Graphic Design on the Internet
Thursday, October 23, 2008
In the midst of scientific studies and standards in user-interface design, it’s nice to come across a website that seems to throw statistics to the wind, more concerned with (if we can use such basic terminology) ‘graphic design’ than ‘user experience design’ * — even if it’s not using the latest content management system, or the markup isn’t written as well as it ought to be.
(* There are definitely better terms for these. I realize, despite common usage, each of these terms can be applied to the design of a website or a printed work. For one who beholds a poster or a book is also a ‘user’ and ‘experiencing’ the final work, and ‘graphic design’ is certainly not determined by its destined medium. What design do we not ‘interface’ with?)
Here are two such examples that have inspired me and have me thinking a little differently about what’s so often the focus in the web industry.
The first from Chris Glass. I love his website. Love it. It’s designed from top to bottom. Each page is individually art directed. No boring template with content dumped in it. Sad how unusual this is, although there is indication that this will change over the next few years.
The second is a simple website from Mark Melnick. He starts off with a big No No (horizontal scrolling!) and I think it is wonderful. If you don’t give up on the unconventional, ‘unintuitive’ scrolling, you’ll be given a big link to his really nice portfolio of book design.
