7.0 KiB
7.0 KiB
Arizona Computer Guru Redesign - Change Log
Version 2.0.0 - "Desert Brutalism" (2026-02-01)
MAJOR CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS VERSION
Typography Transformation
BEFORE
- Inter (generic, overused)
- Standard weights
- Minimal letter-spacing
- Conservative sizing
AFTER
- Space Grotesk - Geometric brutalist headings
- IBM Plex Sans - Warm technical body text
- JetBrains Mono - Monospace tech accents
- Negative letter-spacing (-0.03em to -0.01em)
- Bolder sizing (H1: 3.5-5rem vs 2rem)
- Uppercase dominance
Color Palette Evolution
BEFORE
--color2: #f57c00 /* Generic orange */
--color1: #1b263b /* Navy blue */
--color3: #0d1b2a /* Dark blue */
AFTER
--sunset-copper: #D4771C /* Warmer, deeper orange */
--midnight-desert: #0A0F14 /* Near-black with blue undertones */
--canyon-shadow: #2D1B14 /* Deep brown */
--sandstone: #E8D5C4 /* Warm neutral */
--neon-accent: #00FFA3 /* Cyberpunk green - NEW */
Impact: Shifted from blue-heavy to warm desert palette with unexpected neon accent
Visual Effects Added
Geometric Transforms
- NEW:
skewY(-2deg)on cards and boxes - NEW:
skewX(-5deg)on navigation hovers - NEW: Angular elements mimicking geological strata
Border Treatments
- BEFORE: 2-5px borders
- AFTER: 8-12px thick brutalist borders
- NEW: Neon accent borders (left/bottom)
- NEW: Border width changes on hover (8px → 12px)
Shadow System
- BEFORE: Simple box-shadows
- AFTER: Dramatic offset shadows (4px, 8px, 12px)
- NEW: Neon glow shadows:
0 0 20px rgba(0, 255, 163, 0.3) - NEW: Multi-layer shadows on hover
Background Textures
- NEW: Radial gradient overlays
- NEW: Repeating line patterns
- NEW: Desert texture simulation
- NEW: Gradient overlays on dark sections
Interactive Animations
Link Hover Effects
- BEFORE: Simple color change
- AFTER: Underline slide animation (::after pseudo-element)
- Width: 0 → 100%
- Positioned with absolute bottom
Button Animations
- BEFORE: Background + color transition
- AFTER: Background slide-in effect (::before pseudo-element)
- Left: -100% → 0
- Neon glow on hover
Card Hover Effects
- BEFORE:
translateY(-4px)+ shadow - AFTER: Combined transform:
skewY(-2deg) translateY(-8px) scale(1.02) - Border thickness change
- Neon glow shadow
- Multiple property transitions
Icon Animations
- NEW:
scale(1.2) rotate(-5deg)on button box icons - NEW: Neon glow filter effect
Component-Specific Changes
Navigation
- Font: Inter → Space Grotesk
- Weight: 500 → 600
- Border: 2px → 4px (active states)
- Hover: Simple background → Skewed background + border animation
- CTA Button: Orange → Neon green with glow
Above Header
- Background: Gradient → Solid midnight desert
- Border: Gradient border → 4px solid copper
- Font: Inter → JetBrains Mono
- Link hover: Color change → Underline slide + color
Feature/Hero Section
- Background: Simple gradient → Desert gradient + textured overlay
- Typography: 2rem → 4.5rem headings
- Shadow: Simple → 4px offset with transparency
- Overlay: None → Multi-layer pattern overlays
Columns Upper (Cards)
- Transform: None →
skewY(-2deg) - Border: None → 8px neon left border
- Hover:
translateY(-4px)→ Complex transform + scale - Background: Solid → Gradient overlay effect
Button Boxes
- Border: 15px orange → 12px copper (mobile: 8px)
- Transform: None →
skewY(-2deg) - Hover: Simple → Background slide + border color change
- Icon: Static → Scale + rotate animation
- Size: 25rem → 28rem height
Footer
- Background: Solid dark → Gradient + repeating line texture
- Border: Simple → 6px copper top border
- Links: Color transition → Underline slide animation
- Headings: Orange → Neon green with left border
Layout Changes
Spacing
- Increased padding on major sections (2rem → 4rem, 8rem)
- More generous margins on cards (0.5rem → 1rem)
- Better breathing room in content areas
Typography Scale
- H1: 2rem → 3.5-5rem
- H2: 1.6rem → 2.4-3.5rem
- H3: 1.2rem → 1.6-2.2rem
- Body: 1.2rem (maintained, improved line-height)
Border Weights
- Thin (2-5px) → Thick (6-12px)
- Consistent brutalist aesthetic
Mobile/Responsive Changes
Maintained
- Core responsive structure
- Flexbox collapse patterns
- Mobile menu functionality
Enhanced
- Removed skew transforms on mobile (performance + clarity)
- Simplified border weights on small screens
- Better contrast with dark background priority
- Improved touch target sizes
Performance Considerations
Font Loading
- Google Fonts with
display=swap - Three typefaces vs one (acceptable for impact)
Animation Performance
- CSS-only (no JavaScript)
- GPU-accelerated transforms (translateY, scale, skew)
- Cubic-bezier timing:
cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1)
Code Size
- Previous: 28KB
- New: 31KB (+10% for significant visual enhancement)
Accessibility Maintained
Contrast Ratios
- High contrast preserved
- Neon accent (#00FFA3) used carefully for CTAs only
- Dark backgrounds with light text meet WCAG AA
Interactive States
- Clear focus states
- Hover states distinct from default
- Active states visually obvious
What Stayed the Same
Structure
- HTML structure unchanged
- WordPress theme compatibility maintained
- Navigation hierarchy preserved
- Content organization intact
Functionality
- All links work identically
- Forms function the same
- Mobile menu behavior consistent
- Responsive breakpoints similar
Files Modified
Primary
style.css- Complete redesign
Backups
style.css.backup-20260201-154357- Previous version saved
New Documentation
azcomputerguru-design-vision.md- Design philosophyazcomputerguru-changelog.md- This file
Deployment Details
Date: 2026-02-01
Time: ~16:00
Server: 172.16.3.10
Path: /home/azcomputerguru/public_html/testsite/wp-content/themes/arizonacomputerguru/
Live URL: https://azcomputerguru.com/testsite
Status: Active
Rollback Instructions
If needed, restore previous version:
ssh root@172.16.3.10
cd /home/azcomputerguru/public_html/testsite/wp-content/themes/arizonacomputerguru/
cp style.css.backup-20260201-154357 style.css
Summary
This redesign transforms the site from a conservative corporate aesthetic to a bold, distinctive Desert Brutalism identity. The changes prioritize:
- Memorability - Geometric brutalism + unexpected neon accents
- Regional Identity - Arizona desert color palette
- Tech Credibility - Monospace accents + clean typography
- Visual Impact - Dramatic scale, shadows, transforms
- Professional Edge - Maintained structure, improved hierarchy
The result is a website that commands attention while maintaining complete functionality and accessibility.