Web Development
All that you need to know about the Basics of Web Designing
by cloud on Jul.07, 2009, under Web Designing, Web Development
Web designing has gained tremendous importance since the advent of the internet and has contributed immensely to the businesses around the globe. Website designing and development is a highly creative activity where the interface needs to be informative as well as attractive.
Web Page advantages for Businesses
A company’s presence on the World Wide Web is an indication of its aim to grow and keep abreast with the world around. The benefits of a website for a business just can not be neglected. A business with an amazing web site has a lot more to offer than those with a poorly designed site or no site at all, since their package when presented to a prospective client looks and feels great. Most of the consumers today log on to websites before actually making a purchase. For the tech-savvy people today, any activity, be it a purchase, job search, acquiring study material, to name a few, calls for a thorough research activity through different websites. Thus making it all the more important for business houses, educational institutions, recruitment services and others to have a good website catering to their present and future needs in order to sustain and grow. A good web site will garner the interest of the surfing population since it gives information and also neutralizes prejudiced notions of the people. It will clearly specify the objectives and more importantly, the vision of the company.
One of the primary reasons that business houses need a winning website is it gives a wider, in fact the widest geographical coverage, without the barriers of government regulations and language. It also gives companies an economic advantage that the print or any other medium can hardly provide.
In the early years, the web pages did not have a lot of graphical content due to the limited scope available for development. But now the scene has changed completely! A webpage should be appealing to the users i.e. visually engaging and mentally stimulating. And the websites today do exactly that!
Elementary web designing has a few pre-requisites. The registration of a domain name like .com, .org etc being the most important first step.
A good web site has characteristics like easy navigation through various tabs on the website, high graphic appeal, relevance of content, access to related sites and hits, clarity wherever the web page provides information through images and drawings (Drawings, specially on engineering and architecture related sites) among others. The web page colour scheme should be pleasing along with easy downloads and quick information retrieval. The purpose for which the web page has been developed should be achieved satisfactorily. The frequency of a website being viewed or accessed depends mainly on its visual efficacy and information accuracy.
The designing methodology includes animation, photography, graphic designs, information build-up, picture galleries, logos, and other multimedia among others.
A website in itself can be divided into two categories, one is a Static Website and the other is a Flash Website. A Static Website is one where the information can be circulated to a wider population at lower costs. A Flash Website, on the other hand, uses high-end web development techniques like animation and sound effects.
Keys to Design a Web Page
• Procuring a domain name
• Decide on the look and feel of the site through analysis of the basic purpose and the ideas that need to be covered. This will be a predecessor of the content development and graphics stages.
• Preparing a list of keywords required in association with the site in question.
• Deciding on the links that will be provided on the website for further navigation.
• Making suitable page setting enabling proper alignment of information in correspondence with the images, if any.
Web Designing Tools
There are numerous designing tools available, a few listed below.
• FrontPage and Dreamweaver
• HTML, DHTML
• Photoshop
• Flash
• Graphics Editor
• Coral Paint Shop
• Other softwares like Bluevoda, Webplus, Coffeecup
• SmartFTP
• Web Studio 4.0
• UltraEdit 14 Text Editor
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Dreamweaver 8
• JavaScript
• ASP
• .NET
• Cold Fusion
• PHP, SQL
Latest Features for Powerful Web Designing
There are various readily available templates on the internet that can be used just to begin with till there is enough awareness to design something unique and completely saleable!!! Using tools that help you design a site without even having to learn HTML coding. There are various other tools, a few of which have been listed below.
• Colour Converters for the graphics on a web page.
• A Pull-Down Menu Generator is also one of the latest ways of keeping the site hassle-free. This option makes navigation within the website easy.
• Gif Optimizer reduces the load time of a website, simultaneously reducing the impatience of the users while they wait for the site to load.
• Designing the web page with tools that allow your web site to be hosted by any server thus ensuring full compatibility.
• Designing and hosting are the main activities when uploading a web site. Hosting can be defined as the service that is required to put up a site on the World Wide Web.
• Hotlinking is one of the new techniques of embedding images directly on your website. There’s just one catch in this method, the designer will have to get permission to use those images, without which it may considered stealing of private pictures.
• Direct Linking to Specific Points on the webpage is also one of the new methods of making it easier for the surfers to navigate within the site.
