Often, when designing a website or branding, it is easy to get wrapped up in the details–typography, graphics, color, the grid–and lose the bigger picture. Of course, these things are vitally important, but they are building blocks that go together to form a greater whole. A good website creates an impression; it tells a story. And all the various elements involved, from copy to hero image to type choices, combine to create that story....

This month we have a variety pack for you. There are all sorts, from the most conservative layouts and structures to more experimental navigation. And we see how even the most traditional and functional websites can connect with users through mood-enhancing color schemes, clever font choices, and illustrations. Non-functional–that is, purely decorative–details can really improve the user’s reaction to a site when applied sparingly....

Ever since online stores first emerged they’ve faced one big challenge compared to their real world rivals; yes, it’s convenient to shop wherever, whenever you want, and delivery options permitting, buy from anyone anywhere in the world. But it’s a minimal experience compared to the fuller sensory experience of shopping in the real world. Online stores can only access our sight and hearing, whereas physical shops can engage all our...

Welcome to a new series of articles, in which we round up the best new fonts released from some of the top designers on the Web. In this inaugural edition, the collection includes fonts released or expanded over the last few months. Many of the fonts have free weights available. If you use any of them in your work, be sure to let us know! Cedar Cedar is a unique angular serif built by wrapping vector shapes around calligraphic structures. It has its...

This month we have several examples of brutalism used to good effect as a foil to showcase products and/or work. By contrast, at the other end of the scale, we have brands who have chosen to go more of an immersive experience route, using full-screen images, sound, animation, and even VR. Both are valid approaches, depending on the content. The former tends to work better as a backdrop for artwork, photography, and artisanal craft goods — acting...

This month’s collection contains a combination of big and bold, and clean and minimal. Although basic minimalism is still trendy, with lots of white space and greyscale type, we are seeing it softened with color. This is implemented differently, ranging from hints of off-whites in images to gentle pastels as section backgrounds. Playing around with type and using typefaces with a few characteristic quirks is another way minimalism is...

This month’s collection of the best new websites launched or updated in the last four weeks features color, and more color, and then — just for good measure — a bit more color. Yellow is a hue of choice, but you’ll also find burnt orange, rich purples, and greens and blues in equal measure. What is missing is the tech-blue of years past, replaced with something altogether more Mediterranean. Enjoy! Cevitxef This site for Cevitxef ceviche...

It’s February, and the spring sun is finally starting to peep through the winter clouds. While many of us are still largely restricted to our homes, the web has kept on growing. We see a shift in attitude towards natural health, wellbeing, and sustainability, and these are now being branded less often as outliers and increasingly mainstream. We’re also seeing more and more color all the time, ranging from an emotional signifier in the background...

Here we are into a brand new year, and although we’re far from out of the woods yet, there is a feeling of renewed hope on many fronts. In this first collection of the year, we have a mix of retrospectives, brand new ventures, and business as usual. There is an eclectic mix of styles on offer, from glossy and slick to minimalist and brutalist, but all confident and looking to a better world in the year ahead. Clar Brand strategists Clar have a simple...

2020 has been one of the most memorable years in our history. Few of us have been alive long enough to experience a more turbulent time. But throughout the year, we saw design respond to challenging events with positivity, color, and a desire to elevate those people and projects working to make the world better. As we head into 2021, there’s no denying that 2020 has changed our outlook on life and marked a major turning point in web design trends....

As we approach our first winter holiday season since the pandemic set in, the world could feel like a very scary place; there is a great deal of uncertainty about the future for businesses, for young people in education, for jobs, for travel. Celebrations are certainly going to be a lot quieter this year. And yet, the web is far from showing doom and gloom. We’re seeing confidence and positivity in designs across the board. As businesses and...

We have become so used to using web sites just to buy stuff that it is easy to forget that the web has more to offer. So this month we’ve included some because-it’s-interesting sites, some micro-sites and some just-for-the-sake-of-it projects. Many of these are about selling or promoting products and services too, but in a more oblique way that is frequently more engaging than a straightforward sales site. Micro sites can be a great way...

This month we’re going big and bold. Oversized type, strong colors, in-your-face layouts, and little touches of playfulness exude confidence and make a statement. There are some quieter moments too, with thoughtful illustration and more gentle use of color. Animation still features strongly in the details, with circles proving popular in rollover effects. Enjoy. Fledge Fledge is a film production company based in Belgium. Their site...

In this month’s collection of the freshest web designs from the last four weeks the dominant trend is attention to detail. You’ll find plenty of animation, in fact, almost every one of these sites uses animation to a greater or lesser degree. Let’s dive in: Globekit Globekit is a tool that allows developers to quickly create animated and interactive globes and embed them on web pages. Its site features some exceptional 3D animation....