What can I say, the ladies dig cartoon versions of bloggers, okay?
In all seriousness, I wanted a cleaner, more open, more inviting, bit more up-to-date and, dare-I-say professional design for 1WineDude.com, and the result is what you see before you. Unless you’re reading via your RSS reader in which case I have a special message for you*.
* – Get yer ass over to the site for once!
The good news is that the world is no longer subjected to my photo in the blog header, which has been replaced by the cartoon dude. Toon Dude has more hair than I do (and it should be a bit more gray, now that I think about it) but believe it or not he is the ugly-ized version (I told the designer to take the first draft, which looked like Brad Pitt, and put him into a cartoon bar fight, so that the results would more accurately reflect my real looks, which are decidedly NOT Brad-Pitt-ish).
A huge shout-out to JudithShakes Designs for the stellar work and the painless upgrade, which went so smoothly that I was actually responding to blog comments uninterrupted while the site was being changed. In case you were wondering, I got turned onto JudithShakes after seeing that they did the work on the recent update to www.redheadwriting.com (a worthwhile read on any day, though not at all wine-related); you will notice that RHR’s site looks nothing like this one, but that was entirely the point and JSD really nailed this design from a personality standpoint for me and I’m thrilled with the results (and begrudgingly accepting of the fact that Toon Dude Mark II is uglier but more appropriate for repreenting me to the global interwebs than Toon Dude Mark I, may he rest in peace).
Anyway, as always your comments on the new design are welcome (go easy on Toon Dude, please).
Cheers!
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Comments
RandyHall
Joe,
Fabulous site refresh, very clean. When I first saw the cartoon likeness, I thought, "wait a second, this is a cartoon version of Joe from like ten years ago, ya think?"
Just don't be shocked when you find new readers that see what you really look like and say, "you look NOTHING like your picture on your site." Unless that's the goal, in which case: GOOD JOB.
1WineDude
:)
Thanks, Randy.
Vinoguru
well done dude. nice look and fell
1WineDude
Thanks, vinoguru – well, I'll pass it on to the designer, anyway! :)
ELB
Site looks amazing. Kudos
1WineDude
Cheers!
@WCICellars
The colors are gorgeous! Layout = easy to navigate – and all sorts of fabulous goodness. My one comment is that I can hardly read the 'Sign Up Lushes' at the top and you might want to put it in a darker font? Or bolder?
Looking good though :)
1WineDude
Thanks – you're not reading this on one of them iPhone things, are ya? :)
@WCICellars
haha! Nope :) What about putting the Sign Up text in the dark red color?
willyboy
Love the new look but wish it was more realistic..shorter hair…a bit of gray…little guy….in other words I love the look but wish it looked like you….what do I know
1WineDude
Thanks, Wee-Ree. This version is Mrs. Dudette-approved, but even ugly-fied this version of me flatters me!
1WineDude
Well, John – they way I approached it was that Mark I of Dude was way too god looking, but I was gonna settle on the least ugly versions from that which still looked like me!
Even my soul patch is mostly gray now, now that I think of it…
:)
Buba
I realy like this new look, very friendly
1WineDude
Thanks, Buba… if that's indeed your *real* name…! :)
Joeshico
Great new look Joe. Always did like the old site and will have to get use to the new one, but it's the content that really counts and the Dude has always provided that.
1WineDude
Kind words, Joe – thanks, they are appreciated!
Alfonso
Wish you could get Heimoff to go "cartoon" on us
1WineDude
Steve H. would make an AWESOME cartoon – especially with the hat and those crazy shirts!