After the session about grids within web design I have become much more aware of the different grids used in websites which are live today. I carried out a quick google search into grids which took me to a site which had a list of other websites which use grids. I wanted to identify the different grids which were visible in the websites so I added the image into illustrator and drew on the grids using the rulers. My findings were very interesting, there was a clear grid being used on each of the websites and they were very easy to identify. I think that grids are necessary in design to be able to organise information for user experience.
Some websites like this one have their grid visible in the actual design, I think that this idea is great because it allows people who might not be looking for the grid system to identify with it and learn something they did not know about web design. I don't know if this is a good idea with regards to my web site though it could be a subtle hint to the type of design I would like the children to produce.
This website has a clear purpose to show visuals with short statements to accompany them. I don't particularly like this grid because it is not uniform enough for me. I would like the images to be all in line with each other. However, saying that the layout does work for this website and it is not hard to navigate around.
This grid is something which I would definitely consider for my website, I like the big banner at the top of the screen and the smaller images at the bottom of the screen with a short description at the side. I would like to make this all fit in one window or have my website as a continuous page which is scrolled through by the user. I would also like to have a navigation bar which would allow the teachers to quickly navigate to the page of their choosing.
Studio Nework are known for their use of grids within their design, this is possibly the most minimal and simple design I have seen and the grid was quite hard to define. I found myself simply drawing lines on the page where I thought a grid was evident. I think I have done this successfully though I am not sure.
This is another very simple design and would also link to some of the ideas which I have come up with for my website. I like the idea of having the page as one large scrolling page like this one and I also wanted to have the navigation bar at the top of the page like this design. I think the simplicity of this design would be very useful for teachers though something this minimal might not attract children.
This grid was very easy to identify because it is visible on the actual design. Lots of websites are starting to do this which I think is a great idea though I think this is a bit excessive and unnecessary. I don't really like the design of this website because I think it looks uninviting and garish.
This is another really simple design which I think is very similar to some of the others which I have shown. I like the idea of having multiple images within their own grid. I have not drawn this on the image because I wanted to show the grid of the index page not the individual grids within it.
This grid is really simple and clear which is something I think is essential within web design. The eye rolls over this page very easily and the information is clear and concise. I think I would apply this design to my website because it would be easy for teachers to get around with a class full of children.
The layout of this website is similar to the one above just in a different format, I do really like this idea and think that it would allow me to show more information on the one page rather than having to keep scrolling. The spacing between each of the images is very pleasing and allows the user to see each one as an individual .
This grid is very similar to the one above with a large image rather than smaller images in the right hand column and more text in the left hand column. I like this idea because I have to display the information about my brief on the homepage and this could be a great way to do this.
This is a further page of the above website with a grid system which is nearly identical to the Snowdon Review website. I think with these two designs as a model I could create a website which is functional and also appeals to my target audience.
Carrie Lewis is a doodle artist who I have admired for many years. Her website is for the sole purpose of promoting herself as an artist. I have chosen to look at the grid on her website because I plan to produce some designs which are inspired by hers within my web brief. I used to produce work like this all the time before my degree and would love to get back into illustration. I like the grid on her website and I think the layout works to split up the information, this could be an option for my website.
This is the rest of the homepage which did not fit into the first screenshot. The grid is carried on within the homepage though it does change slightly to accommodate larger images.
This is the homepage for another illustrator who I have admired for a number of years, Zoe More O'ferrall. The grid on her website is one of the simplest I have come across though it does not seem simple with the amount of illustration and hand rendered type which she includes within her website. I like the grid and I think it works with the busy illustration to keep the site looking uncluttered and ensures that the user experience will be enjoyable.
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