Archive for the ‘Design Inspiration’ Category
20 More Inspiring Website Footer Designs
Following on from our previous blog post ‘10 inspiring website footer designs’ I seemed to see more outstanding footer designs everywhere. I have managed to find another 20 to share with you!
TNT Pixel (Thanks Dan Hauk for pointing this one out!)
What do you think about the footers featured? I have to admit I particularly like the Blup and Uforia footers. Have you spotted any outstanding website footers that should be added to the list?
Tags: footers, Graphic Design, inspiration, Web Design
Posted in Design Inspiration, Web Design | 2 Comments »
My Top 10 Computer Arts Magazine Covers
There is one thing that is guaranteed to make me smile and that’s hearing a thud as my favourite design magazine Computer Arts hits the door mat. Every month I am amazed at the beautiful cover art that stares back at me from the floor. I neatly file away all my magazines after a thorough read as they are always a constant source of inspiration.
I was flicking through them the other day and once again I was taken back by the fantastically designed covers. So I thought I’d post my top 10, here we go in no particular order:
Are you loyal to a particular design mag? We’d love to know, there’s always room for good quality literature on our shelves!
Tags: computer arts, cover art, design, Design Inspiration, design magazines, Design Resources, Graphic Design
Posted in Design Inspiration, Design Resources | 6 Comments »
20 Stunning Music CD Cover Designs
My iPod is pretty much permanently attached to my hip. It is definitely my best friend and I never go anywhere without it. Music enhances my day, improves my mood and certainly helps get those creative juices flowing.
I was flicking through my album art and was surprised to find what an awesome selection I had so thought I’d post a few of my favorite covers and see what you thought?
3 Not So Stunning Music CD Cover Designs
Unlike other purchases (a bottle of wine for example) you don’t choose the music you purchase based on the cover, however I still get let down when the cover doesn’t reflect the music, like this album art from The Killers for ‘Mr Brightside’. To me, this design portrays a bit of a ‘Bond’ type feel which couldn’t be further from the type of song ‘Mr Brightside’ is.
This recent release from Iglu and Hartley has entered the top 20 (and I really like it) but the CD Cover design again does not reflect the song at all. In my opinion the song is heavily inspired by 80’s music but this cover has a more of a grungy feel.
And finally, maybe I am missing something but I can not see what the image used for the Dario G album ‘Sunmachine’ is trying to portray. It’s a great shot but I am not sure what it is saying and how it reflects the type of music it contains?
Is there any particular album covers that you adore? Or are there some that got you screaming “that doesn’t do the song any justice!”? We’d love to know.
Tags: album art, Design Inspiration, music
Posted in Design Inspiration, Graphic Design | No Comments »
8 Items a Graphic Designer Would Take Back to School
Well it’s that time of year here again in the UK, where you feel that chill in the air, the summer is practically over and children are getting ready to go back to school (if they haven’t already!).
I can’t say that I remember being particularly thrilled about putting on my uniform and heading off to school. However, I do have fond memories of choosing my new stationary and art supplies. I remember visiting our local Woolworths and WH Smiths trying to find the coolest pencil tin and matching pens (not that it mattered as after the first week I would have scratched my latest crush’s name on to the pencil tin and loaned out all my pens!). So I thought I’d take a look around and see what was on the market for students nowadays in the stationary department. I have to say I was very impressed with my findings and may have to put some of these items on my Christmas List (yep… you heard me… Christmas List, the count down has begun people!)!
In primary school your social status was determined by your lunch box and to be honest everyone would want to be in my gang with this retro Dr Pepper lunch box. In fact it’s times like this I wish I worked in an office just so I could stroll in with it!
This has to be my favorite find - the tape tape dispenser?! Genius! I don’t think I would have any use for a tape dispenser at school, but I would have found one.
Now I was always fussy about erasers and they always had to be those massive ones that have the power to rub out anything (or carved up and thrown at people). However in the name of good taste (get it!) these cake rubbers would have been a great second choice.
And to go with cake erasers what better than a chocolate slab calculator?
These cool Crayola pens are right up my street!
I’m not sure if kids today need a usb flash drive for school, but you can’t get funkier than a C - 3P0 Star Wars drive!
I love this tokidoki “Kaiten Sushi” journal, it’s bright and the illustrations are bold and fun.
And where would I put all my precious finds, well I’ll tell you… in my awesome Jam Factory backpack!
Do you have fond memories of choosing your supplies and heading off to school? Are there any items that you’ve spotted that’s made you wish you were still a student? Let us know as we’d love to add them to the list so please feel free to post links!
(Disclaimer: Please note we haven’t shopped at any of the above online stores and as such can not verify the quality of service they provide)
Tags: Design Inspiration, design products
Posted in Design Inspiration, Graphic Design | 5 Comments »
10 Inspiring Website Footer Designs
So you are working on your latest online masterpiece and as you’re adding the final touches you lean back and notice the typography is looking smooth and the few simple images you have used are fitting in well. Everything above the waist is near to perfection, however you’ve forgotten one thing …. your footer.
I’ve recently decided that as a designer I neglect that all important base of the site - the footer. When I leave the house I pay as much attention to what I am donning on my feet as well as my shoulders so why when it comes to designing a web site don’t I pay as much attention to the footer?
Here are some jaw dropping and inspiring website footers:
I love how Simple Art uses the footer to portray the office wall including a window. It leaves me with the usual “why can’t I think of something like that?!”
Having a map as your footer?! Great idea and excellently executed in the Banjax site.
Matt Mullenweg has a fantastic header and it’s nice to see that some of those gorgeous illustrations are also applied to the footer. It doesn’t take much, just a little something to make your footer not feel left out.
Barbed wire - something different and fits in well with the overall style of the Zagreb Fever site (this image doesn’t do it justice you need to see the site to appreciate it!).
So simple and not overwhelming, the footer in the Komodo Media site just looks well thought out.
I really like chunky thick footers, like this one on the Inspiredology site. This teamed up with textures and distress creates a great looking footer.
The simple waves on the Popstalin site just make the footer come alive.
I love Hicks Design footer, but is this beautiful illustration wasted on the footer?
The Mochiads footer is below ground level - drawing it into the site.
Once again the Artypapers footer is based below ground. The grass illustrations shows that there are many ways to create this popular below ground look.
All of these footers have made me think I need to show my websites footers more love in the design process. But what do you think? Are you another designer who uses the obligatory bar or line for a footer and does this inspire you to do something different? Or do you think it can be a little overwhelming if you utilise this area as well as every other part of the site?
Tags: Design Inspiration, Footer Design
Posted in Design Inspiration, Web Design | 13 Comments »