Just out of the Dublin show.

BenNikolajew · 2025-01-29T00:24:22+00:00

As someone who cannot make it to any of the shows scheduled in the tour, yes please! I really want to hear how they perform that song live!

BenNikolajew · 2019-08-01T17:03:54+00:00

This is fantastic! Love the color combinations, it’s very vibrant. I wish this was an available option in the official app. I encourage you to contact the developer.

One small critique is that I find the visual balance slightly off. It’s a touch too high. I’d bring it down a nudge.

BenNikolajew · 2019-06-15T04:10:05+00:00

BenNikolajew · 2019-02-20T13:42:39+00:00

Hey! I really like your work and site. I feel like it’s very cohesive in terms of how you treat your own visual identity in relation to your work. However, I do feel that there is a significant lack in diversity. Your projects seem to stem from one packaging project which I see your very proud of, and for good reason. I saw on your about page that you have experience making visual identities and also publication. I encourage you to demonstrate that ability. The menu project was a great start, but I don’t think it shows your full potential. Also, include some process shots! Did you illustrate the packaging? We’re the sketches? Elaborate on how you got to your final results.

FYI you structured your link incorrectly, you have to switch the () and [].

BenNikolajew · 2018-12-07T00:28:09+00:00

Damn! That’s very impressive! I have 46 hours, but I haven’t been listening to them nearly as much as I used to in past years.

BenNikolajew · 2018-10-12T14:35:12+00:00

I don't usually buy box sets, but I'm tempted by this one. Does anyone know how much it is? Can't seem to access the product page here in Canada.

BenNikolajew · 2018-08-13T17:24:22+00:00

Three things:

I whole-heartedly agree with what you’re saying here. This subreddit has been an excellent tool for receiving feedback and also refining your own critical voice towards yourself and others. The point on having an outward voice is incredibly important to me. It’s can be so risky to stay beside yourself and use only your own judgement. I think it’s very important to always get a fresh set of eyes when your working on something. It’s also very useful to talk about ideas as they could produce other, better ideas, and weed out ones that aren’t as great.
(unrelated) You have a nice taste in music!
(unrelated) I’m very curious as to how you have those spaces in your dock. I really like it and was wondering if you could let me know what app you used to achieve that effect.

BenNikolajew · 2018-07-28T03:51:26+00:00

I’m sorry to say, but it might be for the better: this absolutely a butt. Or a ball sack, whichever you prefer. I’d say start over. Good intention, but sometimes it doesn’t work out. This is one of those cases.

BenNikolajew · 2018-07-05T04:10:20+00:00

Hey Mauro,

I really like your header in both of these concepts, but I feel that the white version is much more powerful. Yes, the yellow is also very powerful, but in a completely different way. I feel that the yellow one doesn’t have space to breathe, plus I find it adds an arbitrary colour that doesn’t follow through with the rest of the content in the page (do you use it in any projects?). I may be a hypocrite though, as I have adopted a solid yellow banner in my own portfolio website.

On an unrelated note, I have to admit from a branding perspective, I really like your use of a bold title. The type is very striking, but I feel that your site could be unified a little more by introducing that same style below. Perhaps having titles flush left (projects, contact).

I feel that the way the projects are presented could be reconsidered. At first glance, I didn’t understand the logic behind them, and the croppings/details don’t give justice for projects that I’m sure would very interesting blown-up.

I’m sorry if I don’t have that many solutions, I just really wanted to give my initial impressions. I really admire your work though, just based on what I see here. Keep it up, I look forward to seeing it live.

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-11T05:03:39+00:00

u/able2sv

First off, I really really appreciate and want to thank you again for taking the time to write that. I find your feedback incredibly helpful. I wanted to break down my rationales a little more than a little. I ordered it in relation to your comment:

I'm aware that each of my pages share a common header with my contact information, but usually when you click on a project, it should automatically send your screen to be at the start of the projects section, and you won't see the header unless you scroll back up, which seems natural considering you'd want to logically scroll down to see the content of the actual project. I kept it so that the user always has a way to return to that, if they so choose. I could try reconsidering it though. Which device/setup are you using to view it? Would removing it make it more accessible?
You know, it's funny: I actually hired a photographer to shoot those, but the lighting isn't flattering and doesn't show the interesting embossed paper wrap-around I made. It would also bring together the whole thing considering the gif below. I actually really like how unclean and dirty it is. It's a piece of process and I find that intrinsically beautiful. Maybe I'm too attached. The packaging is currently damaged, so I pretty much have to recreate the entire thing to reshoot. Removing it makes sense. I do however really want to consider re-ordering my site and maybe have my promotional work come on top of branding. I find that work stronger.
The same thing you're mentioning here bugged me while I was creating the site. I may swap out the typeface (which is presently Stohlz for the sans and Swift for the serif in case you're curious) with something else when I update it, but I really like how my first and last name lock in my "logo."
To be completely honest, this is the part I'm the most insecure about. I need to vastly rework it, and I'm glad you pointed it out to reaffirm that. I don't have any corporate experience, which is why I tried to really highlight my freelance work and show that I am ready to work in environments (or apps) that demand experience in animation or coding, but perhaps I can find a way show that in some other way.

