The Principles of
Beautiful Web Design

Volume V, Issue 1
ISSN: 1547-7754
June 2007
printable version

Chris King, Editor
By subscription only, this monthly e-newsletter is loaded with short, "down and dirty" tips to help you with solving the everchanging and growing puzzle of the Internet. This e-zine serves as a place to ask your questions and find the answers. So, send me your burning questions.

With this issue of the Internet Tips E-zine, we are celebrating our fourth birthday. Yes, for the past four years, I have sent the Internet Tips E-Zine monthly, along with archiving the issues as articles for your information.

In this issue I am celebrating by introducing you to a book that I just received and that I feel that everyone who is designing and/or developing a website should read and devour.

Jason Beaird, author of The Principles of Beautiful Web Design, states, “My goal with this book is simple. To present what I know about design in a way that anyone can understand and apply. Why? Because the basics of web site design should be common knowledge. We all live in and work on an Internet that has been blindly covering up ugly with more ugly since its inception. It’s time to break that chain and make bold moves toward better design.”

The book is fun to read and is filled with five complete chapters, great visual examples and a detailed description of designing a website from beginning to completion. To introduce you to this wealth of information, I am going to include a sample tip or design principle from each chapter.

CHAPTER 1: Layout and Composition
Make use of the rule of thirds - a simplified version of the golden ratio. A line bisected by the golden ratio is divided into two sections, one of which is approximately twice the size of the other. Dividing a composition into thirds is an easy way to apply divine proportion without getting out a calculator.

Beaird shows, with straight forward drawings, how to use this principle to create grids that define the overall layout of a web page.

CHAPTER 2: Color
One reader who left a comment about the book at Amazon stated that, “The chapter on color is worth the full cost of the book but then the rest is just icing. Really, really, good icing.”

Beaird analyzes the psychology of color: What the various color associations are, the temperature of colors (warm and cool) and many examples of color schemes. He lists and explains the use of the six classic color schemes: monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary, triadic, and tetradic (also called double complementary).

CHAPTER 3: Texture
I found this chapter to be an eye opener, because many designers keep everything flat and rectangular. Texture and volume can be created using shapes, curves, shadows and patterns. Personally, I haven’t discovered many background textures that I would use. But I do use rounded corners and embossing and drop shadows for depth.

Beaird urges us to think about how portions of the site “feel.” Are they smooth or rough? Do they consist of tiles or are they slippery? It does add a whole new dimension to our designs.

CHAPTER 4: Typography
Beaird warns that “this topic may be addictive.” He describes our relationship to type when reading a magazine, turning on the TV or walking through a grocery store. “You will undoubtedly see hundreds of creative and effective uses of type. It is the substance of branding, the key to unspoken communication, and an essential piece of the web design pie.”

The web designer faces a font challenge, because those viewing your web site may not have the fonts that you want to use. I think, however, that you will find this chapter to be one of the most well written and complete explanation of typography from a design and usability attitude that is available. Don’t skip it!

CHAPTER 5: Imagery
“From layout to color, from texture to type, I’ve been talking about imagery since the beginning of this book … There are many practical concerns related to imagery - including file type choices, image resolution, and photography sources - that we need to cover.”

Before you choose an image to include in the layout or the content of a web site, ask yourself the following questions: Is it relevant? Is it interesting? Is it appealing? You will also find this chapter to be a “must read and must study” part of this excellent book.

Even though I have both a computer and art background, I feel delighted that I was clever enough to purchase The Principles of Beautiful Web Design. I recommend it to everyone interested in web design - whether you are designing or hiring someone to design your web site. Down with ugly!

Have a terrific and productive month!

Do send your comments and questions to me at chris@creativekeys.biz. I love to receive feedback and will answer your questions in future e-zines.

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