• There are novel ways of Formatting a web page so that it takes lesser loading time through usage of external scripts and other web development techniques.
• Using a Favicon (Stands for Favourites Icon) is a great way to make users remember your web site since it shows a graphical reminder of the web site.
• Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are used to refine a website to make it flawless. It takes care of images, graphics, animation, colour schemes and text, to name a few.
Note: The above mentioned techniques are just an introduction to the new ways of making a web page more attractive and user-friendly. To actually do it, one will need to understand the technical details important for the same.
What should you avoid when designing a Web Page!!!
A web site visit can be an absolutely frustrating activity for a surfer, if the design of the web page is not up to the mark. It may eventually result in loss of business for a company.
Here is a list of vital things you should avoid while designing a web page, mainly visual mistakes that does not make it user-friendly.
• Including irrelevant material instead of the expected information.
• Not providing search tools to surf within the web page.
• Information that is full of grammatical and construction errors, thus drawing attention to mistakes rather than the purpose of visit.
• Using varied fonts and font colours, affecting concentration and making it tiresome to read.
• A web site that gives boastful information about the entity, not acknowledging the importance of other stakeholders especially the clients.
• Putting information that is copied from popular sites, thus exposing the users to the low standards followed during the content formation stage.
• Excessive usage of textual information where images would serve the purpose better and vice versa.
• Absence of contact information in case a surfer gets interested in any of the aspects of the web site either for procurement of more information or to buy a product or service.
• Putting in pop-up advertisements, useless quiz questions, unnecessary animation, forceful and in-your-face sign up appeals, so that the visitor instead of reading will want to log out at the first opportunity.
• Providing link on the website that do not take the surfers anywhere except out of the web page!
• Intolerable music that the user does not have an option of turning off!
• Too many ‘This part is under-construction’ signs, that the make the user wonder why the site is uploaded in the first place without completion.
• Not providing the essentials on a web page. For example, prices or special features of products on a site that is dedicated to selling pricey articles.
• Navigation panes should not be concealed links at not-so-easy to find locations.
Now that we know what we should not be doing while developing a web page, let’s take a look at what needs to be done to get it right. It is pretty much like hitting the target, especially for business houses aspiring to make it big through their web sites.
A list of to-do while creating a web page.
• Creating a site that brings out the core competencies of the entity concerned.
• A user-friendly site that gives links and hits which actually work!
• Use of white spaces and other formatting techniques needs to be comfortable to view. Since sufficient white spaces enable better reading comfort.
• Updating the web page regularly with further relevant information and requisite graphical material as well as making it as interactive as possible will ensure repeated visits.
• Good appearance and visibility.
• Providing SEO services.
• Designing the page such that it gives relevant information in a precise manner, with a futuristic feel to it so that there is a feel-good factor about the future.
• Using JPG optimizer that optimizes the images thus making the user spend more time reading.
• Meta tag generators wherever required also prove of great help to users.
• Creating a favorable impression through the use of a tool called Link Popularity Checker, which links other web pages to your web site. It gives a clear picture of how frequently is the site called in to service by the surfers. This will most definitely increase the popularity of the site.
(The basic use of optimizers is to reduce the loading time, as one of the special features to enable users of slow internet connections, access the same web pages easily)
With several futuristic technologies expected, web designing will assume a more and more important position leading to still better web development tools and finer web sites.
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Website Design as a Gradually Evolving Force…
by cloud on Jul.06, 2009, under Business Tools, Flash Design, SEO tips, Web Designing, Web Development, Website Publishing, Websites for disabilities
Ever since its inception in the 1990s, the art of designing a web page has come a long way. It initially started off with hard-core geeks coding away massive HTML files in Notepad, and eventually gave way to WYSIWYG editors like FrontPage and Dream weaver in the mid 90s. In this decade, however, this form of art has seen a move more towards its roots, with HTML editors replacing WYSIWYG ones, and traditional design becoming more mainstream in enhancing a web page.
The web was once the playground for the rich. Now it has been thrown open in recent years to anyone and everyone with a working computer. During the 1990’s it used to cost someone over thousands of dollars to start, design and operate a working website.
