« The Allure Of Timeless Logos | Strengthening Your Brand »
The use of graphic design is more than just for art projects in school. It is the driving creative force behind some of the most successful business logos and websites. Design trends may change but there is no denying that excellent graphic design can create familiarity with your brand.
Fresh concepts in graphic design can help make your business logo or website stand out. You can also try these techniques and ideas for actual online advertisements and marketing campaigns. Here are just a few:
Commune with Nature
With environmental awareness becoming more important for people, the organic design theme of nature will be called upon more. Nature landscapes and art lines will see the light of day. Naturally occurring patterns may also lend a sophisticated look for your brand.
Sustainability is also an important corporate value for many businesses. Designs which promote the wise and efficient use of resources will strengthen the image of your brand.
Play with Colors
Colorful logos can still captivate the eyes of people but it should be done wisely. If Google is not a successful company, the color combinations of its logo may be off for some. But it serves its purpose by attracting the attention of people. Pastel colors will remain an important aspect of graphic design. Bright colors may not be as hot though.
Responsive Interface
Graphic design always plays a key role for a website redesign. One of your best bets is to use technology to improve the visual elements and functionality of the website.
Responsive web page elements can add to the experience of users in your website. Quick page responses to keyboard and mouse inputs will please many visitors. This can include side fly-out menus, pop-up windows and drop down menus.
For advanced design ideas, your website can use famous JavaScript libraries such as jQuery and MooTools. Don’t worry; most web browsers support this kind of innovation.
The Advent of Touch Technology
Technology has evolved. Now businesses should also design websites with smartphones and tablets in mind. Mobile technology has spawned numerous mobile versions of popular websites.
It may seem expensive but creating a mobile version of your website can significantly enhance the image of your brand. In designing a mobile compatible website, prioritize the comfort of people in navigating your site.
Freebies for Web Design
No web designer is an island. Fortunately, many web designers have been freely sharing their graphic design content online. Two of the most frequently downloaded freebies are Download PSD and Designmoo. This is a catalog of free web layouts, banners, interfaces and even PSD/AI files.
One of the more popular web design technique is the use of Ribbons and Banners. While this is not exactly groundbreaking, the use of banner navigation, corner ribbons, and small ribbon badges are still underrated. These style techniques can easily be learned for free with the help of downloadable PSDs to save effort.
HTML5 & CSS3 Inputs
Even the traditional HTML has advanced with the introduction of HTML5 and its complementary CSS3 system. There are many HTML5/CSS3 project codes online which you can download as reference for your website. This is the new standard in webpage design and it makes it easier for you to use JavaScript and jQuery.
Drop shadows can also be done easily with the help of CSS3. Box style and box text elements now have properties for rendering shadow effects. Moreover, the syntax for text shadow is easy to memorize.
Dynamic Typography
Fonts are a significant aspect of web graphic design. Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, and Trebuchet MS have been the most popular choices throughout the years. While these fonts have been very useful, there are more efficient alternatives to help design your website.
Typekit is one alternative which relies primarily on JavaScript. Users don’t need to install a font system in order to use it. You only need to write lines of codes in your document head and append them into the CSS. You can then use this font anywhere.
Google Web Fonts is similar but offers more creativity with the @font-face media query. Importing a .ttf or .otf file is also possible as a style sheet font. It leaves room for design innovation.
jQuery has ushered the use of image slideshows in web design. These slideshows offer a quick glance of the inner contents of your web page. This can even be used as a portfolio or as a way to showcase featured images and screenshots.
