Free Photoshop browser templates for webdesigners and screendesigners | webdesignerstoolkit.com 300 Images From 1800 Sites I started gathering little, iconesque web images for myself so that I could compare, contrast, and study the techniques used by graphic artists on the web like Ben Sky. My initial pool of images looked so interesting that I decided to continue methodically hunting and capturing the icons for a public display piece. The purpose of this document is not to copy the intellectual property of others, but rather as a jumping-off point for your own unique web graphic projects. It's for Brainstorming, if you will. I roughly estimate that for every six web sites I scoured, I was able to acquire one graphic image. — Ro London Arrows Most sites using arrows to help graphically enhance their text use one of three things: 1) They use a simple, solid-colored arrow. 2) They have decided to use the angled-quote character ( » ) in some variation or another. 3) They use the > symbol. Pictured below are some of the exceptions to the rule. Posts Comments Mail Bullets Print Carts And Bags GUESS?
Free PSDs & Resources for Web Designers by Orman Clark Rediscovering the Button Element Introduction Creating a consistent interface for your users is a constant struggle for every application designer. Building consistency on the web is especially tough because the visual rendering differences across browsers and operating systems are wildly different and almost arbitrary in what can and cannot be done. No where does this become more apparent than when you’re dealing with form elements and the biggest loser of them all in the battle for a standardized look is the infamous Submit button. As is, the input with the type=”submit” is either too ugly (Firefox), a little buggy (Internet Explorer) or completely inflexible (Safari). The solution for most is to use image inputs and create the damn things ourselves. Inputs vs Buttons So, here’s your standard submit button markup: And it looks like this across the three brothers: Meh. <button type="submit">Submit</button> And it looks like this : These buttons work and behave in exactly the same way as our counterparts above. Nice. The CSS
50 Free UI and Web Design Wireframing Kits, Resources and Source Files Advertisement Planning and communication are two key elements in the development of any successful website or application. And that is exactly what the wireframing process offers: a quick and simple method to plan the layout and a cost-effective, time-saving tool to easily communicate your ideas to others. A wireframe typically has the basic elements of a Web page: header, footer, sidebar, maybe even some generated content, which gives you, your clients and colleagues a simple visually oriented layout that illustrates what the structure of the website will be by the end of the project and that serves as the foundation for any future alterations. This article focuses on actual wireframing tools and standalone applications, as well as resources that you’ll need to build your own wireframe: wireframing kits, browser windows, form elements, grids, Mac OS X elements, mobile elements, which you’ll use in any typical graphics editor such as Photoshop or Illustrator. Yahoo! Web Browser Templates
filament group inc. || Styling the Button Element with Sliding D Posted by Maggie on 04/24/2009 Topics: css ui design visual design We dusted off our original sliding doors button to give it a much needed update. For those not familiar, form buttons are notoriously difficult to customize because they render differently across browsers and platforms. Apply a single, unique background image with the text "baked in" for each type of button (i.e., "Submit", "Send message") and its rollover state. While these methods may work in particular situations, we needed a more flexible solution that accommodated a wider range of styles. Our solution We're often designing and developing complex applications with buttons that are styled with background images, background colors, icons, and sometimes a combination of all three. The result is a cross-browser method for styling button elements with sliding door sprites. Examples The buttons shown use the same markup and style — only the label text is different. Demo Page Sprite image Markup Supported Browsers So far it works in:
Ultimate Guide to Website Wireframing Most designers wireframe their designs in one way or another, even if it just involves them making quick sketches on the back of some scratch paper. Wireframing is an important part of the design process, especially for more complex projects. Wireframes can come in handy when you’re communicating with clients, as it allows them to visualize your ideas more easily than when you just describe them verbally. Marketing is no longer just direct mail and billboards, it’s much more than that. You must be able to impress your clients by showing care and dedication to their marketing efforts, or they will just go to another agency. This is why wireframing is so important. This guide covers what you need to know about website wireframes to get started. Why You Should Wireframe Your Web Designs Wireframing is really the first step in the design process. Wireframes are also cost-effective by saving you potential time lost due to revising a high-fidelity comp. Wireframe vs. Wireframes come first. Cacoo
Simply-Buttons v2 : p51 Labs by Kevin » November 11th, 2009 » TESTED IE6 IE7 FF(PC/MAC) Safari SafariMobile Opera(PC/MAC) Background I had some time a while back and read a few interesting articles on buttons: These got me thinking… these techniques are pretty nice, but I think they can meet somewhere in the middle and make something even better, after all the button tag was created to make really nice buttons for your sites (W3 Button Element). After a little work I came up with the “Simply-Buttons Technique”. Benefits Buttons size to fit text.There are 3 states: Inactive, Active, and Hover.They look and behave the same way in every browser and operating system.The do not need the javascript to work, they work with just the cssWay better looking buttons than what anyone else can do with XHTML/CSS, isn’t that reason enough?! How it Works The markup is pretty simple, as you can see below. 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. Now there are two parts involved here, the first thing to know here is that this method will work with just CSS. 03. 04.
20 Steps to Better Wireframing Possibly the biggest mistake in any development project is failure to plan. Recently, the owner of a prospective start-up told me that planning was unnecessary and a good developer could just start coding. This, I promise you, will end in tears. Wireframing is one of the first steps in your planning process and arguably it’s one of the most important ones. This is when the idea starts to take shape as an application, becoming boxes and buttons that users will interact with. This article will take you through a wireframing process; who should be involved, the tools to use and tips to enable you to make better wireframes. 1) Be Clear About Your Objective As a developer I can understand the temptation to jump in and start coding. A wireframe will help you identify many of these issues in a way that is time and cost effective. The process also helps to create a better understanding of the application. 3) Draw on Your Experience You do not need skills in design or development. design
Website Bullets | Free bullets and arrows for your next design Web Culture: Grid-based Layout Designs The semantic web has brought on a new generation of Internet technology. As designers and developers work together to redefine the rules of the web, the number of open-source projects and third-party APIs continues to grow. The opinions of web scholars differ on the use of grid systems. Many argue that setting grid points limits the creativity of designers. Others contend that a grid provides a scientific basis for a design to be perfected. Both sides provide interesting arguments. The grid isn’t a master key to perfect design. A Comparison to the Classic Web Older generations used design as a control mechanism. In their wake, a new web culture is stirring. One reason for this development is the significant increase in the number of people working on the semantic web. Working for a pay day is satisfying, but not something to be passionate about. Where Grids Have Evolved There hasn’t been a major study comparing pre-standards and post-standards web design techniques. Visual Grid Designs