But in contemporary times it costs around a few hundred dollars, and at times not even that much. With the tumbling price of entry into the web, innovation has come pouring in into this still new medium of art and expression.
While in the 1990s, only a handful of geeks could code complex websites in the still nascent HTML language, using tables for design, recent work has opened up the field and handed web authors powerful tools to express themselves. Cost does not seem to be a significant barrier anymore. Artists of all kinds and discipline have come pouring into the web, bringing with them their art and creativity. In recent years the Web has become a melting pot of art, design, and cutting edge technology, and the results are clearly showing. The Internet is swarmed with innumerable websites of top quality design and interactive interfaces that instantly attracts users.
With the beginning of the new century, what emerged was the need for greater interactivity in a web page. Users are no longer content with just clicking links on websites and letting the webmasters guide them through it. They want a greater control of the whole thing. Users are constantly looking for an interactive, impressive experience that brings them closer to the site, and makes them enjoy it. It is all about how the user relates to a website.
Through the advent of Flash media, and also with the integration of audio, video and other forms of moving art media, the web has successfully transformed itself into an engrossing medium. The Web now transports users into a completely different world and makes web surfacing an enjoyable experience.
Web: The early days
Since its inception in 1989 by English Physicist Tim Berners-Lee, the World Wide Web, now commonly referred to as the Internet, has been a place where expenses mattered. Back then modems were costlier than computers, and computers costlier than we can possibly imagine today! The web was a restricted place, available to the select few, rich enough to afford a computer and a modem. And the speeds connecting to the web, of course was extremely slow. A mere 2kbps modem line was considered a luxury in those days. So it is not hard to believe that most (the handful that were) websites were mainly text only, catering to slow speeds, and with limited graphical element in them.
The first graphics capable browser did not come on until 1993. From then on, slowly and steadily, small graphical elements were introduced. Web Design was, at that time, just a way to display the text on the page more pleasingly to the users. Without WYSWYG editors, the development of websites and the maintenance of them was the domain of a few skilled developers, capable of hand coding HTML pages in Notepad, or some other text editors.
Gradually with the introduction of slightly faster modems, and the falling of prices of modems and computers in the mid to late 90s, the web started becoming more accessible and was not a stronghold of a selected few. With such rapid developments, came tools such as Microsoft FrontPage and Macromedia Dream weaver. Then appeared a revelation in the field of web design, and with that came up browsers like Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. They were designed to handle images and texts with panache.
Website design started to be taken more seriously, with people using “tables” to spread out web pages and display them properly and in accordance with some design principles. It was not until the advent of “broadband” and it’s entry into the worldwide market that the web began to emerge as something greater than just a collection of images and text into something more profound and complex.
The changing and developing face of the web.
Web design, as something more than merely the process of having text and images laid out, did not occur till the advent of broadband. In the early days of broadband, web authors suddenly came to realize that a lot more power had been handed over to them and that they could now transfer more data to serve each web page. With this realization, the web took its next big leap with the start of using images as more than just aides for the text. Images were now being used as helpers in designing a website, with actual design precipitating from mainstream media.
In the mean time, Macromedia had also released Flash which had previously been used to provide a slightly more graphical version of the website, if, albeit at the cost of time taken to load the site. With broadband, Flash really hit the mainstream, and designers used it to create more and more interactive web sites. Flash was suddenly everywhere on the web, and with Flash enabled browsers, web sites were able to incorporate more graphics rich web sites which catered to their users.
With the access of broadband, even normal HTML started to grow and evolve. And with CSS version 2, a new way to style and design web pages were born. This allowed web designers a better opportunity to design more and more complex websites with an entire library of layout techniques came up at their disposal, and with images now firmly being used as aides in design. HTML also expanded itself to support video and audio, and together with Flash, formed the foundation of what was to become the design form of the new century.
With the breakthrough innovation of a communication system like the Internet, what emerged for website designing was phenomenal. Based on a brilliant principle of interconnectivity of computer networks worldwide, the Internet became an indispensable tool in the modern day and age. The gradual emergence of the Internet as such a powerful device was crucial in defining and shaping the process of website designing.
What attracted many of the designers to innovate and come up with groundbreaking ideas was a quick and effective system by which everyone remained interconnected. From the 1990’s onwards the Internet became more accessible to the public, the World Wide Web and its plethora of millions of websites created an immediate demand for website designing.
