Reinterpreting Wardens Farm
Wardens Farm is a new client with an existing web site – what we call “takeover sites.” Built in Front Page 5.0, it was my responsibility to reinterpret their old site into something a little more palatable. I was instructed to keep the color palette the same and “clean up” the design. Here you can see their original look:
complete with a snapshot of the scary code Front Page generates:
We had a clean version of the Wardens Farm logo on file, so I plugged it into PhotoShop and created a design file. Here is the reinterpreted design:
Although I still don’t consider myself a web designer, I do push my limitations and improve my design skills as often as possible. I focused on the typography, since my color palette and design element choices were pretty limited. As for the code, Dreamweaver does a much better job generating clean HTML (well, compared to Front Page anyway):
This was of the fastest and most enjoyable clean-up projects I have worked on in a while.
A List Apart – The Survey, 2008
Calling all designers, developers, information architects, project managers, writers, editors, marketers, and everyone else who makes websites. It is time once again to pool our information so as to begin sketching a true picture of the way our profession is practiced worldwide.
The second annual survey by A List Apart seeks information about the people behind the scenes: the folks who make a website “go” (that’s you). Last year nearly 33,000 respondents gave us a peek into what working in the world of web is like – from obvious findings (it’s a male-dominated field) to not-so-obvious extrapolations (compared to IT and other computer-related fields, web workers make squat!) all of which you can read, but please take this year’s survey first.
Web Design != Graphic Design, No Matter How You Slice It
I see the Web as an amazing equalizer. From my perspective, I have grown up watching the Internet transform before my eyes and have experienced firsthand how it can change your own personal world. I know its powers and possibilities. I see other web designers and developers as my peers. I actively seek out people whose ideas may influence or challenge my views. This is why I am compelled to say, Web design does not equal graphic design, no matter how you slice it.
I’ll take a deep breath and start from the beginning now.
Armin Vit recently wrote, Landmark Web Sites, Where Art Thou? and attempts to gloss himself over as a web designer by asking in his last line:
Rather, an honest question about what makes a great web site and, even more challenging, what web sites could be considered landmarks for our profession?
This question is misleading at best and loaded at worst. As he proclaims to work as a graphic designer, how does web design fall into that category? Wouldn’t a web site design be considered the web designer’s profession? At best, I believe he means to ask, What web sites offer great visual design?
Some interpret that question at its best, and offer answers. Others make snarky comments:
[...]Web design is really boring. Sorry, but it’s true.
I am so disappointed in you, Khoi. Shed the I am better than you attitude. It does not become you.
From whence did this tension begin?
The need to group and generalize other seemingly related professions may be the cause of the tension and competition. Yet, the belief that graphic design is superior to web design smacks of ignorance. One cannot compare apples with oranges and expect a fair, impartial outcome. They are two very different, resolutely evolving animals. Just because the word ‘design’ was accursedly tagged at the end means little.
It becomes a nebulous term when paired with others: software designer, architectural designer, interior designer, engineering designer. When does graphic design ever get compared to architectural design? Then why compare web design to graphic design?
The us vs. them mentality grows tiresome. It doesn’t have to be this way. Acknowledging good work is easy to do, only becoming difficult when arrogance is thrown into the mix. Can’t we all just get along? is too general to put into practice. I admit, a haughty artist turns me off to their beautiful art just as much as an egotistical computer programmer turns me off to their programming language of choice.
Maybe the better question is: Can we exercise humility when we become experts?
Think on this.
Keen observation from London graphic designer Ben Terrett: I’m a designer. Use me better.
