In website design, speculative work stems from the idea of the designer as an artist. The idea that each designer has an identifiable style. The idea that the designer approaches each project with the main aim of creating something new, as opposed to building on what has worked well in the past. Also the belief that [...]
Entries Tagged as 'design'
This Website is an Elephant
December 16th, 2009 · No Comments · design, internet
Metaphors are a great way to improve the way you think about what you’re working on. But they can also limit the way you think about something. I overheard someone describe their website as being like a brochure for their company. Personally, I think that’s a big mistake. Brochures are something you deliver to someone, [...]
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Quick! Redesign the logo!
November 11th, 2009 · No Comments · design, marketing
Here is Steve Jobs talking about Paul Rand who designed the logo for NeXT computers: Steve makes the point that companies have to spend 10 years and a hundred million dollars to associate a logo with a company in the customer’s mind. And this is the key thing that is overlooked in most discussions about [...]
Tags:logo·Paul Rand·Steve Jobs·Windscale
Design that helps nobody
February 11th, 2009 · 1 Comment · design
The most striking thing about this bench is that the seat is angled towards the ground. To sit here, you have to brace yourself with your feet, which causes strain and discomfort. The seat is also very narrow and has a back that offers very little support. If I was designing a bench, my main [...]
Chicago from the air
August 8th, 2008 · No Comments · design
Chicago looks great from the air. Miles of tiny suburbs and then suddenly a short burst of skyscrapers and then Lake Michigan to the horizon. The building height here is kind of like a Black Swan. The average height is probably just above normal house height, which tells you nothing. It doesn’t describe the suburbs [...]
Tags:average·black swan·Chicago
Free textures
July 15th, 2008 · No Comments · design
CG Textures is a great site that gives away pretty good texture images for use as you see fit. I needed some for a project I’m working on, and these are better than a lot of the dross I’ve found.
What is Web Design?
July 14th, 2008 · No Comments · design, internet
Is it the way websites are used, or is it all the frilly bits? Where does the confusion come from? Design is literally the opposite of an accident. It is when things are done for a purpose, or when a choice is made from many competing options. So graphic design and usability as they relate [...]
Paragraph typography on the web
July 4th, 2008 · No Comments · design, internet
Here’s a great post from Jon Tan about how to style paragraphs.
Tags:paragraphs·typography
Google’s new favicon
June 30th, 2008 · No Comments · design, internet
I’ve given it a little while to sink in, but I have to say I like it. There seems to have been a lot of negative reaction to this, which might seem a small issue, but it’s always strange when a well-established company changes some part of its branding. It reminds me of the changes [...]