Website designing is to a great extent about the aesthetic aspect. This aspect received a considerable impetus with the emergence of Adobe Photoshop. This graphic editing software created ripples in the world of computer technology and today everything related to visual design is usually always associated with Photoshop. What began as the brainchild of Thomas Knoll, carried forward by his brother John Knoll became new age phenomena for the world of visual art. Still considered the best graphic editing software, despite its quite steep price tag, Photoshop made things relatively easier for web designers.
No discussion on the evolution of website designing can possibly be complete without the mention of Adobe Fireworks also referred to as Fw. Adobe Fireworks gradually became an absolute essential when working on vector editing. Fireworks came fully loaded with a hoard of special features that made web designers sit up and take notice. While there is some skepticism over the use of Fireworks by devoted followers of Photoshop, it is difficult for anyone well versed with the process of web designing, to not appreciate its specialty in the field of vector editing.
With developments of such epic proportions in the field of computer technology it became more and more apparent to companies all over the world that the World Wide Web could be used as an exceptionally powerful medium to showcase their products. There came about a mad rush for setting up all kinds of websites, what emerged was a whole range of ideas that could be molded into creating stunning websites.
Like advertisements that have become an essential feature for marketing products, the Web has become a powerful tool where ideas can be sold and bought in seconds. Companies from across the world realized that a website can become their identity, their way of reaching out to millions all over the world. Soon enough there was a shift of emphasis to website designing.
Pros in the business keep harping that a website is nothing like an advertisement although it is wrongly conceived so. They are right because even though a website is a powerful marketing advice it has a lot more to it than a mere marketing strategy. When website designers recognized this factor they come up with faster and better innovative ideas to take designing to a whole new level. As the best minds got to work what emerged was a distinct division of websites that relied heavily on its textual content and those that valued its graphic content. Most designing honchos today still believe that too much graphics and flashy images are difficult on the eye. While many prefer a simple style of design, with effective backgrounds and crisp content, there are a host of websites with little information but a lot of flashy image and content.
Going back to basics has become the new mantra with more and more people preferring to hand code their website in HTML. The process of development of website designing has been extremely enriching. People learnt from their mistakes and were ready to acknowledge the loopholes in their work.
The extensive spread of fast immerging websites gave designers ideas on what works and what does not. It was soon established that a website must speak to its reader. That it is much more than just a virtual experience. Designers began to realize the importance of incorporating some simple but workable aspects into their design. They got rid of too much cluttering and crowding; well-spaced sites that are not over crowded are examples of websites that work. For a long time now, website designers have been harping on the need to create proper navigation systems on websites.
The best in the business keep saying, make your websites user-friendly, for, that is the key to a successful website design. Earlier websites often packed in too much information and the user was left confused about the purpose of the website. If it takes a person too long to figure out the purpose of a website, chances are the website designer’s career is heading for a major crash.
Today a beginner in the world of website designing can find a multitude of links, tips, blog posts, and advice on what is right and what is wrong in the art of designing a website. While it might be extremely difficult to get it perfectly right at the very start, quick online guides can prove to be effective in taking the first few steps to launching a website.
After plenty of debates and discussions on what to do and what not, a more or less common consensus has evolved over the last few years on the basic principles to follow while designing a website. It seems that it has become essential to keep a website simple. Pop-up windows and flashy animated images flying around randomly in a web page have been recognized as common nuisance.
A lot of importance has been placed on the Typography aspect of web design. How important can the font of a website possibly be? Extremely. It is a single most important feature in web designing that can make or break your site’s appeal. It seems that pros at work keep harping on the importance of using content that matters and dispelling with useless extra information that only confuses the readers. Not only does the font matter, its size and color are important aspects that need to be looked into. A clean, well-organized layout has been recognized as key factor in making websites successful and an instant hit with the average web surfer.
Impact of Social Networking on Web Design
Apart from technological developments another important 21st century emergence that has created an important impact on web design would certainly have to be the growth of social networking sites. Social networking is a new phenomena, that has helped increase communication between people from everywhere and helped individuals benefit from the process personally and professionally. Social networking sites aim at roping in individuals who can create public or semi public profiles and use the site as a platform for developing their work or strengthening personal relationships. Facebook, Orkut, MySpace and Bebo are just some examples of an online trend that has suddenly taken the world by storm.
