Redesigning for a shift of focus

I made the decision not to take on any major new freelance work after joining FreeAgent at the beginning of May. Between the development of pet projects like Filums, music stuff and actually trying to have a life, the last thing I want to do is spend any remaining free time making websites for other people.

As a result, it made sense to either replace my portfolio site with my blog or to combine them. Having ended up combining them, the focus of this resulting site is very much on writing, though I’ve included a single page of some projects for a bit of context. I enjoy reading the blogs of other designers, but it’s always interesting to see a few things they’ve designed too.

Those familiar with my original blog design will recognise much of it’s structure here. Along with the Work section, new additions include a proper menu in the header, a Notes section and individual RSS feeds for Articles, Resources and Notes. It’s still the same 6-column grid, though there are a couple of instances where I’ve stepped out into the 12-column grid. Hey, you’ve got to make the grid to break the grid, right?

I’ve also switched out Helvetica for Mark Simonson Studio’s Proxima Nova. I don’t dislike Helvetica, but it’s a typeface I’ll often choose in order to concentrate on other elements of a design. For me, it’s neutrality is both it’s strength and it’s weakness. I wanted to inject type that sported a little more personality without losing any of the structural solidity Helvetica provided, and I think Proxima Nova fits the bill pretty nicely.

Whether you previously read my blog or have arrived expecting to see my old portfolio site, I’d certainly appreciate hearing any feedback you have.