@Everyone – my apologies for being cocky. It wasn’t intended that way.
To clarify my original “do-this-in-5-hours” post:
I’m sure all of you agree that the single most time-consuming part of design is when you are coming up with it. Hours of sketching/drafting in Photoshop, looking at different websites, samples of graphic designs, illustrations, etc. All that time and research because you are trying to find that one design that goes “bam!” and you know is something that people don’t normally expect, but works, and looks good.
The “week” Tom-C mentioned is pretty much spot-on. Sometimes it takes a month to get everything right. (In fact, our creative director has been working on our site redesign for 3 months already, and he’s still not finished).
Now, the reason why we all take so long is because we want to come up with something unique. Sometimes it’s much faster than that – we sometimes get lucky, and an original idea just hits us, and off we go.
Now, that’s my problem with the site above: Just how long do you guys think it took to come up with that design? Wood pattern? Grungy graphic bar? Row-based design? Hmmmmm… I think all of you can name at least a few dozen sites just like that.
As I said, I’m not trying to sound cocky, but c’mon, seriously – if you guys have been doing this for some time, you all know that the wood-based background, semi tabletop-style design is the default output when you can’t think of anything!
“Oh crap – what a generic business… ummm… Ok, I’ll just do some “wood table” look, and tell the client that is looks like a professional’s desk, use some rich colors, and that should be enough to sell this.”
I think you have got the comment bang on this time dudey, I think this explains your views much better than the blunt cocky version. You make some great points and I’m sure everyone can relate to the design scenario of things taking a pretty long time when you are trying to get that perfect look for a site, and how sometimes things just fall into place perfectly first time.
I have been doing this 2 years now, so I am still learning, and the number one frustration I get when designing a site is that I get a design down that I like, I then begin developing it and a week later I will be designing a site for a client that is ten-times better than my own. I think my design development is improving so fast that the skills I have used in previous projects become dated very quickly. Dudey dude have you found this sort of thing levels its self out eventually, your porb the best person to ask if you have been doing this 8 years?
this maybe the same with the site in question, maybe he has been asking himself the same question, “can i do better???” and thess comments have just confirmed a big YES so maybe wher goin to see somthing prety good with his new design???? watch this space lol.
To answer your question: No, it doesn’t even out as you might think. What happens is that the importance of your clients brand identity becomes crucial – to cite an example: Apple and IBM are competitors in the same industry, but their “brand” does not show the same personality.
Now throw in everybody else in their industry (HP, Dell, Asus, Sony, etc.) and then what becomes important isn’t how “pretty” or how skilled your Photoshop abilities are, but how well you can translate and continue the brand’s identity throughout the site, while still keeping in mind your users (e.g. are they ordinary people, tech-savvy, etc.), and designing the site for that audience.
Now, with so many websites around, if your client does not have a known brand yet, what becomes more important than your Photoshop painting skills again, is your ability to create a memorable identity or “style” of your own (for your client). You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, you just need to do something that people remember.
Couple of sites I could mention:
ilovetypography.com -> massive serif header
grainedit.com -> single theme throughout
bmw.com -> visit the int’l website. 100% brand.
nymag.com -> works only for them.
and of course,
google.com -> white, search, centered, google. =)
…. I realise that gallery sites like this are great for inspiration, new, cutting edge design, thinking outside the box, pushing the envelop… etc etc etc…..
But sometimes that is not the point of a website. Personally I thought the site was (as it no longer seems to be there) a well executed version of a particular style. I was particularly impressed by the content and how they sold their wares. (websites are not just about design)
I’m currently in the process of redesigning my own site and while I’d love to go crazy, I have to keep in mind what the purpose of the site is and who I am trying to appeal to. Web design is not only about uniqueness, re-inventing wheels and pushing design boundaries. Sometimes its just about getting your message across in a way that will appeal to your target audience.
Sometimes its even important to design in such a way that the visitor will experience a certain familiarity in design, visual language and navigation.
Nothing worse than a site designed to be different for the sake of being different.
(11 years in the business… if we’re keep score)
As for the 5 hour issue… some of my favourite designs were done one in a day… time doesn’t always relate to quality.
This guy didn’t design his website so it will appeal to fuckwits like dudeydudedude, he designed it to appeal business owners who need a low cost website alternative. No point sitting behind his keyboard like a coward, dudeydudedude need to start showing us some of his “cutting edge” work or I think he needs to shut the fuck up.
Please grow some brains or stfu. You morons keep calling me out, but don’t even have an opinion of your own. What do you guys think of this site? Nice? Why? Bad? Why?
Or do you simply have NO IDEA because both your IQ levels combined aren’t even within binary range?
Who wanks in a corner anyway? You make yourself sound like a complete cun%t! I can just picture your fat ass sat trolling sites like these because you have no life whatsoever!
p.s love the examples of your work, looks great ha ha
Ye i would love to see this guys work, if he has all these 8 years of experience he bangs on about then he must have his own cutting edge site? Mike G your site looks cool, i like the style, who carse if wood etc has been used before its nice see variations.
Best you should edit the post name title Morgan Hayes – Best Web Gallery to something more catching for your webpage you write. I enjoyed the blog post yet.
36 Comments
@Everyone – my apologies for being cocky. It wasn’t intended that way.
To clarify my original “do-this-in-5-hours” post:
I’m sure all of you agree that the single most time-consuming part of design is when you are coming up with it. Hours of sketching/drafting in Photoshop, looking at different websites, samples of graphic designs, illustrations, etc. All that time and research because you are trying to find that one design that goes “bam!” and you know is something that people don’t normally expect, but works, and looks good.