The sudden rage of social networking led to the development of websites that began to be specifically designed to cater to groups of people who were looking for user friendly sites that could help to guide their networking ability in the right direction. A whole new generation of website designers came up with ideas that worked and designs that were built to become a hit. One of the most popular would have to be the photo management website Flickr.com that has become an example to aspiring designers all over to keep website design effective, simple and usable.
With millions of users working on their profiles everyday, social networking sites must be custom made to work twenty-four into seven. Frequent changes in the web design are also another healthy way by which social networking sites keep a hold on their subscribers.
Not only do social networking sites need designs that are attractive, but also those that work to deliver. Most of the networking sites enable their users to keep numerous friends, to display their profile publicly or otherwise, carry on a systemized mode of communication with their contacts, while have their privacy maintained and security guaranteed. The integration of so many features within a website obviously and without a doubt requires carefully planning and unique concepts of design. Its not easy being Mark Zuckerberg, obviously one has to have real talent to create such an online rage in the world of networking.
From the initial inception of what is considered to be the beginning of social networking site, which was called SixDegrees, social networking has certainly come an extremely long way. With the launch of MySpace in 2003 a new era of social networking had started. It appears that while expanding their hold everywhere these social networking sites experienced some difficulty, as it still does, often getting banned in some countries. However much credit must be attributed to the innovative designs of such social networking sites, which has opened up several new vistas for expanding work in the field of web design. Social networking most certainly created an extensive demand for a plethora of web pages that had to carefully designed and implemented to create websites that appeal to the masses.
Interacting with a Website
The gradual evolution of website designing has gone into making the website as something more than just a page on the Internet. The website can almost be described as a living, breathing aspect of everyday life. People use websites for all sorts of reasons. It is the fastest way to buy and sell ideas, and conceptions, to reach out to a large group of people or to just bring about change in a society that constantly wants something new. It can be safely said that a website, or the Internet, has become an integral aspect of our life. What makes the website work is its design. Therefore it can be considered to be an art form that needs mastery over a variety of skills. A website designer must be able to visualize, he has to be creative and ready to take risks that can turn into achievements, he must have more than just mere technical skill. A web designer is a package of several qualities, all put into one. He must create, design, visualize and implement. It is most certainly not an easy task, and there are so many points to keep in mind that it can become complicated.
However, website designing is not something to be feared. Over the last few years of it’s evolving, a lot of factors have become obvious to the ordinary designer. There are hundreds of tips and tricks to choose from, to perfect the design. And everyday new tools and features are being launched and introduced to make the designer’s work easier but more challenging. This is possibly the best aspect of design, it constantly challenges but the end result is undoubtedly very gratifying.
With technology and opportunity today, almost anyone and everyone can take the initial baby steps into setting up their own design, but the work requires dedication. What helps possibly, is the long process of development that website designing has seen over the last few years. Landmarks in its history as well as failures can go an extremely long way in teaching a website designer a lesson on the pros and cons of making decisions or taking risks with their design. With a brilliant line up of designers dedicated to the cause of enhancing the experience and process of website designing, it can be hoped that this form of design has a bright future ahead and has a long way to go.
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Web Design the Essence of Your Business to Choose the Right Web Design Company…
by cloud on Jun.22, 2009, under Web Development
Web design is fun. It is undeniable that this is a practical design, a process by which problems are solved. For the millions of Internet users out there, your web design is the first impression of your business and your credibility.
The key issue in web design is how to add value to the user experience, how to make them feel that something really has to visit your website. User-centered web design is to give the user control, which leads to the expression of accessible web design – the art of creating webpages that are accessible to all, regardless of any device in use. Without a doubt, web design is important, but the ease of use on the other hand, is king. The importance is a professional to design your Web site right. The complexity of the resulting web design is somehow determined by the objectives and the budget and affordability in this sense is in fact a reality.
Design ideas need not be difficult to find. For you out there who have ideas that are ready to be implemented, it only takes someone with the skills needed to turn them into web reality. Get ideas on the latest trends in web design and communications in search of an analytical concept in the sites of its competitors. Example the evaluation of products is one way to get ideas for the detailed design. From this set of ideas, to conclude its final approach to how you want your designer assigned to the set.
