Friday, December 3, 2010

Famous Websites

Famous Websites

http://www.famouswebsites.biz/

I like this site for its consistency. Check it out and judge for yourself one of the many websites that have used the element of laughter to capture me into filtering through one's site.

How Those Famous Websites Have Evolved Throughout the Years

How Those Famous Websites Have Evolved Throughout the Years

http://www.queness.com/post/2208/how-those-famous-websites-have-evolved-throughout-the-years

I thought you guys might get a kick out of the way todays websites looked like some years back.  You will notice that these websites have moved forward with todays forever changing technologies.


10 Most Important Web Design Tips

10 Most Important Web Design Tips

http://www.freewebmasterhelp.com/articles/tips

1. Red On Blue Isn't Good

2. I Don't Like Your Java Clock

3. Popup Window? I'm Leaving!

4. I Don't Wait For Adverts To Load

5. Hide That Counter!


6. I Don't Know How To Find What I Want

7. Don't Keep Moving Things

8. I Am Not Interested In You Or Your Awards

9. Don't Crowd The Screen

10. Make Your Site Sticky



For further details, visit the site to add more arsenal to your  weaponry.

Top 20 Most Important Names in Web Design Going into 2010

Top 20 Most Important Names in Web Design Going into 2010



http://designtutorials4u.com/top-20-most-important-names-in-web-design/

Check out the site above to learn from the web designers that take it 12 levels up from the rest. Looking at their work will give you a new appreciation and respect to someone who shows a glimpse of innovation in giving the surfers of the world wide web, new ways to become entertain in this field of design. They are at the top of their game.

AgencyNet
Jason Santa Maria
Vitaly Friedman and Smashing Magazine
Juxt Interactive

The Rights and Wrongs

The Rights and Wrongs

http://www.redlemonclub.com/general/your-online-portfolio-the-rights-and-wrongs/



Rights

Be mindful of your target audience.  Be aware that the majority of visitors will want to access your site quickly and easily.

Make your best work visible from the start. Show your talents off.
Be honest. The truth shall set you free.
Be descriptive. Paint a picture in the user's mind. Entertain the mind of your visitor.
Be mobile phone compatible. Technology is a changing. Stay ahead of the game so you can become one of the trailblazers of this game.
Make your work shareable. Make it easy for people to share your work with others.
Have professional and accessible contact information. Your a professional now, act like one.
Be clear and simple. Leave the clutter for the clutter bugs.
Have your work easy to keep up with. You never know if your work is a start of a trend. Make it easy to get and share.
Categorize your work.  Why be disorganized? The way you display tells all how much knowledge you have with design.

Wrongs

Never updating your portfolio. Never stop buzzing. Show the world you are still alive.
Small thumbnails. 
Being trigger-happy with your window settings. 
Use low quality images. Watch the quality of your images.
Using Flash for the sake of it. 






Thursday, December 2, 2010

Negative Space My Friends!

Add simplicity to your design by utilizing negative space.

http://www.quality-web-solutions.com/blog/negative-space-its-usage-and-importance-in-website-design/


  • What Is It?
  • Is It Good For your Website?
  • Why It is Important For Your Website
  • How To Locate Negative Space
  • Where to Use Negative Space

Keep the interface clutter free by learning how less is actually more. You need to train yourself to be able to design negative space effectively, differently.  Visit the above website to start on your training.

The Theory of Negativity

Negative Space in Webpage Layouts



http://sixrevisions.com/web_design/negative-space-in-webpage-layouts-a-guide/

Pay attention to negative space for it is misunderstood and is left for granted.


What is Negative Space?

Negative space, also known as whitespace, can be loosely defined as the area of a page not occupied by content. More appropriately, it is the space between specific items on the page.
Negative space does not have to be white, or even solid in color. It can contain gradients, patterns or background objects.
Negative space has nothing to do with minimalism. Take graphic elements and arrange them in a composition that functions in a attractive way. The relation between each space must work in a way that would lead the eye all around the composition of the page.






EFFECTIVE WEBSITE COMPOSITION TIPS

EFFECTIVE WEBSITE COMPOSITION TIPS


http://www.yieldsoftware.com/2010/06/effective-website-composition-tips/

One Word to Always Keep in Mind? Balance

Focus on three key elements of web page composition. Keep the balance by learning to use the collaboration of text, white space and graphic elements. Be consistent for its the secret key to a successful website. If you are able to keep a visual consistency from page to page, you will create a friend for life. Use these quick tips as you build or remodel your website and you’ll be in good shape to attract, retain and convert visitors to your website

What Colors attract Customers to your Website?


