Posts Tagged ‘trend’

Spring Color 2011

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

Fashion is only a hop skip and a jump from graphic design, so checking on upcoming trends in color and pattern is always a good idea. Today I started looking into color trends for Spring 2011 to help stay a bit ahead of the game. According to Pantone Color Institute executive director Leatrice Eiseman, new spring hues will keep harmony, proportion and balance in mind. In the article by WSAToday, she offered up three color pallets that will be very important in the upcoming season:

Focus

Complementary

Branching

“Focus”
A color pallet that works off of neutrals (which include graphite blues and grays) that are infused with hotter hues like yellow, orange and red. The pallets focus is to combine practability with something a little more exciting.

“Complementry”
This pallet uses complementary colors, taken from nature, to create vibration for the eye (think blues and reds).

“Branching”
A sophisticated and quiet pallet that uses both warm and cool shades together, almost mimicking the seasons changing weather.

Color has a unique ability to capture the attention of the audience, bring on emotion, and enhance the look of a product or design. So, if you’re just shopping for the next trend or starting early on those spring designs, it’s smart to keep these tips in mind to make sure we are continually tempting the consumer, making a sale or giving off the appropriate message.


2010 Web Design Trend: Hand Drawn Elements

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Many of today’s websites are now incorporating hand drawn or sketch elements into their designs. A hand drawn element can give a website a more personalized, unique, and organic feel,  making a design stand out from traditional web graphics. They key to this trend is to use the elements as an accent to the design and not as the main focus. You do not want to overwhelm the viewer by having a site covered with doodles, instead, use it sparingly to enhance specific elements in the design. Check out examples of hand drawn elements:

Boompa

Boompa

Yellow Bird Project

Wallace HCL

This is Grow

Web Designer Wall Jobs

Free People

Charming Wall


2010 Web Design Trend: Introduction Blocks

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

When you visit a site for the first time, one of the most important elements you can find is an introduction block. We look to the block to greet the visitor, introduce the site, and give a brief description of who they are and what they do. Many sites follow the practice of using an intro block, but it is generally uncommon to see them used on either blogs or e-commerce sites. This block is mainly found in the upper-left area of the page, which is usually be the first area a viewer will look, making it a great place to let the user see your most key information. You’ll notice that today’s intro boxes aren’t scared to break the boundaries. They can be found in new areas of the page and also tend to take up a large chunk of real estate no matter the quantity written. They are bold, beautiful, and a great way to make a first impression. Check out examples of large intro blocks below:

Sold Shops

Seth Said

Kyle Standing

Jason Reed Web Design

Big Cartel

Tobias Baeck


2010 Web Design Trend: Modal Boxes

Monday, March 15th, 2010

A modal box is a secondary window that pops up and floats over the top of a web page, requiring a visitor to interact with it before they can return to the main window. It works similarly to a pop up box, but is way better, because they are seamlessly integrated into the layout of a web site and there is no need to load a new page. These boxes are more stylish, user-friendly, and allow the viewer to focus on pertinent information. You’ll commonly see these used to display images in detail, on sign-in forms, for alerts or notifications, to display help tips, search boxes and video. Check out examples of modal boxes below:

Facebook

Jules

Jules

Sierra Trading Post

Digg

Digg

Tumblr


2010 Web Design Trend: Increased White Space

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Today’s websites are getting cleaner, more streamlined and focused on an increased use of white space. White space refers to the negative space between and around the elements in a design (graphics, type, columns, etc.). Those who are inexperienced with the use of white space may view it as an empty area, and thus a waste of valuable screen real estate. This blank space, however, is extremely beneficial to a design and the usability of a site. White space will make a layout much easier on the eyes. It reduces the amount of text a viewer will see at one time, increasing legibility and helping a visitor quickly find what they are looking for. It can also improve the structure of a site by creating a visual separation of elements, allowing content to stand out from the background. Not only is it functional, increasing space can also give a web site a more professional, uncluttered, and fresh appearance, providing a strong platform on which to present your message. Check out the examples below for excellent uses of white space:

Apple

Jason Reynolds

Indie Labs

Buffalo

Astheria

Left


2010 Web Design Trend: Speaking Navigation

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

For some, one word navigational links simply aren’t clear enough. Designers are now trying to explain, in a short snippet, what the visitor should expect to see upon clicking on a link. This additional short phrase has been coined as “speaking navigation,” as opposed to “silent” navigation which follows the traditional style of using keywords to represent a group of information. The end goal in this method is to create a more effective communication style with site visitors. If content can be clarified, navigation will be simplified for the user and could potentially generate increased traffic through the site. Check out the examples below of speaking navigation:

Sifter

Sifter

Lift Interactive

Lift Interactive

AgentPoint

AgentPoint

Lennon Bus

Lennon Bus

You Version

You Version

Dishizzle

Dishizzle

goodbytes

goodbytes


2010 Web Design Trend: Icons

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

The use of icons is getting big in modern web design. Icons are being employed to enhance the user experience, allowing for better visual recognition of elements on a page. Today’s icons are extremely stylized, far from old-school clip art of the past. If it is well designed, an icon can make a great visual impression as well as enhance the look of your site design. An effective icon will give a clear meaning to the user and allow them to easily spot what they need faster than from standalone text. Though icons are great for usability, too many icons can distract the user and get confusing. Today’s focus is on using icons more sparingly and giving the icons you do use higher-value locations. Fewer, more effective icons command attention and will be more appealing to the user. Check out the examples below of excellent uses of modern icons:

FreelanceSwitch

FreelanceSwitch

AshWebStudio

AshWebStudio

Curb Innovative

Curb Innovative

Artificial Studio

Artificial Studio

EnviroSpeakTV

EnviroSpeakTV

Dishizzle

Dishizzle

Macrabbit

Macrabbit

Media Temple

Media Temple

SMS Parking

SMS Parking


2010 Trend Prediction: Subtle Textured Backgrounds

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Subtle background textures will be popping up all over the web this year. This new trend doesn’t go overboard with textures (as seen in many grunge styles), but focuses on simplicity and a more precise use of texture. The goal of the trend is to give the site a surface and the illusion of actual texture, but to not distract from the other visual elements on the page. A subtle texture can add dimension and depth to a design, creating a sensory experience for the viewer. If the texture is used well it can become a significant and beautiful feature of the web design. Check out the examples below showcasing great uses of subtle textures.

One Twenty Seven

One Twenty Seven

Delibar

Delibar

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2010 Trend Prediction: Oversized Logos & Headers

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

It looks like giant footers aren’t the only web trend that’s expanding in the upcoming year. New websites will begin to incorporate oversized logos and amplified headers. The goal of the larger scale is said to increase brand recognition and make an unforgettable impression on the viewer. These elements can get so large that they now take up the entire screen, acting as a substitute to a standard splash page, but allowing visitors to get more information by just scrolling down instead of figuring out where to click. Check out these examples of how this new trend is being used currently:

MailChimp

Mail Chimp

Blogger

Blogger

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