Creative Uncut - version 1
The earliest concept of CU can be traced back to the release of Final Fantasy VII. I was 15-years-old at the time and wanted a Final Fantasy VII fan site after seeing others popping up by the hundreds. I didn't know how to put text on a page, much less design visuals for one and get it online, so I got to work studying tutorials and source code of random pages. By the time I made something I was happy with, 1997 had come and gone, and the idea of a FFVII fan site went with it.
I launched a small website covering Squaresoft games, which managed to keep me occupied for a couple years. It was after that I began work on what would two years later become CU, finally going online on July 7, 2003 after scrapping 4 previously completed designs and hundreds of content pages. The site launched with a mish-mash of video game content, including wallpapers, animated images, and concept artwork. Later additions to the site included original comics, a robust Final Fantasy XI section, and a healthy number of fan art submissions.
Creative Uncut - version 2
After more than four years online, CU had grown considerably and I felt it was time to clean the site up and define it a little more. The concept art galleries had become the main attraction, so they took the focus in a redesign that went online on Christmas Eve of 2007 while most other content was left behind. Under the fresh design, all updates were dedicated to creating new art galleries. CU's artwork collection doubled during the following year and visitor traffic levels tripled.
Creative Uncut - version 3
Barely a year after redesigning CU, I again had ideas for a new look. The aim was to further distinguish the site as a creative source for gaming concept artworks and design by updating to a 100% hand-drawn layout and a new logo to compliment it. Thirty-three gaming references are tied into the town illustration, can you find them all? See the full-sized illustration (at twice the size) below for help.
