Pah. Graphic designers.
As we all know, typography isn’t about choosing a font face. If we only have a handful of fonts to choose from, so be it.
Web documents are, well, documents. And HTML5 will make this fact clearer: try writing a document in HTML5 (and it is possible to write HTML5 using section, article, aside etc. etc.) It’s an interesting experience: you can’t get away with throwing in the odd sloppily named div — you have to think carefully about the semantic structure of the page, not the visual structure.
HTML5 is the most exciting thing in web design at the moment.
Web pages aren’t posters. There’s a misplaced reverence for the printed page: the web page isn’t the printed page’s lesser sibling.
Sign boring (from http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/b/bored.htm)
There’s nothing wrong with web pages that don’t look like posters. Even pages that look conventional or boring. The primary purpose of a web page’s design is to make the content readable and accessible. It’s not to look nice. That’s why CSS galleries are a complete waste of time: when you look at an image of a web page it’s like looking at a painting. You’re thinking about proportion, tone, etc. You’re not interpreting the information it’s trying to convey.
Typography is not an adjunct of art. It’s sole purpose is to make the page’s content clear. This is possible with Georgia, and even (gulp) Arial.
So it’s good when people redesign their blogs so they look entirely normal. Two columns, a splash of colour and Georgia can take you a long way.
Totally agree with you.
Btw, long time since my last visit, and I found that lovely Fon theme :)
@Daus — glad you like the theme. Please post any comments, bugs etc. on the theme’s page, and publicise it as much as possible.
Thanks,
Leon
1. You stated that “the web page isn’t the printed page’s lesser sibling” but didn’t say what you think it is (your personal definition).
2. I absolutely like those web pages that look… well… like yours, no slalom between ads or banners nor colors that give you a headache. It gives me the feeling of being in a freshly aired room.
is going to be my new tagline. Interesting you mention a slalom — my next post is partly about that (see this screenshot of the NY Times to see what I mean. The typography’s lovely, but there’s just too much stuff on the screen).
What I was getting at is that the web page should be treated as a separate entity to the printed page, with its own set of quirks, strengths and rules, rather than a medium which you don’t have much control over and can’t get to look as neat as the printed page. If that makes sense.
Thanks for your comment,
Leon
That screen shot of the NY Times is exactly what I meant. And there could be more, like some linked words in the text from where some other ads pop up when you scroll over. This is my problem with all online news-papers. I used to read the news online, at work. But after a while it became clear that the pages were distracting my attention and would often have to re-read the text.
So I went back to paper. Soryy, paper is my favourite at the moment.
I do enjoy reading blogs in my spare time, especially those who are reader-friendly :)
I’ll be back to read your next post!
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