It’s been a big-deal month for me, both in Portland web design and Portland roller derby! A week-or-so ago, I played in my first derby bout as a High Roller, at Rose City Rollers’ Season 8 Opener, and I had a fantastic time doing it. And, a mere week before that, I unleashed a brand new web site design for Rose City Rollers‘ online presence!
Rose City Rollers has been through a lot of growth and change since their last web site was launched, and the old site made it hard for visitors to find the information they needed. So, my goal with this Portland web design project was not just to make it look more polished, but also re-structure the site and make it easier for people to get involved with roller derby. We aimed to include spirited and action-oriented photos of roller derby, to highlight the athleticism and supportive culture of the sport, and we brought in purple as a primary accent color, to help showcase RCR’s All-Star Travel Team (and one of the top-ranked teams in the entire world!), the Wheels of Justice.
I also added in prominent callouts for upcoming derby bouts and links to ticket purchase, as well as content blocks to highlight frequently-searched content, like where to get merchandise, or how to get involved with the league. AND, I also included team-specific color scheme variations, so all of the home teams and travel teams could show their own individual spirit, while still keeping consistent with the web site as a whole.
This was a particularly intensive project, and I have to admit that, in the days leading up to the live site launch, I felt a little bit like a mom sending her kid out to the first day of school. When you’re a creative, it’s easy to develop a real attachment to something you’ve built, and put a lot of time, care, and attention into. You end up putting a piece of your heart and soul into the thing you’re creating, and with this project, that was doubly-true, because my love for design AND my love for derby were both part of the equation.
Still, as much as you might want to continue fussing over something, and wanting to make sure it’s 1000% prepared for any outlandish thing that could happen, there comes a point where you have to let it out into the world, and trust that you’ve prepared it as best as you can. Everything, person or project, needs to see the light of day, because the way it interacts with the world will make it even more wonderful and gratifying to behold.
If you haven’t noticed by now, we care a lot about the graphic design and web site work we do. If you want your own web site that’s tailored to the amazing things you do, get one of my Portland web design a la carte packages, and you’ll have my help every step of the way. Or, you can even contact us about a customized package with several design and photography services, so we can completely refresh your brand! Logo design, rack cards, photoshoots, and more–I’m ready to help.
Portland web design – Portland professional photography – Upswept Creative
