|
As a start for this topic, why not take a quick trip
to a brilliantly simple pair of examples, both from the Fuse (expired,
but award winning) site. The first is the entry
page and features simple presentation of different sized white type
in an exaggerated size.
The second is a password entry
page. This is a utility page, but simple text manipulation makes
it just as dynamic as the rest of the site. Note the password title.
That is what makes simple techniques work—attention to detail.
Their current
site is great too. Images © Fuse. Used with permission.
 Wendy
Peck is a working Web designer and writer living in NW Ontario, Canada.
http://wpeck.com
|
|
It always happens after an agonizing session creating an illustration
or photo with just the right look. I will be searching for something
on the Web and stumble across a "stop you in your tracks"
site. Quite often, these dynamite sites use creative text presentation
as graphic elements.
In this article I will illustrate how easy it is to make text that
breaks every rule. This is text as art, and as such, is not bound by
tight rules such as being easy to read. Often, the text serves double
duty—beauty and function—which is very efficient. But for
the best results, you must be prepared to make someone look twice at
a word to know what it says.
Please note that I do not recommend that you present your content text
as a graphic at any time, for any reason. As designers, we would love
to gain control of text appearance, but that is not the nature of the
Web. Text should be left as text for all content. The methods here are
for headlines and as graphic enhancements, and take the place of photos,
illustrations and navigation graphics.
Most of the designer text effects we see can be done with the techniques
that follow. I am not covering special effects text. Details for making
glass, metal and other novelty text styles are easy to find, but you
will rarely see these effects used on professionally designed, commercial
sites. That is our focus here—easier ways to make beautiful, functional,
professional sites for our clients.
Next page
Text as Design Tutorial Index
Text as Design Start
Outline:PShop/PS Pro
Outline: CorelDraw/Fireworks
Mix: PShop/PS Pro
Mix: CorelDraw/Fireworks
Seeing Through
Mix: Flash
Flash Outlines/Graduated Fills
Text Resources
 
|
