Blog #13

In the spirit of finals week, here is a kit for you to use.

Top 10 Web Design Trends for 2010

1. Typography
   This trend started over the past year and will continue. Designs will trend toward the use of typography an integral part of the overall work rather than a liability. Web designers will start using larger, more exciting fonts in place of system text. Overall, designers are paying closer attention to typographic details such as leading, line height and choice of font. Example
2. Sketches, hand drawn style and illustrations
   Easily noticeable on a page. Stands out from traditional graphics and gives the website a unique, personalized look. Example
3. Large images/photography is one that I listed last week. It is expanding super fast and is a quick way to network. You can get a lot of visitors to your site from Twitter. It will help you give your business exposure. Example
4. Magazine Layout
   With more people going on line who see the web as the source of entertainment and real time information, many sites will be gearing towards this type of look - with short concise articles that are easy to read and concise information. Example
5. Introduction Blocks
   The upper-left area of a website is the most important block on the page, because that is the first place your eye goes when you come to a website. This spot grabs most attention from visitors. Therefore, this is the ideal place to get your message out and seen quickly.
   You see this done in many types of design, including corporate design, web apps, or portfolios. They take up alot of real estate, but that is ok. the message is key. Example
6. Single Page Layouts
   People are in a rush, they are online to find the info and go, they dont have time to look around and see everything. This is the solution to get them the info they need. Example
7. Social Media Sites and Add-ins/Icons
   Of course this has been the big thing of the past two years, and it will only continue to get bigger. Linking to them, using apps from them helps build communities around products, ideas and causes. More and more people are spending time online, looking to connect with like minded people and to share their lives and information. Sometimes too much information. Example
8. White Space
   Its cleaner, easier on the eyes and easy to find what you are looking for. White is a great color to help something stand out…except if its the carpet under your dining room table. Sometimes simplicity is key. Example
9. Icons and Visuals
   Not talking about clip art, but stylistically rendered icons that represent in a small image what the entire section is about. Easy for people to recognize and people notice them quicker than text. Example
10. Modal Boxes (Lightboxes) These guys are great. Open source applications that are, basically the next generation of pop-ups. They are a cleaner, more user-friendly alternative to the basic JavaScript pop up windows that have been around for years. Clean, crisp, and focuses the user on the information you are presenting, whether it is a picture, text or a video. This little tool helps the presentation go a long way. Example

Research other great info like this at Design Tuts.

Tid Bits

• Reminder: When mocking up your site in Photoshop your settings should be: width=960px, wide, RGB, and 72 DPI.
• Do not assume: Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also.
  Marcus Aurelius
• Quote to live by"In art the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can inspire."
  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Useful Web Sites

• Throughout my posting process I am constantly researching and coming across many links that are helpful and even some that are not. In addition to your own research it is also a great idea to ask fellow designers about what sites they like to visit as well.
  
  
  
• The first one is Webshots. This site is pretty sweet because it to download photos from pros. You just have to become a member first.
• Another site for those of you interested in digital video is Detonation. This is a site that provides free clips for special effects.

In Other Graphic Design News

This first site I found while looking for future trends in web design FOWD It is a site based upon the premise of the future of web design. There are videos of designers speaking on different aspects of web design that you can watch.

For you photographers and graphic designers out there I learned about a site in Intermediate photography that lets you make these cute little business cards. These are great because you can just sprinkle them about and leave them in places for people to pick up (because they are so cute). Visit MOO.

A lil side note: If you are interested in making a little book as a family gift this christmas just visit Blurb.