With the assistance of modern software, developing a web site has never been easier. Now, even novice web site designers can utilize these software tools to develop a simple, yet graphically pleasing, website. But, it is important to keep in mind that simplicity does not guarantee usability. Attention must still be paid to the elements of good design, as well as navigability, usability, and readability. This article offers insight into the fundamentals of good web site design that can be applied to any web design software package.
Creating pages that are easy to read is the first rule of good graphic design for web sites. A common complaint among web site visitors is text that is hard to read against the background. Opposing colors, such as black and white, allow text to be easily distinguished from the background. If a fancy background is desired, such as a pattern or a photograph, then it is very important to offset the text with a block comprised of a single color.
In order to make the page more appealing, text should be at a size that is readable, but not so big that it overshadows everything else. Links should be easily differentiated from regular text with color. Headlines for texts should be centered for readability. Modern browsers support fully justified text, which is good because aesthetically text should be justified on both sides for paragraphs. If you have an older browser that doesn't allow fully justified text, disregard the command and align the text on the left side.
Your next guideline of graphic design refers to the easiness of the web page to navigate. The rule is every web page should be accessed in three clicks of the mouse. You can use a a table of of contents or another type of menu to help keep your site easy to navigate and organized, you can also use frames, which are pages within pages. The frame that consists of the table of contents should be on the left side of the page, while the links that open other frames should be on the right. This will keep your user fixed to your main page.
A website should not be difficult to find. Using carefully selected keywords placed in various locations throughout the site will make it much easier for the various search engines to list the site properly according to its purpose. This will then make it easier for those using search engines to find the site. Many of the search engines out there have search engine submission forms that help the search engine to both find and properly categorize the site.
By using modern software tools and following these guidelines for good graphic design, the novice web designer can create a site that captivates a wide audience and presents the content in a clear, appealing manner. With practice, a beginning web designer can even prepare themselves for one of the many professional web design jobs available today.
The most important thing to remember about using graphic design to create a web page is to keep it easy to read. In order to make the page more appealing, text should be at a size that is readable. Links should be easily differentiated from regular text with color. The proper use of keywords is critical to making a popular web site.
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