websites

after browsing Ashylns blog I was very interested in the subtle effects used on alifelski.com,

The stars twinkle and the birds move, however, it is not too overwhelming or annoying~ I think I will try doing something like this for my website (ex:having my leaves slowly move or change colors...hmm..it will be lovely :) thanks for the inspiration ashlynn

very interesting

so I was just surfing the net and I stumbled upon this link on AIGA which I found very interesting...Design business and ethics

california

in the spirit of fall break I thought I would check out some design companies in california (because thats where I went...after a week and a half of being super duper sick!)
one company that had a very simple website but interestingly labled tabs/"buckets" is citrus studios :design with a twist.

concept

whitney and I want our viewers to remember that they can make a difference when they plant trees (because trees do so many great things for the environment). We want our site to be playful yet sophisticated so that it will flex well for all of our ages of viewers! We want them to feel inspired, excited and enlightened. 

Arborday.org To Suggest List

Quality:  

1. High Quality/Sophistocated

2. Accessable

2. Useful

Expression:

1. At ease

2. Adventure

3. Organic

Impression:

1. Clean

2. Uncluttered

3. Thought-provoking/Motivated

4. Cohesive

5. Aesthetically appealing

readings...

Reading 4: This reading discussed the importance of getting to know your client: what they know and what the believe. You should also know who is the final decision maker or the power holder of the client team....it will/could make a huge difference in your pitch and its outcome. the article also talks about the importance of team organization and its effects on communication. Also very important=knowing your audience!!! "Design, initially, is knowing how to ask the right questions" --David Macaulay. Also the article lays out the keys to process and prototype testing: understanding the big picture is huge, then break it down into its parts (sitemap)!

Recipe for a successful website: Content, and by that I mean strong, good content + a bit of spice for a fresh feeling- unneeded filler content + realizing objectivity does not exist+ realizing less is more+ a voice=awesome website! 

Order of Order: By creating "surprising juxtapositions" designers can spark an interest in their viewers, and at the same time create a nonstatic order to their website/other work. "Bend the common into something fresh just by arranging it differently"

Designing Interfaces: This article deals with navigation. First of all it is important to have clear entry points and a sequence to the website and you should always be able to "escape" or go back to the homepage or the page before. You should never have to click more than 8 times to get to where you are going. Also important is the idea that on a small portion of each page you should " show a consistent set of links or buttons that take the user to key sections of the site or application. "you are here" indicators can also be helpful for the viewer to more easily navigate. It also stresses the importance of using a hierarchy. Use color to your advantage, as a multitasker in both appearance and "which section of an application or site that page belongs to." 

QUESTION: 

After reading all of this information about website design, and how new and fresh it can be if it is done correctly. However, I began to wonder what happens when people begin to get bored of the internet? What will be next? Will there be somesort of new touch screen applications that we carry with us at all times beyond the iphone or ipod? What will come next in the world of technology and how will it have to be organized in order to keep from being outdated?  

Design to Change

One of the greatest things I love about graphic design is that we really have the ability to make a difference! we can change the way people look at things and communicate. this website was created by a seattle based design studio called Wonderful Union. The site is called CHANGE ME. check it out its awesome!

Another awesome site

Invisible Creature is an awesome company that focuses on album art the vast variety of their work is incredible and highly inspiring to me! 

Seattle Show Posters

while researching for future internship possibilities in Seattle I found this site Seattle Show Posters and it really inspired me. The posters range from super complex to beautifully simple. Great graphic elements and employed as well as superb use of typography and hierarchy. 

I also looked at andrea's website for some pointers and found Methodologie which is a very beautifully designed website: easy to get around, lovely typography and interesting visually with its flash effects. 

BlackTop Creative

Last week I went with the girls and guys to blacktop creative. It was a really fun experience because it greatly contrasted both the Gensler Design and Leo Burnet studios I toured in chicago. Its fun to know that design firms/ studios are just about as diverse as people~I'm certain we will all find the perfect on to fit our personality. Also Mike, one of the founders made some great points about interviews and what they look for in portfolios/books. For instance it was really inspiring to hear that they really enjoy seeing a diverse portfolio with things that interest you, in both in and out side of class work. They also encourage a friendly relaxed, yet highly productive environment. It was also nice to see a mix of age groups working together and having a good time doing so! 

10 great websites

1. Gensler Design has one of the simplest layouts for a website(in terms of appearance), however, the way in which the audience interacts with it is incredibly innovative. Instead of constantly having to wait for a page to reload once you've clicked on something, the mouse becomes a vehicle for change as you drag it over the screen. The information about the photo automatically comes up if you drag the mouse over it and then if you wish to learn more you simply click on the image and it takes you to a beautiful page explaining the project and their concepts behind it. Gensler is international so navigation is also made easier through the "find by: location, Service, market and keyword" tabs. 

2. Good.is: is a simple, clean site that is easy to navigate. the grey background and black sanserif typefaces contrast the bright news blips. There is also a grid like feel to the whole home page, which is strangely comforting, because it feels so organized but not dull. 

3. Nike is also a great website. Though they have bundles of information it is easy to navigate because they break the site up into many different sections which ultimately lead to new sites. However, each new site/ subbranch still has the link to get back to the home page, which is essential to the flow of navigation and getting back to where you want to be! The site is sleek and edgy and the use of black makes it look more dramatic. Also the use of flash on the women's site is awesome! 

4. Leo Burnett: I know I have blogged about leo before but I just cant get enough of it! its such an incredibly complex site, however, it is broken up into easily accesssable elements which also have a great interactive flare to them which keeps the view coming back for more! Great use of flash, movement, scale and color pallet. 

5. GoldMan Sachs Bank: Though this is not your typical design related website this site is very sophistocated in its use of typography and its layout. It is designed perfectly for its audience: high ranking business professionals who are looking for the biggest best bank in the world. However, they do not say this in the in your face way that many banks do,  they have made sure to include a personal feel with the use of photography to link the site to those who are new to their company. Also there is a massive amount of information on this site which is organized in a very logical fashion, making searching for something very easy! 

6. Hammer press: beautiful design quality and fine attention to type. Very visually pleasing due to subdued background color and bright yellow text (which I would generally find obnixioius). You can really see what their company is all about each click of the mouse!

7. Martha Stewart.com: talk about a site with a TON of information! leave it to martha to make sure it is perfectly organized! great buckets lead you to 'buckets' of information! Its amazing that you can literally find exactly what you are looking for when this site is so big but it is broken down into its parts which makes it very user friendly! 

 

8. ESPN: wow. lots of information. great use of drop down subbuckets: they get you where you need to go without having to worry about clicking a million times and waiting for your page to reload!! great concept for complex sites. Also the video feed of current news/games is great it keeps the viewer both visually and audioly stimulated and most likely will get them to flip on ESPN as soon as they get to a tv! 

9. Bernstein Rein: beauty in simplicity and color pallet. This site is very user friendly and the motion graphics are awesome! they intregue the viewer and really help to activate the intro pages! Also the irregular rectangular shape with the curved edges creates a creative vibe and an edgy flair. Also the navigation page goes away but if you move your mouse it appears again so you can view the pages without interruption but its there and easy to make appear when you need it!

10. Turnstyle: this seattle based design firm's site is very simple, yet interesting use of flash for bringing new information on the page. keeps the visual audience stimulated. Grid like format flows from page to page and allows the viewer to easily  learn the flow of the site. high contrast between orange, white and grey text and text boxes on the black background= good=visually interesting!