A website concept always starts with a good rough sketch and researching your audience. I need to know what the site will be used for and who you are trying to reach out. I aways have my clients fill out a quick client checklist to give me insight into their needs,
Preparation is key to a good 'site plan'. Ample research needs to be done in order to jumpstart the sketch phase. Another critical part preparation is assessing the materials you have gathered. Once you have all your information, you must decide if is it enough to create a decent design.
I prefer to finalize everything on my sketch pad. It is during this sketching phase, that I begin to visualize what the site will ultimately look like. I consider not only the "look and feel" of the site but the functionalities that I want to incorporate as well. It is always fun to sketch an idea and slowly see it come to life!
Some considerations to keep in mind when drafting your sketch:
Second hardest part is the color palette selection. A very good element to start with is the client’s logo. You can usually extract your primary site colors from here, making the choice of complementary colors easier. One factor to consider when picking colors is the type of site you are making because colors affect the mood of the viewer. For example, if I’m designing a corporate site, I would normally stick to light, solid colors. Because they’re easy on the eyes yet very clean looking, they convey a very professional quality. I always extract the colors from the client’s corporate logo. Then I add complementary colors in addition to my initial primary color palette. Some will be used for accents, others for section labels. If it's a corporate client I'll create wireframes and moodboards. |
I’ve always worked from my initial sketch. Then I add real images (such as photography) and adding colors to the various elements. This is where the real fun starts! I make every detail in what's called the "mock up". You'll see what your links will look like, placements, and every color. This is mainly showing you what your site will look like once it's live. I always provide the client with at least 2 mockups to choose from or combine elements from. |
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The moment of truth.
All you can do at this point is cross your fingers and hope that the client likes what they see. If you did your homework well and came prepared, more often than your designs will be met with positive reactions. Usually the clients always have a minor change such as a headline treatment. Because I submit numerous mockups and do my homework I neer have to do more than a minor revision.
After modifying the mock up to the client's wishes, we begin to build the live site. All written content for the client's site is proofread or written by our writer Michelle and approved by client. From there, I slice up and program the PSD files that were approved. Michelle gives me the written content to coy & paste. Then in the end the site is live. And now, the end product of a site well done. The client is happy with the interface design, and I’m happy that we're both happy. |
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