So, I have spoken before about QR codes, and their place in the world currently; but I do use them myself — mainly as a curiosity as to where they lead (IMO each QR code should have a URL attached, but that topic is for another day).
I have always found it hard to read a lot of content online. There are numerous reasons for this: poor layout design, bad typography and a lack on concentration on my behalf.
It is clear that this is a problem not unique to me. There have been many attempts made to make the experience a better one. From Safari’s built in Reader mode to Readability, designed to ‘zap online clutter and save web articles in a comfortable reading view’.
The purpose of these systems is to remove the other distractions of adverts, additional links or related stories. At a much deeper level, Information Architects understood this whilst building their iA Writer they created what they called Focus Mode:
Thought goes into writing, not using: Focus mode allows you to think, spell and write one sentence at a time. This lowers the temptation to cross edit and keeps you in the flow.
I like the idea of keeping people ‘in the flow’ and so created a very quick mockup of a ‘focus mode’ for reading posts, not just writing them.
http://prandall.com/experimental/focus-mode/
This could be made into a JS snippet, or as an idea for someone to use on their own site.
Because the script uses :hover this wouldn’t currently work on a phone, but I’m open to suggestions.
…and this time it’s personal.
Another month, another redesign. I think this all stems from the fact that I have never really been 100% happy with my website.
So, it is back to basics. With an update of WordPress comes their default theme, so I can concentrate on the content before I work on a custom design.
Classic packaging—Chanel No. 5 ( designed in 1925)
This post has come from a quick bit of experimentation, trying to centre align list items.
The design called for centerally aligned list item links, and there could be 3, 4, 5 or more links. Initially I was stumped as to how to create this effect. I had considered a left margin to create the illusion of centre aligning for each possible number, but I knew there was a better way. I’m always aiming for a solution that works in the older browsers too, and this includes IE6. I don’t know why I do it to myself, especially as it apparently only has less than a 5% market share nowadays.
In an ever-changing web world, new technologies are constantly evolving. With the emergence of alternative font display systems, new CSS effects and the increased uptake on modern browsers, designers are using these new techniques more and more. Add this to a sprinkling of current design ‘trends’ such as the noise filter, and pixel perfect line details and it makes for some very similar looking websites.
It is inevitable then that these new and shiny capabilities will catch a web designer’s eye (especially after years of browser constraints) but are we turning our eagerness to use the latest styling techniques into a world of monotonous and similar designs?
So, things look a little different here!
After a long period of inactivity, due to a new job, and other things the site has sat a little dorment. I thought it was time for a change, and after many, many revisions I decided to finally design something. So, after a few hours of work this weekend – here it is.
I’m hoping to tidy a few things up over the next week, and I will follow that up with a more indepth blog on the designs that didn’t make it.
If you do notice something weird, feel free to post a comment. It hasn’t been browser tested, but bear in mind that things may look a little funky for the next few days.
A couple of recent designs have left me wondering whether we should be ‘showing our workings’ and display the grid at all, whether subtlety like Jina Bolton’s Sushi & Robots or something more elaborate, like Analog (note: press Alt+G).
Welcome to the third Condensed Type; A weekly roundup of typographic links from my dedicated typography account @typographylinks. Enjoy!
Welcome to the second Condensed Type; A weekly roundup of typographic links from my dedicated typography account @typographylinks.