Letterpress
Letterpress, the art of actual pressed letters, was possibly the most unexpected trend to rise above the surface. The rare use of this technique until recent months has made it a popular trend for the New Year. Letterpress is often used in product designs. You can also find it on numerous websites for services online. This technique is utilized in many styles. It is also covers numerous topics as well.
Rich User Interfaces
Modern websites and web applications are more user friendly and much more beautiful thanks to user interfaces. Users have gained a vast amount of experience over the last year on these applications. The user interface has been responsive and rich and has become very similar with the classic desktop approach. Flash and Ajax or often utilized. Dynamic interaction is what they offer the user who expects nothing but the best from professional, advanced and sophisticated solutions. Over the previous year we could not help but notice more padding and white space being utilized in various design approaches. The user interaction has come a long way. It is quite obvious that adaptive user interfaces are on their way this year.
PNG Transparency
Internet Explorer 6 does not support PNG Transparency. Never the less it has become increasingly popular over the past 12 months. It has become quite apparent that designers are integrating actual content with background images. Transparency is most often utilized in the footer or the header of designs. Never the less, some designers are going above and beyond in their use of PNG Transparency.
Huge Typography
Big Typography has been popular for quite sometime and it does not appear that it will change direction in 2009. Many online services and product websites rely on Huge Typography to get their message across. Typically, portfolios and design agencies utilize this technique as well.
This typography normally goes well above 36 pixels. Typographical details require much more focus from designers. They are more tuned into the font size, line height and details such as leading. The result is amazing. The beauty of the sites jump out at you and they display a solid, consistent appearance that you cannot help but trust.
Font Replacement
As mentioned above, designers are becoming more focused on fonts in the body of websites. Arial, Helvetica, Verdana and Georgia are still very popular but there does seem to be a certain trend in the direction of font replacement. Interestingly, fonts are sometimes patiently integrated into the websites. They are rarely utilized as an upgrade or to stand out on their own. By blending arresting designs and beautiful typography, designers have certainly improved the user experience as well as the overall appearance of the websites.
Modal Boxes
Medal boxes or dialog windows as they are often referred too, are basically the next generation of pop-ups. Modal boxes are the option to JavaScript windows. Although they are also an alternative to support users, they are focused on the vital segments of the website. By utilizing a ‘user action’ like signing in or out, you trigger the modal windows. They are typically found above the main content. Modal windows tend to be semi-transparent and utilize a ‘close’ button.
Media Blocks
Broadband Internet Access has made it much easier to go browsing the World Wide Web over the past couple of years. Now that users are able to spread their wings and fly, designers are taking advantage of the situation and working hard to make websites more flashy and eye appealing. It is for this very reason that various websites are utilizing media blocks to get their vital messages to the consumer. These little videos make it much easier for the consumer to receive the main point of the message. They can sit back and enjoy the incoming information like never before. This eliminates the need to navigate here and there, click this and that; the message is clearly explained on video. Although this is a very effective form of communication, it should not be the only content. You have to take into consideration that not every consumer will have access to the broadband. There are even some that simply won’t sit and watch a video. In addition, many users computers are not installed with JavaScript or Flash. You want to reach all potential customers in one way or another.
The Magazine Look
Curiously enough techniques utilized on websites are starting to mirror what is more commonly seen in media of a traditional nature. The style in which the posts are arranged, the typography utilization, text alignment and illustrations are very close to what you might see in traditional print techniques.
Carousels
Carousels are basically slideshows. The content either slides horizontally or vertically, and the navigation rotates when clicked on by the user. You have seen sites with a carousel. You may have a row of different stories or pictures. Instead of having to navigate upwards and downwards, you simply click and slide through all the content in order. This allows the user to take in the information much more quickly without the hassle of utilizing the browser. Typically you will find carousels on sites with big blogs or entertainment sites as well.
Introduction Blocks
Introduction blocks are the technique used to make a good first impression. The most attention grabbing location on your website is at the upper-left of the page. This is where your most important message should be placed. You want your customers to get the point immediately. Designers have quickly adapted to this approach. They are pulling out all the stops, using all the techniques above mentioned to make a great first impression.
All of the trends mentioned above are making a splash so far this year. The Internet however is ever changing and evolving. What is a trend today may not be a trend tomorrow. However, these trends have a good chance of being popular for some time to come. But somewhere a designer is working on a new idea, an innovative approach and it just may be the next trend.
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