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Killersites.com Forum
Graphic Design
Graphic Design and Software
Thread: Who cares about graphic design?
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Thread Status: Active Total posts in this thread: 6
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syberdawg
Stranger Canada Joined: Aug 16, 2003 Post Count: 5 Status: Offline |
Well, that's how it looks! No posts to this forum, not even an opener by admin. Guys, "minimalist" can very easily mean "sterile," "boring" or merely uninteresting. It can be an excuse for mental constipation in the design arena. I won't pick on anybody, but the sites showcased for comment for the most part didn't hold my interest and, IMO, failed to use the potential of web media to good effect. I should talk! I'm no design professional by any stretch of the imagination, and my antiquated software further handicaps me in executing design concepts. BUT -- I see many, many sites on the web, created by up-to-the-minute applications, that give me claustrophobia! They have the feeling of being cramped, crowded, stuffed into a tiny frame. I think the day when many users didn't know how to scroll is now past. There's nothing wrong with scrolling, and knowing that you can and should relieves the claustrophobia of having everything stuffed into a single screen with frames. Frames -- if they ever were useful -- have outlived their usefulness. Also the current mania for subtle pastel colours is getting very effete and boring. There's nothing wrong with bold, decisive colours as long as you don't let them take over altogether and clash unpleasantly. Another beef is "cool" thingies that are actually annoying to the site user. Images that blink and coruscate meaninglessly. The Java "top" link that floats languidly but sometimes stroboscopically up and down the left margin. I know Steph loves it, but every time I see one I think, "I'd like to kill that damn thing," because it distracts the eye from whatever I'm looking at or for on the page. Enough for now. At least maybe this will break the ice on graphic design! It's ONLY the second most important element in your website (the first? CONTENT!).  |
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admin
Advanced Member Joined: Jun 14, 2003 Post Count: 2927 Status: Offline |
Hi, A little action! You said: "I think the day when many users didn't know how to scroll is now past. " Actually for commercial sites I can tell you from experience that the content that users must scroll to see, gets much less attention than the stuff that comes into view when the page is first loaded. Content at the top of pages can get many times more exposure. With that in mind you can see where in certain cases scrolling pages may not be the best choice. On the other hand, I am a big believer in leveraging this fundamental feature of web pages! Automatic scrolling and hyperlinks are very powerful tools that people take for granted. Next point: �The Java "top" link that floats languidly but sometimes stroboscopically up and down the left margin. I know Steph loves it �� I like it because I think it serves a purpose beyond providing a little eye candy, it also eliminates the need to pepper the page with �top� links throughout the page. I have one very noticeable (easy to find) link and (hopefully) it reduces the amount of clutter on the page. I have had many compliments regarding this and so far only one complaint �  but perhaps there are legions of silent viewers that are grinding their teeth in rage � Regarding some of the sites showcased for comment; remember that this forum is not restricted to the expert designers; really most of the users here are beginners looking to improve their skills so the sites will not necessarily be perfect. Over the years I have found that you can�t please everyone all the time! I am not a fan of some of the real �high end� FLASH sites that you can find out there � many showcase the great skills the designers have, but I think that most of these sites takeaway from the purpose of the site. What constitutes as good colors has everything to do with the subject of the site. Would you use the same colors for an online casino and say a website store that sells wedding dresses? (Ok, maybe in Las Vegas?) Summer time makes it a little more difficult for me to get to everything, sorry about not getting to every forum � but thanks for kicking it off! ---------------------------------------- Stefan Mischook Video Tutorial Store | Web Templates ---------------------------------------- [Edit 3 times, last edit by admin at Aug 16, 2003 4:22:32 PM] |
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bleu5
Stranger Joined: Aug 16, 2003 Post Count: 1 Status: Offline |
Graphic design on the web is different in its application than off the web. A hard copy design on paper is easier to achieve that on the web. I think that too much emphasis is put on technical aspects of web design and good design concepts are frequently overlooked, and there are too many distractioins from the mail design. I am both a professional designer and a feng shui practitiioner. So, I work at incorporating a feeling of comfort and adventure in my web designs. I am just getting started in web design, so I only have one site up now - [url=http://www.tucsonnatural.com]. The 2nd site NaturalBalanceLife.com will be up after Sep 1st. I mostly design off line. I believe you have to be a good designer off line first. Marque |
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admin
Advanced Member Joined: Jun 14, 2003 Post Count: 2927 Status: Offline |
Hi, I would be interested to hear how you apply feng shui principles to web design. Can you give me some concrete examples or rather, comparisons? Personally I am a minimalist and usually try to drop down to basic rules of page layout and avoid getting caught up with the technology. Proper use and consideration of fonts, colors and spacing come to mind. Complex layout takes time to build, maintain and update. People have to remember that web sites and software will always change. Websites are not static documents; this is one of the advantages of the web over print where changes don�t mean you have to go to press again. Thanks, Stef ---------------------------------------- Stefan Mischook Video Tutorial Store | Web Templates |
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Graeme
Advanced Member Joined: Sep 7, 2003 Post Count: 409 Status: Offline |
Hi, I am very, very interested in Graphic Design for the Web. Do you know of any course titles that learn you? I agree it is different to that off the web. I just feel I have so many resources i.e. PSP and dobe, that I could be doing better. Thanks Graeme |
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shanti941
Member Joined: Aug 16, 2003 Post Count: 60 Status: Offline |
I think Java floaty things are cool when they slide slowly, seeing one come crashing down when least expected though is a bit off-putting! I kind of expect it to be out of breath.... I agree the obsession with pastels is a bit naff, too safe really but I guess it depends on what the site's for. Wouldn't book myself in to see a psychologist who had a red and black site with lots of dancing gifs!  And I reckon design matters a lot as it goes right to subconscious expectations about the site, and what the owner is offering. See my comparison here to the way I thought the old Killer sites design looked like MSDOS startup white text/black bg, and thus said "in-depth computer knowledge here." At the end of the day, I believe that a large percentage of people viewing any site don't know jack about code, script details and how clever a site is - nor do they care. They just want something that meets their expectations about what's on offer (whether it's health info or rock n'roll), downloads fast and smooth, and has the info/entertainment they're looking for. All of which is a design issue.  xShanti  |
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