What Colors attract Customers to your Website?


http://www.squidoo.com/all-about-colors

Do your research on your target market and learn from the big boys in the industry as they spend millions  of dollars doing just to find out what color will attract a user in a particular market to visit and spend a little pocket change on what you have on your site.

People spend money subconsciously on a item because of the colors used. What are you waiting for? Spend some time reading on this subject for it will make you more of an attractive designer because of the knowledge you have of attracting the user with color.

What Does The Different Colors mean in creating a website?

http://www.slideshare.net/guestb275d5d/what-does-the-different-colors-mean-in-creating-a-website

What Does The Different Colors mean in creating a website?


Choosing colors for a website is the first thing you do after you 
have done your research for who you are making the website for. 
For example, if your company you researched is a water company,
 the best colors to use for the job would be blue and its tints, and
not a color like red. Darker colors normally mean that the website 
is a business website. Bright colors normally mean its for children.




Red symbolizes: action, confidence, courage, vitality
Yellow symbolizes: wisdom, joy, happiness, intellectual energy
Green symbolizes: life, nature, fertility, well being
Blue symbolizes: youth, spirituality, truth, peace
Orange symbolizes: vitality with endurance
Purple symbolizes: Royalty, magic, mystery
Whitesymbolizes: Purity, Cleanliness
Black symbolizes: Death, earth, stability

Flash websites you should see.


http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/inspiration/superb-3d-flash-websites/


Flash websites stand out because of their limitless animations. I stumbled upon this website looking for inspiration that would give me an edge on designing websites that would interact with the user. Visit the above website to be mesmerize at stunning designs that will leave you salivating to become part of the marvelous world of entertaining. Below is one example of the many examples you will find while visiting this site.


Web Trends of 2010


http://webdesignledger.com/tips/web-design-trends-for-2010


Web Trends of 2010

Trends help us evolve as designers. As we master the skills of design aesthetic, we continue to push forward to what’s next or what needs to be fully discovered.



Here are just two examples 
of the web trends of the year






What Makes a Good Website

http://www.aksi.net/website-design-tutorial2.htm

What Makes a Good Website
A successful website meets clearly identified goals and provides compelling content that draws your audience to your site again and again. In addition it is easy to navigate and last to is attractively designed to complement the content.

1. A Good Website is Compelling: It Provides Value to Your Audience that draws them to your site again and again.


Provide a reason to return.

Give a reason to stay and return.

Do not keep your website static. Keep it forever changing.

2. A Good Website Meets Clearly Identified Goals
Identified what you want to achieve.

3. A Good Website is Easy to Navigate

Keep your website good looking and easy to use.

Take time and plan how you might think the user will navigate through your website.

4. Visual Attractiveness of a Site
Many people make the mistake of throwing music, little animations or scrolling text on there site without any real reason. This does not make a good looking site. All this does is make your site look like a Neon Billboard. Please, Don't Do This !

Make the design clean and simple.

Must have features your website is missing.

 Visit this site if your looking for that extra edge over the competition (http://www.imediaconnection.com/23007.asp).


How to reel in visitors immediately
Value statements. -Tell them why they should care.
Comparison facilitators. -Educate them on the differences.
Useful resources. -Give them something to use while they are on your site.


How to travel and socialize with your visitors
The ability to share. -Take advantage of using Facebook, Twitter, etc...,to keep in touch.
Maps and directions. -We live in a world that is forever changing so don't stay static. Be mobile and let your visitors know how to navigate to your place in a friendly user way.
Feedback portals. -Don't be afraid of letting customers talk about and rate your products. .
A personal touch.-Follow the Apple way and you will keep your visitors intrigue on what is going on in your world.
Communication tools. -Be kind and open now, and it will yield dividends when you get into hot water

How to optimize the visitor experience
A clear process.  Listen to customers and take them through a step-by-step process, while also communicating high-level information as to where they will ultimately end up.
Filtering options. Narrow down their preferences rather than forcing them down a pre-defined path
Product details. Use dynamic images.
Personalization tools. Let them personalized your product so they will come back to play for more.
A friendly shopping cart. Allow them to make changes without starting over from the beginning.
Added conveniences. Don't make the user do the same thing over and over again.


How to make visitors feel special and safe
Special incentives. Provide offers for gift cards, etc....
Security badges. Privacy must be top priority.
Multiple ways to discover information. Accommodate different learning styles.


How to offer support at all stages
Shipping. Offer free shipping options..
Easy returns. Make it easy to return products.
Payment flexibility. Give different options to pay.
Extended support. Your support should last longer than your product.
A live connection. Implement live chat.
Data collection. Learn the behavior of your user.