Colour is a major factor in all aspects of design. It can create moods, styles and can evoke feelings and actions within people. Colour is a truly fascinating area, one which is constantly evolving and inspiring us to create new and refreshing designs.

Gone are the days where there were certain rules  with colour such as never mix red with pink, now we can put any colours together and still achieve a well balanced and stimulating design. But what if we start to limit colour in design? Instead of splashing colour about without much thought, what if we refine colour back to the very basics and only use what is really necessary.

Limiting colour in designs can create a more coherent and consistent look, making them more defined and altogether stronger. Using a limited colour palette doesn’t mean restricting the design, rather it can create emphasis on content, branding and messaging. It can also make a design more creative and intuitive, focusing on typography, imagery and layout.

Black and white is commonly used to create this limited colour scheme, however any colours used in isolation can be manipulated for this type of style. For instance take our very own 360innovate website, where we employed the dark blue as the primary colour with only white included for text and purple and orange used very sparingly for some content headers. This gives the site an easily flowing design, pulling the information together giving it a clear sense of purpose.

Below are some examples of other websites employing the effectiveness of limiting colour:

Design Crush is back after a long break and after months of silence we are here again, this time we are talking about good examples of websites employing motion graphics.

Using full screen images with video or motion graphics as the design basis for a website used to be something that many designers shied away from due to the large loading time required for such demanding tasks. However with better, faster broadband speeds, using full screen graphics with motion technology is becoming more and more popular.

It’s really quite amazing watching web design evolve into a moving, involving and all encompassing experience. Full screen imagery and motion graphics is popular with clothing, car and technology sites but it can and has been used for a variety of  markets and for a multitude of purposes. The appeal of this style is down to it’s ability to pull users in, encouraging them to explore the site which in turn allows them to find out more about the company, product or service being advertised. It’s not enough to just supply users with information and flat imagery anymore, they want to be entertained, they want to be moved and motion graphics can cater to this need. Motion graphics can give users a richer user experience however, if not done properly it can be seen to be a time waster and can even turn users off.  Therefore this type of medium should only be used to serve an actual purpose, not just as decoration and of course should be executed to the highest standard.

To show just how far we have come with motion graphics in web design, here is a collection of sites that reflect this ever growing and developing style and technique.

If you are interested in finding out more about motion graphics in web design here are some links to help you out:

4 web design tips for motion graphics sites

motion graphics gallery - motionserved.com

If you have any outstanding examples of this type of web design please share them with us, we would love to see what everyone else likes.

With the build up to the festive season already under way and many Christmas lights  being switched on in cities and towns all over the world, it is no wonder that lighting effects have crossed over to design and are playing a big part in current web design trends.

Lighting effects within web design come in a variety of different forms, from creating subtle shadows and dim glows that produce a peaceful tranquil mood to multi coloured and faceted light rays that give across an energetic mood. More and more websites are utilising these lighting effects to give websites a dimensional interest, coming away from flat designs that can often look bland and seem uninteresting.

Visually, employing light and shadow effects enables us to better understand and relate to what we see on screen by creating texture, aspect and perspective. Therefore we are able to make web pages appear more natural, existent and intuitive by utilising these effects which in turn makes the design  stand out on screen creating a true sense of depth, layers and realism.

These lighting effects can create interest to areas on a page that are seen to be more important. By highlighting specific aspects within a web page with lighting, you can subtly draw the viewers eye around the page, guiding them to the parts of information that you desire. Creating these prominent areas not only gives interest to the page but give the page a defined purpose.

With all these reasons and plenty more, it’s no wonder that lighting effects are playing a large role within web design at the moment. And we are sure that with the festive cheer set to continue it will only amplify this trend bringing light not just to streets and trees, but to web pages as well.

Below are some exquisite examples of lighting and shadow effects being employed within web design:

If you fancy trying your hand at creating lighting effects here are some resources:

16 Photoshop Light Effect Tutorials >

Creating Lighting Effects with Brushes >

30 Lighting Effect Photoshop Tutorials >

When you think of patterns, what is the first thing that comes into your mind? Many would think of the 70′s or Gran’s carpet, but patterns have made a huge comeback over the past few years, thanks to establishments like Ikea who promoted the use of bold colours within home furnishings. However, within web design, patterns are being used more readily; with faster download speeds and better file sizes with the use of vector graphics, patterns are being used more and more for background images within web design than ever before.