Flash is the standard for web animation web dynamics. Flash Web Design is better than creating any original cutting-edge design. It is by far a very versatile and popular method for adding attractiveness to the action of your website. Flash is probably the most advanced technology currently used in web design. However, a slow loading website or flash movie seems more seconds if you happen to “exaggerate” it. Flash not only adds to the animations, but also as a valuable complement to other media such as presentations, videos and audios.
When creating your own website on the importance of keeping in mind. You do not want certain things to be in the department when other extra large items such as the text are relatively small to maintain the relationship with the size of the presentation. Another important issue to consider in their websites is the level of attraction. Yes, you read that right. If you ever got lost in the maze of some sites, you will know the importance of intuitive web design. Seductive websites offer users the right to stay longer, providing a good guy, and not underestimate the importance of navigation. The importance of the quality of the writing of web pages is also equally important. However, until recently, however, a greater emphasis has been placed on the importance and overall influence of color in the field of web design.
Web design is a complex discipline that involves a wide range of abilities. In fact, go so far as to say, web design is the design of information. In my experience, web design is primarily about the business. Each new web design is the solution to a design problem that can be summarized in a series of questions – Who is my audience? A web design is needed for a successful business; therefore, the purpose of web design is not just to dazzle but to provide information to the widest audience possible. Web design is an exciting, changing every day. These changes reflect your company’s complete product and service presentation. Web design has always been composed of some basic premises, and if you understand that you can help pages to impress and illuminate your readers. Successful web design is essential for a successful business.
It has been several years since we had someone in your Web design company and is now obsolete. You are going to lose your business because of the competitors who have a good quality designed web sites with great design and navigation. This may be your first website of the company and you want to make the most of their time and money.
How to choose a quality web design companies that understand its target for the design or redesign of the Web site?
First, we must answer some questions.
1. What is your budget and time frame for completing the web design or redesign project?
2. Are you going to use the original content and images of the construction of this site?
3. If it is a redesigned website, which are planning to get the updated content and images of this new image and Design Company that needs web design to offer you?
4. Is there any one in your company have basic editing skills and be able to update the website content or that this is a work in progress for the Web design company hire you?
5. Looking for a local web design company?
6. Already have an idea of your web design colors, layout, and navigation?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you find the right web design company.
Now is the time to find a web design company for your needs. Go to Google and search for local business web design and see how many results show. Take “Orlando web design, e.g. 8860000 results. Wow, there are plenty of results for” Web Design Orlando.
Do not panic, it’s likely to find a company that can do the job of web design quality you need in the first 50 results. Web design companies have a quality portfolio of work online that will show an example of their custom web design work. Start at the first web design in their work down.
Examine the portfolio to see if there is anything equivalent to the design of web design that is to imagine. You will be able to tell immediately if this web design company is right for your business and your appearance. Find out how long they have been in the web design industry and compare the number of quality websites designed at that time.
If it is a redesign, see how many web site redesigns that have completed and ask to see the site before and after the redesign.
Find out if you have the staff available to work on your design needs from across the web and know the programming necessary to complete the job in a timely manner. Ask for references, a high end web design company, we are happy to provide references on the web design work. Most web design references will be glad to talk with you about the quality of their employment potential that the Web design company in your website.
Depending on your budget for web design, can help many web design companies to talk about quality. You want to get at least 3 estimates and does not hurt more.
Remember, when it comes to your business and your exposure to Internet companies, will take time to find a quality web design. Their future may depend on it.
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Top 20 footers to draw inspired from
by cloud on May.27, 2009, under Web Development
Footers, coming in at the end of every webpage, contains vital space for the author to get some important tidbits across, and is one of the most crucial areas of the site in terms of design. As a footer can be said to cap off a site from the bottom, it needs to bring together all the elements of the page and fuse them into a single finishing touch.
Many sites also use the footer as a linklist, containing links to articles, sites related to the current page. Essentially, footers are more than just a copyright notice. It is the last chance for the developer to have the attention of the user before he clicks another link, and ought to be used wisely.
Below are a compilation of 20 sites we believe make judicious use of their footer, keeping the design of the whole website in mind, and gets information across as well.
