The transition from simple elgance to— plain ugliness

Not everyone has a “boring and lifeless” design. Most that have those so called “boring and lifeless” designs are those that really don’t want or need a major “eye candy” based site.

Either they just don’t feel the need for it, or they just don’t want it in general and that’s their decision. But there is and still are people making themes of nice designs and imagery (“eye candy”) based sites and stuff to..

Maybe you just haven’t been looking in the right places or what not.. :/ Here is one, well the front page atleast lol.

https://ryanwerth.com/
https://www.vindictivebastard.net/blog3/ <-I’m trying to make it nice looking with images lmao!

There’s more…if that’s what you’re talking about that is. :/ Or are you talking about 98% image themes, where there is hardly any text at all? I dunno… :/

spencerp

It isn’t just you.

I came in on the web back in ’95 and started learning web design not long after that. The attitude then was to jam every cool thing you could do onto a page until it was so bloated and had so much going on that the theory was people would have so much to do and see they wouldn’t wander away. But it got TOO DAMN CLUTTERED. Got to the point where all those flashing and whizzing and blinking things became such a distraction no one saw the content. It’s no wonder the pendulum swung in the other direction!

But yes, it’s swung too far and for too long in the direction of WAY too simple. Though some designers can handle the Zen of a simple webpage and make it sing, most are just aping (badly) what they see happening, or, even worse, following their client’s instructions on what the client wants (read what the client is paying for whether it’s good for him/her or not.) And unfortunately I’m as guilty as anybody else. The girl’s gotta pay her bills and if the client wants a mostly white website with a little badge in the corner and a bit of a very subtle gradient in the background near one of the edges (usually blue to white OR gray to white)– in other words a website just like everyone else’s, that is what the client gets. Actually, I end up dressing it up a little and then take the stuff I added back out at the client’s request is the way *that* usually goes.

I can’t tell you how much fun it is when I get a small businessperson who IS NOT web savvy who wants me to just create the most fabulous design that represents THEIR personality in whatever way I see fit. That’s when fun happens, and that’s when magic happens. Unfortunately it doesn’t happen often enough. Those designs are NOT plain. Neither are they “busy”. They’re just FUN (and sometimes, dare I say it, IN YOUR FACE) design and usually get the most compliments and the most work re referrals.

Just don’t blame it on (all) designers. It’s usually not their fault, though there are some who won’t do anything BUT the empty page look.

One finds the same discussion (rant if you like) over Powerpoint presentations, or how 99.99995% of the business world use the standard boring templates that come with Microsoft Word (or any other word processor), Publisher (ibid), etc.

The basic argument appears to be that most people can’t design their way out of a paper bag (i.e. there’s so few Leonardo da Vincis in the world!). But then it’s always been that way. XHTML and CSS are tools most can learn, even to a great degree of proficiency, but only a small minority will ever be able to take that knowledge and put it to use in unique and impressive ways.

Let me add this: Sites that awe me with their design, and there have been quite a few, rarely end up in my bookmarks because so many of them (though not all) provide the look without any compelling content to keep me coming back. Or in other words they’re all icing but no cake. But I won’t hijack this thread with a rant of my own…

When I had my core site redesigned a couple of years ago, the emphasis was placed on spotlighting the photo gallery. Yes, it is intentionally simplistic in design – enabling the viewer to enjoy the photography and not get lost in a distractive / overbusy background. The designer developed a database allowing me web-based uploading capabilities of images from wherever I happened to be shooting.

Other text-driven aspects of the core site are slowly being transitioned over to my blog. I’m still finalizing the design and layout (tailoring the sidebar). It’s more colorful than what I’ve developed in the past, yet not terribly distractive, I hope. I spent long hours looking at many, many sites and templates for inspiration; borrowed concepts, and blended them into – what I hope is – a site that doesn’t incite a seizure (due to the overabundance of animated banners, flash-based effects, and other advertisements). It will probably undergo more cosmetic facelifts before I finally settle on a design with which I’m absolutely happy. However, I feel strongly that, within another 6 months, I’ll be back at the drawing board again because I’m never really satisfied and constantly seeking to make it better than before.

spencer & dkaye315, nice hijacking attempts. fwiw, the text within your posts is unreadable, dkaye315, since you seem to want be on that subject.

Its amazing how many people take this topics (see 2 best blog designs threads also) as a means to provide yet one more link to their blogs.