The “week” Tom-C mentioned is pretty much spot-on. Sometimes it takes a month to get everything right. (In fact, our creative director has been working on our site redesign for 3 months already, and he’s still not finished).
Now, the reason why we all take so long is because we want to come up with something unique. Sometimes it’s much faster than that – we sometimes get lucky, and an original idea just hits us, and off we go.
Now, that’s my problem with the site above: Just how long do you guys think it took to come up with that design? Wood pattern? Grungy graphic bar? Row-based design? Hmmmmm… I think all of you can name at least a few dozen sites just like that.
As I said, I’m not trying to sound cocky, but c’mon, seriously – if you guys have been doing this for some time, you all know that the wood-based background, semi tabletop-style design is the default output when you can’t think of anything!
“Oh crap – what a generic business… ummm… Ok, I’ll just do some “wood table” look, and tell the client that is looks like a professional’s desk, use some rich colors, and that should be enough to sell this.”
/=)
C’mon guys. Seriously.
I think you have got the comment bang on this time dudey, I think this explains your views much better than the blunt cocky version. You make some great points and I’m sure everyone can relate to the design scenario of things taking a pretty long time when you are trying to get that perfect look for a site, and how sometimes things just fall into place perfectly first time.
I have been doing this 2 years now, so I am still learning, and the number one frustration I get when designing a site is that I get a design down that I like, I then begin developing it and a week later I will be designing a site for a client that is ten-times better than my own. I think my design development is improving so fast that the skills I have used in previous projects become dated very quickly. Dudey dude have you found this sort of thing levels its self out eventually, your porb the best person to ask if you have been doing this 8 years?
this maybe the same with the site in question, maybe he has been asking himself the same question, “can i do better???” and thess comments have just confirmed a big YES so maybe wher goin to see somthing prety good with his new design???? watch this space lol.
@tom-c
To answer your question: No, it doesn’t even out as you might think. What happens is that the importance of your clients brand identity becomes crucial – to cite an example: Apple and IBM are competitors in the same industry, but their “brand” does not show the same personality.
Now throw in everybody else in their industry (HP, Dell, Asus, Sony, etc.) and then what becomes important isn’t how “pretty” or how skilled your Photoshop abilities are, but how well you can translate and continue the brand’s identity throughout the site, while still keeping in mind your users (e.g. are they ordinary people, tech-savvy, etc.), and designing the site for that audience.
Now, with so many websites around, if your client does not have a known brand yet, what becomes more important than your Photoshop painting skills again, is your ability to create a memorable identity or “style” of your own (for your client). You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, you just need to do something that people remember.
Couple of sites I could mention:
ilovetypography.com -> massive serif header
grainedit.com -> single theme throughout
bmw.com -> visit the int’l website. 100% brand.
nymag.com -> works only for them.
and of course,
google.com -> white, search, centered, google. =)
What happened to this site? It is no longer there.
Well was a very entertaining read
…. I realise that gallery sites like this are great for inspiration, new, cutting edge design, thinking outside the box, pushing the envelop… etc etc etc…..
But sometimes that is not the point of a website. Personally I thought the site was (as it no longer seems to be there) a well executed version of a particular style. I was particularly impressed by the content and how they sold their wares. (websites are not just about design)
I’m currently in the process of redesigning my own site and while I’d love to go crazy, I have to keep in mind what the purpose of the site is and who I am trying to appeal to. Web design is not only about uniqueness, re-inventing wheels and pushing design boundaries. Sometimes its just about getting your message across in a way that will appeal to your target audience.
Sometimes its even important to design in such a way that the visitor will experience a certain familiarity in design, visual language and navigation.
Nothing worse than a site designed to be different for the sake of being different.
(11 years in the business… if we’re keep score)
As for the 5 hour issue… some of my favourite designs were done one in a day… time doesn’t always relate to quality.
Remember he’s a pro with such examples as:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b312/DudeyDudeDude/Untitled.gif
or
http://www.xanga.com/dudeydudedude
This guy didn’t design his website so it will appeal to fuckwits like dudeydudedude, he designed it to appeal business owners who need a low cost website alternative. No point sitting behind his keyboard like a coward, dudeydudedude need to start showing us some of his “cutting edge” work or I think he needs to shut the fuck up.
ha ha lol, love the posts to the examples of his work, im in stitches!! ha ha
What the hell is it linking to now tho! this site should prob be taken down!
@HelloKitty
Sorry to disappoint you, but those aren’t mine.
I only use this nick on this gallery
@Big C & Brett
Please grow some brains or stfu. You morons keep calling me out, but don’t even have an opinion of your own. What do you guys think of this site? Nice? Why? Bad? Why?
Or do you simply have NO IDEA because both your IQ levels combined aren’t even within binary range?
Stay on topic, or go wank in a corner, fuckwits.
ur just bitter coz you got burnt by brett.
Who wanks in a corner anyway? You make yourself sound like a complete cun%t! I can just picture your fat ass sat trolling sites like these because you have no life whatsoever!
p.s love the examples of your work, looks great ha ha
Спасибочки за занимательную точку зрения. Я с ней не совсем согласен, но она имеет право быть.
Ye i would love to see this guys work, if he has all these 8 years of experience he bangs on about then he must have his own cutting edge site? Mike G your site looks cool, i like the style, who carse if wood etc has been used before its nice see variations.
Best you should edit the post name title Morgan Hayes – Best Web Gallery to something more catching for your webpage you write. I enjoyed the blog post yet.