleak.com/Category/Websites-Using-Wood-Elements.html
I’ve seen ripped sites before, and they really don’t look that similar. nice site, although there’s quite a few wood backgrounds these days.
Thx dudeydudedude for the link
I was going nuts over where I had seen that same post divide line but now I know
http://kevinjohngomez.com/
@Roy
Blimey. Talk about… “similarities” eh.
I agree, it’s not a rip-off at all.
I think the website is TOO personal for a portfolio site. I like the idea of adding personal touches but this website is a strange mix.
For example the main image at the top doesn’t relate to web design at all.
Also the inclusion of Flickr photos is a trend at the moment but unfortunately this one shows pictures of a funeral. No offence but I think this would put people off, it’s a very personal event and again has no relevence to web design. Too bloggy.
On a positive note it has a nice balance and some nice elements but overall i don’t think it’s great.
Yeah Laura, the similarities are so obvious, maybe you should sue?
@ Rich
I couldn’t agree more with your critique. It’s a hodge podge of “inspired” elements. These two particular sites don’t look similar to me, but at least the second uses it’s fonts correctly
Not a huge fan of the site, but I know what is INFINITELY FAR MORE distasteful:
@Laura, what a pathetic ploy. Nice transparent smear campaign against your nearby DIRECT business competition and nice blatant plug for your local competing website. I particularly like that you Gbombed your exact location and explained you were a “large firm”, while simultaneously belittling this developer as “ONLY” some web developer/local blogger.
Time to throw some muck now he’s gained some exposure huh?
If you are not deliberately negative astroturfing (but you are), then you are displaying a vomit-inducing level of arrogance/megalomania. The similarity (as there is ONLY ONE — he dared to use something resembling “wood” even though it is aesthetically totally different) is SO tenuous…it’s laughable. I assume you have the patent on web woodgrain?
I think too, like most young designers, he looks to the REAL big names in the industry and has better people to emulate than someone 25km down the road who needs to resort to hitting the ‘turf.
At least his site makes some attempt at a design aesthetic, which is more than I can say for your “here’s a big dull slab-o-wood and a couple of flash squigglies”.
You are obvious and shameful. EPIC EPIC EPIC FAIL
Not bad work, but nothing earth shattering. And here’s another vote for ZERO similarities to the WILDLY inferior 12 Grain site. Shame on you, Laura. Weak!
A simple but nice site. I like how people selectively cut out photo’s and blend them into the background of the website, while not a new technique I personally like the style, and this is another nice example. I do like the choice of typography on this site.
I do like this one too