——

Back to the op, I agree. Im well over whitespace and that damned generic light blue crap. I certainly dont need a return to the tripodish sites I used to see 10 years ago, but few sites strike me as original anymore.

To whooami – Was not attempting to highjack. The discussion was relative to design evolution – which is precisely what I’m in the midst of doing. The links provided merely were for example – not promotion.

I agree with dkaye315, I wasn’t trying to hijack anything either. That’s why I had used someone else’s blog and my TEST blog for an example. :/ Even though that guy’s site’s theme isn’t working through out the rest of his site..all I get is a poor blank layout lol!

And I ALSO posted my comments or opinions to the O.P. And if ya hadn’t noticed..I haven’t even replied to that “best blog designs” thread. People around here lately have been complaining about my replies and “harshness” towards others and yet for some “special” ones….it’s ok! That ain’t right..but anyways..

Everyone was merely trying to let the original O.P. know that the “boring and lifeless” designs aren’t totally dead and still are currently being used on the net.. =) And yet at the sametime..they are saying that “eye candy” based sites like before were too much also. I dunno, whatever lol. Can’t even reply any more without someone having a bug up their arses…it’s a shame.. [sigh]

spencerp

spencer,

I didnt accuse you of using either of those other threads to promote your site — I was only pointing out that they both turned into those sorts of threads, and the topic of the OP was lost.

This place is a mess: very little search functionality, duplicate upon duplicate threads, and issues, and literally no housekeepers. Im surprised YOU were even moderated.

To that end, I would actually like to see a thread stay on topic here (FOR ONCE MAYBE), so I will happily shut up now.

To the original poster, I guess just try and make something of your own once and try and help break that whole “boring” and lifeless” mode or something lol.

Yeah, I know what ya mean whooami. =) I shouldn’t have posted those two links to begin with, now it is starting to turn into one of “those threads”..haha. [sigh]

spencerp

As the P.S. lol:
It’s ok whooami.. =) I just have my defense mode on still since this thread .. it was ok for that person to get cocky with me..but once I replied in defense..all my threads were moderated..[rolls eyes]

It just twerks me that someone can reply with such tone like that, when I was merely throwing out suggestions or opinions…and they have nerve to post ignorant harsh replies and then I can’t defend myself and my replies were moderated..

If I remember right…this is a free help forum and not a church forum, swearing should be allowed to a degree. Especially if it’s inregards to a defense reply.

hi spencer, just out of curiosity what OS and browser are you seeing the text only version of my site (the one you reference in your post)? I’m unable to recreate the problem

Hi ryan, I’m using Windows XP Home Edition, was viewing it in the latest FF version. =)

When I go to the blog page, it’s just white with blue link text..no imagery what’s so ever. =( But the home page and every other page is looking awesome for me.. =)

I viewed your source and apparently the link for style sheet is in the header for the index page and the rest of the pages, but when I go to the blog’s page, and view source, it’s not in the header section.
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles/universal.css" type="text/css" />

Unless you had it like that specifically or something, I’m not sure.. :/

spencerp

gotcha. you have javascript disabled in FF? that’s the only thing i could think it would be. the whole blog thing was kind of an afterthought on my site. my first experience with any cms and rather than getting under the hood of textpattern, i ended up using javascript browser detection on the blog pages – though maybe that will change today ; )

“you have javascript disabled in FF? that’s the only thing i could think it would be.”

Slaps self, no wonder the R.T.E buttons in the Write Post page weren’t there lmaO! (Another space cadetish moment I guess sigh)

I was wondering what the hell was going on with it hahaha… Jesus! I swear my FF keeps changing settings each time I open it up.. =(

Hehe, I was going use to TextPattern before, I actually tried a number of different Blog softwares, but just decided to stick with WP. =) I wish ya the best with your blog ryan, no matter what software you’re using.. =)

Now I can see the blog’s design! =) Flucking sweet it is! =) That’s what was wrong…I had to check the box for enable Javascript.. [Rolls eyes] I just don’t understand why my settings go to default when I keep opening up FF..mmm. Prolly overlooking something simple again… :/

spencerp

well, think i got it working for js disabled users now (anyway) … well most of them … IE 5.x users without js enabled just have to continue suffering

IE 5.x users without js enabled just have to continue suffering

Hahaha! =)

well, think i got it working for js disabled users now (anyway) … well most of them

Well that’s cool, I’ll try disabling my javascript in FF once again..and see what it does.. =)

Yup, it’s working either way for me now. =) You the man ryan, you the man! =)

spencerp