Patterns are now used often throughout web design. However, they usually go unnoticed, remaining in the background and enhancing the overall design (hopefully!). These background patterns are used to replace standard background colours, creating a more inviting atmosphere fitting the overall style of the site and boosting the branding and image of the company.

The reason why patterns are popular for background images within web design is because they are extremely versatile, creating a unique space and increasing the sites personality, setting it apart from others. Within the e-commerce sector, websites using patterns within their background can be seen often, but many other sectors choose to use patterns to add a touch of character to their sites too. Here are a few examples that we have come across:

It is easy to create completely different styles by utilising background patterns. Whatever look and feel you want to achieve with your website, from crafty and homely looks to ultra modern and sleek designs, patterns are so diverse enabling you to transform a relatively ordinary website into something a little less ordinary.

Here are a couple of great resources for downloading free patterns:

Squidfingers

Bgpatterns.com

Back again with another instalment of Design Crush. This time we are talking about current colour trends. While web design has had a long history with colour it hasn’t always been pretty. In the years gone by, when websites were in their infancy it was common place to see cyan used throughout. But we are not here to discuss the past, we are here to discuss the present colour trends that are occurring within web design.

One recent colour trend that is cropping up throughout the web is the use of Autumn colours.  With this time of year descending upon us, it’s no wonder designers are turning to the autumn season for colour inspiration. According to Linda Chadbourne’s article for thewebsqueeze.com these autumn colours are not necessarily your typical browns and reds. There is an array of warm pinks, greys, blues and natural tones that are storming the web. Below are the top picks:

Here are a few examples of where some websites have successfully used these new autumn colours in their design:

Of course there is a lot more to be said about colour other than just being a trend. Colours can not only promote a certain feeling and atmosphere within a design but they can also make a website more (or less) user friendly. Colours are a major part of any website design and by using these new autumn colours, websites are sure to be fresh, warm and welcoming.

Check back soon to find out what other colour trends catch our attention, in our search for design inspiration.

Let us know what colour trends you are linking at the moment…

Arguably one of the most used and important elements of any website design is the menu or navigation. The main menu is where users refer to when they want to navigate through the website. Therefore good navigation has a lot to answer for when it comes to creating successful usability in a website. And creating a menu that is not only easy to use but that enhances the look and feel of your website is something that can make all the difference to the overall usability of the site.

Website menus come in all shapes and sizes, colours and designs making them an interesting focus for this edition of Design Crush. There are many options when designing a menu; colour can be used to differentiate between options, icons can be used to make the menu options more easily identifiable or unique roll-over elements can be employed to add interest. There are many techniques you can employ when designing a menu, and putting in that extra detail can really make all the difference to the website design as a whole.

Here are a few examples of successful menu designs that I have come across recently:

Employing these different techniques can make it easier for you website menu to be well constructed, easily used and intuative. A well designed menu can encourage users to look through the website while a badly designed menu can put users off completely. Giving your site a unique and personal menu will not only keep users on your site but will add that all important sparkle that can set it apart from all the rest.

Did you know that 90% of internet users have email addresses? This makes checking emails one of the most common uses of the internet . So for successful business online, using regular and effective communication is key, making email marketing a popular and cost effective way to get your company message out there.

However, in order for your email marketing campaigns to reap all of the benefits follow our tried and tested pointers:

1. Use an effective email list. There are many ways in which you can create unique emails lists that are tailored to your market. Use your established customer’s details, get people to sign up at events you attend, or let people subscribe to it through your website.

2. Keep your emails regular. People like consistency so whether you are planning to send emails once a week, once a month or once a quarter, stick to it.

3. Make your emails interesting. Make sure that whatever you want to say in your email will be interesting to the readers. Whether it’s about new products or services, there has to be some advantage to the readers for the emails to make them take action.

4. Speaking of action… do your emails have an effective call to action? Don’t just send through information, make sure that your emails get your recipients to follow through to whatever outcome you want, whether it is getting them to buy new products, or using your services again.

5. Keep it short. People are less likely to spend time reading a long email, so the more concise it is, the more you can expect your emails to be read.

6. Don’t spam. Try not to make your emails spammy, if you do, it will just go into spam/junk mail and will probably never be looked at.

7. Can your recipients easily unsubscribe? To make your company and its emails more legitimate, you should make sure that they can easily opt out of receiving the emails.