• Vimeo.com
Along with a stunning website with intricate details, Vimeo finishes it up with an excellently well designed and detailed drawing to end the site. It is absolutely gorgeous and well crafted to blend in with the page.
• YesInsurance.co.uk
Using the family driving in the car illustration as the central point of capping their webpage, yes insurance keeps it simple, yet elegant and classy, focusing on a color and an icon that is reproduced throughout the entire site.
• TheRissingtonPodcast.co.uk
Jon Hicks and John Oxton are two of Britain’s premiere web designers and part of the awesome BritPack. The podcast, co-hosted by them, has one of the most lovely illustration of clouds and an old RAF aircraft I’ve ever seen. It is in complete harmony with the entire site, as if it combines to form a lovely image of an airbase.
• HutchHouse.co.uk
Creating a simple footer with elegant boxes linked to important areas of the website or externally, Hutch House achieves a simplicity within the footer while keeping it graphically rich and detailed.
• Ma.tt
Matt Mullenweg, creator of WordPress, has a rather graphics rich site, and the footer is no different. Using gradients, grunge and a keyboard with layers on the side to finish the site is a nice call by the designers behind the site. WordPress’ logo also features prominently on the footer.
• Divvoted.com
A wonderful illustration of an island, with intricate details worked into it is a perfect way to design a footer for a light blue colored site. The water looks lovely, the sky is blue, and the beach is rather enticing! Also note the media temple blimp.
• ligne13.com
A wonderful gradient from deep space to a sea-side city on the earth seems to work wonders for this site, as the reader will no doubt love the transformation as we do.
• Northern-Classics.de
This website is filled with retro icons, and the footer is no different. The wonderful effect of the page burning up from the middle, and the post it note link-list, all work together to make this footer look stunning.
• MrDiggles.com
The footer at mrdiggles.com is quirky, useful, and charming, all at the same time. The rather imperfect line separating the content from the footer, the picture, and the tag cloud all fit together to make a rather lovely experience.
• Psd.tutsplus.com
PSDTuts.com has the quintessential link-list/informative footer with a bit of detailed clarity thrown in for good measure. The colors match nicely with the entire site, and the columns are very professionally dealt with.
• WeAreNotFreelancers.co.za
After a predominantly white color covering mostly the entire site, it is a pleasant leave to arrive at a footer colored deep blue. The squid tentacle’s illustration adds a flair to the site, and the icons above the columns give the site a rather hand-drawn look.
• WhiteHouse.gov
A lovely, professional website through and through, the footer doesn’t disappoint either. The slight flourish, the light gradient, the insignia and the links create a professional no nonsense attitude, and the copious amount of links fit wonderfully with the rest of the information laden site.
• AlmostWinterDesign.com
A stunning site in black, with an even grander footer. The soft light from the lamps, the picture frame and the continuation of the background as the wall create a soft, soothing and almost eerie experience. They also contain external links to social networking sites so you can track them.
• SihirliBlog.com
A beautiful website, accompanied with a beautiful footer. It looks very nice, and fits in wonderfully with the rest of the site.
• FatBurgr.com
The picture of the two people sitting on the counter clinches it for this site. Wonderful concept, and pulled off brilliantly. Using the table as a bar for the footer navigation looks lovely, and works nicely with the rest of the site.
• YoDiv.com
An informative footer to boot, the lovely illustration of the characters which are reproduced throughout the site and the footer having the ground works nicely for this.
• WebDesignerWall.com
Keeping in tune with the rest of the site, the footer here is also bordered and filled with a lovely illustration, and the handwritten headings enhance them more. The links to recent posts are very handy, and a slight blurb about the site is also included.
• TNTPixel.com
The trigger for the explosive being the main attraction of the footer here, it looks really nicely done, with the clouds and the sun being a nice touch. The colors complement each other well, and makes the overall appearance nice.
• BitsampPixels.com
Where do we start with this one? The awesome dripping effect from the page elements, or the beautiful colored ray from the center, or the lovely background and the really cool logo. It all meshes together to create an even better experience and this footer certainly leaves a mark.
• SohTanaka.com
The lovely clear blue silhouette just above the footer, and the detailed links and information within it make this site have a very neat and tidy finish. The silhouette really works well for the site with animals interspersed with buildings.