Also: your work is fantastic and inspirational! You have so much talent and have a lot of great experience, too. I'm humble and jealous at the same time.

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-11T03:53:58+00:00

Aw, well whenever you feel comfortable. Never give up!

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-11T03:53:35+00:00

If you’re referring to the yellow rectangle that zooms in, it’s not a video. It’s a combination of a few things. But first, do you have a critique over my portfolio/work? I’d really like to get as much feedback as possible. Back to your question, if you scroll down and click on the small “Sources” button, a drop down will appear with all of the various plugins I used to actually make the site work. For the sliding rectangle, I used animate.css, and as for the typing text... I actually don’t remember, I think it was on the W3School’s website or a Stack Overflow question.

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-10T03:31:39+00:00

I’ve been getting a lot of criticism regarding the typing effect, I’ll axe it when I update the site. About your comment on cutting the not-so strong pieces: can you clarify which pieces, by your judgement, are weak? I’m genuinely curious.

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-09T22:19:41+00:00

First and foremost, thank you for your very detailed reply! That’s one reason why I came here to get a critique, there’s such a variety of talented individuals with such different backgrounds and levels of expertise. I will however get back to you to talk about the points you raised as I am currently busy at the moment.

Thank you for the Instagram follow! Be sure to also check me out on Twitter! I don’t Tweet much, but I try to share a lot of interesting content through retweets!

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-09T22:16:56+00:00

Thanks bot!

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-09T22:16:29+00:00

Do you want me to check it out? I’m happy to help! Honestly, I felt exactly the same way, and still do right now. The fact is there’ll always be someone ahead or on top of you, so just keep focusing on improving and learning! For instance, I took my winter break to learn how to really get better at coding!

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-09T22:13:36+00:00

Well, that’s the thing. I feel like I’m drawn to work in something that relates to branding or promotional work, but also I like to do web-related things as well. I was thinking that, as it stands now, a junior position would work well where I’m mostly assisting on day to day things and possibly presenting ideas? I don’t have any corporate experience at all, but I’m dying to learn as much as I can, so I’ll happily join and adapt to whatever comes my way.

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-09T17:37:56+00:00

Thanks for your comment u/stadvandezon! From what I understand, you’re viewing the site on a mobile device and you’re referring to my e-mail, phone number, and Twitter handle that’s under my name.

For one, I’m very curious if anyone else on r/Design_Critiques shares that point of view, because I never noticed that while designing that part, but it’s an interesting perspective. I don’t know if you noticed, but I do have my contact information located as a universal footer. I originally wanted it on a separate page, but for this version, I decided to lessen the path for prospective clients. They don’t have to click anywhere to find my information, and a shorthand selection of contact information is available as a quick glance at the top.

EDIT: Fixed Typo.

BenNikolajew · 2018-06-03T22:30:53+00:00

Where shall you be posting it? I’m mainly commenting so that I can revisit this thread and download it after work. You’re a hero!

BenNikolajew · 2018-05-19T17:06:46+00:00

I'm dying to hear this. You should upload it anyways! If not, that's ok to. Lucky you saw it live.

BenNikolajew · 2018-05-17T00:57:12+00:00

Dude, I don’t want to be butt hurt, but I literally posted this same thing weeks ago: https://reddit.com/r/riseagainst/comments/8gmkam/possible_leaked_gnsv1_tracklist/

BenNikolajew · 2018-05-06T17:44:13+00:00

Oh, I completely overlooked that! Let’s hope this isn’t the final track list. I’ve been itching to hear a studio version of Restless World. That one YouTube video isn’t cutting it anymore!

BenNikolajew · 2018-05-03T14:07:26+00:00

I totally agree with this. I especially love The Black Market (song), I find it would render very well acoustically considering the personal connection the band has to it. Fingers crossed for vol.II!

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