8. ‘DO NOT REPLY’ email address. There is nothing more off putting for your email recipients than seeing that the email is sent from this type of addresses. Instead you should be encouraging interaction between your company and its customers, which may give you some additional insight.

9. If your sending mass emails out, use an email marketing software product. It will save you a heck of a lot of time!

10. Measure its success. The best thing about email marketing is that you can measure its effectiveness easily, so take advantage. You can record how many people opened the email and how many times the embedded links are clicked through. This can allow you to adjust your strategies to increase the response rates.

If you have any more pointers, we would love to hear them. Happy emailing!

Ever wondered what people talk about on Twitter? Well know we know! Throughout the week, the way in which Twitter is used changes depending on what day it is and even what time it is. According to recent research carried out by InsideTwitter and PearAnalytics, apparently the percentage of tweets changes in terms of content and context throughout Monday to Friday.  These lovely graphs designed by InformationIsBeautiful show the findings.

Generally, the beginning and middle of the week seems to be more informational while the end of the week tends to see more ramblings and spam. Through the day, the most activity is just after lunch with the most conversation happening a bit later on. It’s interesting to see what Twitter is being used for and how it changes from day to day, hour to hour.

Recently we have been receiving CV’S for web designers and graphics designers looking for positions within 360. This got me thinking about how designers can make a company like 360 take notice and take action. While the CV is very important, in terms of the information that it holds, the portfolio is even more so. Why? Because it shows companies your style and skill set first hand and can be the making or breaking of a future job.

Designing and building your own portfolio site would be the best way to get your work from your head to your potential employment. However if you don’t have your own site to house all your unique work, then don’t worry. There are plenty of resources available to you that still let you have an effective online presence. Online portfolio sites like the examples below would be a good place to start.

While thinking about all this, I decided to write down a few tips that may help any budding designers figure out what to include and what not to include in their portfolio.

Tip 1 Define the purpose of your portfolio. What do you want your portfolio to achieve? Portfolios can be used for many things including selling your services, promoting your services, getting a job, building a reputation and networking.

Tip 2 Whatever you want your portfolio to do, make sure you get the message across crystal clear. Targeting your portfolio to your intended audience is important to make it more effective and achieve your  desired outcome.

Tip 3 When deciding what to include in your portfolio make sure you don’t put any old rubbish in. Only include your best work. Remember its quality not quantity.

Tip 4 One of the most important tips is to make it different. Your portfolio is an expression of your work therefore it should be totally unique and should be able to make a statement of who you are a designer.

Tip 5 And finally, with all portfolios, keep it up to date. Its amazing how over time, work can look dated and can make a portfolio (including mine) look less than impressive. So whenever you have completed a new project and its worthy of showcasing your talents, stick it into your portfolio.

]]> http://www.360innovate.co.uk/blog/2009/08/design-crush-edition-14/feed/ 0 http://www.360innovate.co.uk/blog/2009/07/design-crush-edition-13/ http://www.360innovate.co.uk/blog/2009/07/design-crush-edition-13/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:57:31 +0000 Pamela http://www.360innovate.co.uk/blog/?p=997

It’s been a while since the last Design Crush, what with summer holidays and a busy work load getting in the way. But here we are again, and this week it’s all about minimalism. Minimalism can be described as a “design style that emphasizes simplicity and the removal of superfluous elements in one’s own work” – Wikipedia. It is a type of design that can be achieved throughout many different types of media and can be a very effective way of presenting an idea.  And with web design, it is no different:

“Minimalist web design relies on subtraction and the preservation of empty space.”
— Tokujin Yoshioka

When designing for the web, taking advantage of the use of white space can often be challenging due to the commonly large amount of information that has to be included within a relatively limited space. But when white space is employed properly, you can often create a sense of mystery that makes people want to know more about your website.

The key element of minimalist design that makes it successful is being able to cut out all the padding and unnecessary bumph and being left with the fundamental information. This makes minimalistic websites more succinct and to the point providing your users with the most important information . Moreover, it can be considered quite a talent to create an attractive website design with a limited amount of resources.

Minimalism in web design can create a statement and can clearly and effectively communicate the core idea or ethos of the website. With less clutter and useless information supplied, it means that visitors will spend more time focussing on the vital information. So the next time you are designing or getting a website design, think to yourself “do I really need to include that?”

Here are some examples of web design that use minimalism to produce successful websites:

For more examples of minimalism in web design visit Minimal Exhibit