This article discusses some simple things you can change on an old website without much effort or re-working of the HTML coding – ideal for situations where you don’t want to go for a full re-design but want to make some minor changes to improve your website’s appeal.

Background Images

The first easy switch that comes to mind is an updated background image.  Does your site have a plain color background?  You can really spice up a design by adding a gradient or texture to the background of the page overall – just make sure that it is congruent with the overall feel of the site!

Re-work Typography

Poorly thought-out (or rushed, as is usually the case) typography can cause a dated or otherwise unappealing look.  Put some thought into your fonts and heading styles and be sure to have ample line height.  By making everything more consistent from page to page and adding typographic contrast between headings and body text you will look your pages look cleaner.

Upgrade to CSS3!

New options in CSS3 make adding some pizazz to an old design easy.  Using new CSS3 styles like text-shadow, border radius, and more, you can add a layer of design precision to your websites that was previously only possible using images!

Use Brighter, Sharper Images

Using media and interface elements using higher quality images and more saturated colors in your design can bring a more modern look to your website.

Implement Sharing Tools

A truly easy upgrade for any website is adding a sharing tool, such as the Meebo Bar to the site.  While this doesn’t effect the design much, it does bring some modern functionality to the website with no coding required!

Font Squirrel’s @Font-Face Generator

@font-face was CSS’s original answer to the web-font question, but due to poor browser support and confusing implementation methods, it hasn’t yet taken off.  Font Squirrel’s generator, on the other hand, combines the @font-face declaration and uses a combination of javascript and CSS hacks to make it work in old, incompatible, and obscure browsers.

http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fontface/generator

Typekit – A commercial approach

Typekit takes a new approach to web-fonts.  One of the forgotten (yet increasingly important) aspects of the web-font issue is the licensing.  With most solutions, designers use fonts online without thinking about licensing.  Typekit does all of that for you – at a cost.

Typekit is the first commercial model which hosts web fonts as a service.  Integration into your pages is supposed to be very easy and seamless.

http://typekit.com/

1. Communication: This is very important before starting a project and laying out all the correct information in the beginning will help things go much quicker. Also convey aspects of the project that you just don”t want to see or thing you do want to see. If you know something specific you want then let the designer know. They will also consult you on why or why not that is a good idea or not. Also be sure to describe the whole project before hand.
2. Invest In An Expert: Let them do exactly what you paid them to do. Give them time to figure out the best solution to your needs. A good designer will be upfront and let you know the time it will take to do the project. If the time is surprising, don”t worry it”s for a good reason. They will call you with questions and or concerns in the process.
3. Do You Have A Budget: Of course you do, so stick with that and lay it out on the table to the designer. When doing this you give the designer the information to decide what will be needed for the project and how to cut costs. Any good designer can work with a budget and still be able to design a great end product. If something comes up for an extra costs; yes this does happen so please don”t be surprised, they will let you know about it.
4. Let The Professional Do The Work: Let them give you options of what they know will be the best solution. If you don”t like something then communicate that to them as best you can.
5. Be Organized: This will also save time which can also save money. Be organized with your information. If you have photos you want to incorporate, then categorize them into folder by name. This leaves out time that the designer will need to organize them himself when they don”t know anything about your image.

After taking these initial steps to starting your next design project with a professional this will sure be a productive investment to saving money long term and creating some great work.

• Clip Art Designs
• Cookie Cutter Marks
• Limited Color Options
• No Creative Control
• Same Logo That Competitor Has

These are just some of the factors. Designers are creative people that know advanced software inside and out so that they can get out of their heads onto a digital art board their creative ideas. They go to design school, take color theory and print production classes. Create a their own creative process for dealing with problems like print time demands and money limitations. They are experience and know what color scheme and logo marks will work best for a businesses brand.

In the industry of design you get what you pay for and if you need to invest wisely in someone who is an expert in their field of work and can create something for your businesses needs that is visually compelling and jaw dropping. Doing this will help an owner save money in the long run and be able to generate a larger clientele with a long lasting, time tested design.

So with all that being said lets talk a moment about good Typography practices. Every web page or design needs to first start with a clear a readable font. I mean readable especially at smaller text sizes. When you have smaller text your height or “x-height” as we call it needs to be higher and also the space between the letters needs to be a bit larger. Ok now for contrast and why we thrive on it. It is important to keep in mind that you should switch it up and have different types of fonts in a design to generate interest and a personality. But don’t go crazy with this idea because some fonts can just as easily resist each other. But also having them very similar will not create enough contrast which can make for a weak design. So I recommend keeping it simple and fun. Sans serif fonts are great for heading areas to display call to action for posters, flyers, business cards and many other print work. These sans serif fonts can be read easily when larger in size and the letters are closer together. Serif fonts are better for body copy and smaller heading areas. Hope this information helps with any of your Typography questions.

A professional looking and impressive website is built on the principles of ‘KISS’ or Keep It Simple Stupid basis.

Let us have a look at the basics of web designing:
•    Background color: The color of the website background should not be too bright. Too bright colors would strain the eyes quickly and would deter the visitors from staying at the site for long. So, just visit some of the websites and check, how long you feel comfortable looking at the background without causing strain to the eyes. Choose a color, which is soothing to your eyes.

•    Content: The color of the text should be readable. Use colors such as black or gray, which can be read without straining the eyes. These colors give a professional look to the website. Also, use the same font all across the website, with the only exception of the title. Likewise, keep the font size uniform. Using several font size in a website gives it an immature look. Use a font size that enables the visitor to read the content without any hassles. At the most make use of 3 types of fonts. Do not select the fonts in a haphazard way. Select the fonts carefully. The overall appearance of the website should be neat and simple.

•    Page Size: Break the content of the website in to several pages. Having a very long page will deter the visitors to stay at the website.  Thus, you need to plan the page length carefully, so as to capture your visitor’s attention.

In case you are making use of graphical presentations or things such as oil paintings, always keep it simple. It is observed that abstract art form works better as compared to the detailed reproductions of art.