Critique for my Pattern site

[LayoesAndMedlars]

Hello all

I'm (rather nervously) asking for a critique of my Pattern site, as I had some criticisms of it recently (mostly stuff I can't do anything about, as it's limited by Etsy) and I'd like to see what I could do to improve things. I've just changed the background colour for the millionth time, so if you think it's a bit strong, let me know.

https://www.layoesandmedlars.com/

Constructive feedback welcomed!

Jill

[AtMemoryLane]

Well, Jill, I think your write ups are very detailed and great.  But the red does not do your prints any justice.  The color seems to take away from all the work you have done to produce and place them on the mats.  I guess, what I am saying is the prints appear to have been done by a professional and then your red seems to say that the site was done by a non-professional.

[stufforama · Accepted solution]

I agree, it would be better with a gray or dark gray background. The red competes with your beautiful artwork, and distracts your eye away from the art itself. Possibly even swapping the dark blue to the background and making the title text red would be less taxing to the eye if you are committed to that color scheme. Beautiful art!

[LayoesAndMedlars]

Thank you both for that. I looked at the red again this morning and thought no! I've gone for a soft white, as it's very difficult to find a background that doesn't clash with some of the mounts, which are in a wide variety of colours. The criticism I had had from someone was about the way I show the prints - because they are mostly landscape, I adjust the thumbnail rather than having parts of the mount showing. You can see the whole thing when you press on a single mount, and I can't do anything about the way Etsy sets up the pictures. 

[funkydreamsmosaics]

I will say that when I open certain listings, the photos seem small.  Like this one:

https://www.layoesandmedlars.com/listing/946759455/vintage-arthur-rackham-print-from-peter

Even when I click on the photo to enlarge it, the mount takes up so much space that you can't see the print really well.  Maybe take another photo without the mount?  Or crop the mount out of the first photo to create a larger second photo that gives more detail of the picture?  Kind of like you are doing with the thumbnails.  Weirdly, I can almost see more in the thumbnail than the actual listing. I would say your thumbnails are good, but you might want additional listing photos to match.

[AtMemoryLane]

I love the white.  It makes your prints pop and be the focal point, rather than, fade away.  Fabulous!

[LayoesAndMedlars]

Thank you, funkydreamsmosaics. I absolutely agree and it drives me mad. For some reason, the photos don't enlarge when I click on them. I've asked for help from Etsy on this, but got zilch. They do enlarge if I have them on the main Etsy site. The thought of going through all my prints and adding an unmounted photo makes me feel faint, but I may have to bite the bullet. Perhaps I'll start off by doing all new ones that way.

I've looked at your site before and I think it's lovely. I wonder if my problem is that my prints are largely portrait but I can't see what I can do about that if I'm to show them as they actually are. I use the Swatch template, btw.

[funkydreamsmosaics]

I seem to recall hearing about an issue with portrait photos, so that could be part of the issue.  But the listing I mentioned was landscape, so it's not just that.  

Weird that it works on Etsy but not Pattern.  I'm not sure what the solution might be, then.  😞

[funkydreamsmosaics]

And thank you for complimenting my site.  🙂