love it...

i love coming across new and interesting sites that tickle my creative fancy. in only a few minutes i've found so much interesting imagery, it makes me want to go out and design something new.

have a look: www.ffffound.com

large image backgrounds

you may have seen a recent trend in web design - large image backgrounds. while they are typically more suited to low-content websites, for the right site, they can increase impact dramatically. (some high-content websites can use large backgrounds, if it's done just right - but use with care).

take, for example, westlake harvesting. even though their content doesn't change much from year to year, they like to make small changes to the design so it looks fresh and updated. check out the difference from the old, standard gradient background to the new design:

before

after

visit the site here: www.westlakeharvesting.com. i used a fixed background to maximize impact and minimize the plain color at the bottom.

this was a quickie-update for an old site i didn't even design in the first place (took me about an hour)... but check out what you can do with a little more effort:



i found these images at webdesignerwall.com, under this post. fabulous, and a new favorite design idea.

adding to my idea library

what i do requires a pretty constant process of learning and idea generation, so i'm always on the lookout for anything to expand my realm of ideas. my latest additions:


why are half my books from rockport publishing? maybe because i often go to borders, and maybe because they rock. i've been doing a lot more logos lately, and these authors have some fantastic ideas about both the design process and the messages behind branding, business naming, and logos.

never hurts to stay grounded in the basics (who knows what i'm missing anyway?), and their case studies are well-grounded in the modern world.

oh, and one for me!