Design for Site

This is a straightforward design project for a small web site that has a provisional design. It looks "okay" but not superb. I have 35 sites and have used the same designer for years but he is so busy now that I have had to do some simple design work myself. I am looking for first class work and will not consider anyone who does not have a portfolio and experience. I am looking for elegance, artistic inspiration, beauty, and clean appearance. I am very proficient in Dreamweaver and do all the content myself. So, what I need is the graphics part of the site. ## Deliverables I will expect a template that displays correctly in all major browsers. It must include search and subscribe features for the visitor to use. It must also have navigation. For all intents and purposes, it is a single page that can be used throughout the site. The design should include a background screen, add to cart button, some lines for page breaks, and navigation links (arrows as well as either horizontal or vertical navigation.) I can supply some of the photographs myself but any provided by the designer must be free of copyright infringement issues. * * *This broadcast message was sent to all bidders on Wednesday Jul 15, 2009 3:53:46 PM: Dear Bidders, I am overwhelmed by the number of bids which is good news and bad news. Obviously, only one bidder will be selected, but I cannot look at all your links and make a fair choice. I am therefore asking you to look at one page of the site in question: [login to view URL] Send me one link, just one, to a site you have completed that you think has the elegance and aesthetic sense needed by my site. Anyone not modifying his/her bid to correct for just a single link will be automatically eliminated from the selection process. I am sorry to put it this way, but reading all your attachments and clicking on cell phone sites and real estate sites is wearing me out. Many thanks, Ingrid * * *This broadcast message was sent to all bidders on Wednesday Jul 15, 2009 4:12:54 PM: Sorry, one more broadcast to coders. People are asking questions about the site (good feedback for me.) [login to view URL] stands for essential oil diffuser. The diffuser is an extremely high quality nebulizing disperser of essential oils. It is made in France where essential oils are considered as serious medicines. The oils are therapeutic grade meaning they did not go through the perfumery industry where hexane and other chemicals are used for distillation. In short, they are absolutely pure. The diffuser can be used to remediate a house that has mold or infections due to illness of the occupants. In short, the diffuser is perfect for use in public places like libraries and schools as well as homes. The oils come from the essence of the plants, you might say that a flower surrenders its beauty and bequeaths its essence, a delicate oil, as its final gift. It is first a feast for the eyes and then a medicine for both internal and external use. So, I am trying to capture the immortality and importance of this in the design. I hope this helps you to understand the project. Thanks for bidding. * * *This broadcast message was sent to all bidders on Friday Jul 17, 2009 4:37:16 PM: Dear Bidders, There have been over 50 bids for this project and I have studied your links, portfolios, ratings, and mock ups. This promises to be my best experience ever on RAC because I connected with quite a few hugely talented designers, some of whom may become lifelong partners in creating an aesthetic and meaningful web presence. I know that a point comes when I have to choose one and the moment that happens, communications go silent for those who came in second or third. Please don't think for a moment that I don't appreciate your efforts or gifts. I am absolutely in awe of your talent and want to encourage you to find ways to express your highest potential. A few of you are so remarkable that I will invite you to bid on future projects or send friends to you so what could be a disappointment one day could become a cause for celebration another. I am just writing this now to thank you personally as well as to say that the bids actually ranged from zero to the sky is the limit but they were not the decisive factor in the process of elimination that I had to undertake. Clarity of communications and responsiveness to the content will be the final influences. This said, I have not made the decision yet but I feel close to making it, enough that I would discourage those who have not already submitted mock ups or links not to invest more time on this bid. Again, many thanks and best wishes to all of you. * * *This broadcast message was sent to all bidders on Thursday Jul 23, 2009 7:58:50 PM: Dear Bidders, I have made my selection but since many of you worked very hard, I want to explain why I chose the bidder I did because I believe it will help all of those who are disappointed to win more bids in the future. First of all, the person I have selected studied the provisional site for its strengths and weaknesses. Then, he visited sites that were designed by my usual graphic artist to see what it is about his artistic sense and ability to capture my vision that I appreciate. Finally, he submitted a mock up that is so polished and artistic that he proved without any doubt that he will more than please in the end. I am only telling you this because many of us, myself included, worked very hard to find a meeting of the minds, but only one of you really tried to figure out why I used the images I did and to build upon the aesthetic and design strengths. This was a difficult process for me. I have had the same designer for more than 10 years and I looked at over 50 portfolios and several hundred links to sites mentioned in those portfolios. I know that not everyone will take the risk of doing a mock up, but it was the mock up that made my decision possible. Again, I want to thank you for your time and your interest . . . and the winning bidder knows who he is so no one else actually needs to ask.