MerseyWorld

The homepage of this site has nice, clean design with minimal graphics,just an example of some photographic work with a small heading and logo, as well as gallery information.(Which is basically just a page of centered text.) The construction of the site is fairly straightforward, making it easy to pass through. The basic design of the site makes it more functional than some other creative sites, and is probably a result of a low budget. I found that this sort of design suited the concept of the site, as it's not too outrageous or cluttered. The manner in which the content of the site is understated is reflective of stark, gallery walls. As far as technical consideration goes, the examples of artworks were quite slow to load. There wouldn't be the option of reducing the colours and file size as the viewer wants to see the work exactly as it looks, however perhaps they could split the images up so they load quicker.

 

JeanPaulGaultier

This is the official site of fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier. The homepage is simple and straightforward, with an eye-catching graphic that allows you to choose French or English language. Further into the site the design is quite impressive,colourful and very eye-catching. I think the design of this site suits the concept very well,reflecting the glamour and glitter of the fashion industry. In the jpGaultier shop page, a revolving camera takes you through every department of the store; a tool which is both exciting for the visitor, and handy for the serious shopper. Beacuse of some of the graphics certain pages were slow to load, which could pose a problem for those just browsing and don't want to wait for pages to load. Early browsers wouldn't be able to view the shop page, and I believe a plug-in is also required.

 

Fray.org

The interactive design of this site is very eye-catching, and doesn't get too fussy or complicated. The site has nice graphics, and in my opinion the design is quite sophisticated. The text is ordered and easy to read,not too overwhelming. Aesthetically, the site is nice to look at, there is strong contrasts in the black background and purple graphics, and the tiled background emphasises who the site is about. I think the design suits the concept of the site quite well; it has a contemporary, arty feel to it which reflects the content of the site. ( which to me appeared to be contemporary writing and issues.) Everything seemed to load relatively fast, so it seems as if a lot of technical consideration has gone into the construction of the site. Overall, I quite liked this site;it's modern, nice to look at, and appears fairly cutting-edge yet still easy for the average viewer to follow.

 

Smirnoff

I LOVED this site, and not because it's about alcohol! It's very colourful, and the design is modern. The architecture of the site is easy to follow. However because of the detail of the site it is slow to load. But, if you're interested than it's worth waiting for. There are some nice rollovers and animations, which also add to loading time. This site is effective in terms of conceptionalism because the colourful, interactive design appeals to all viewers; including those just passing through; and the informative nature of the site appeals to those trying to find out more about the Smirnoff company. (ie Campaign graphics assignment!) In addition to this, the colourful nature of the site reflects the sort of fun, party lifestyle that alcohol is often associated with, especially by the media. In terms of technical consideration, it's unfortunate that the site is slow to load. But, I think the design makes up for it (as does the cocktail recipes!), and it's a site well worth visiting.

 

Cosmopolitan

The design of this site definately suits the concept, as the homepage is set out like the cover of a magazine. I really liked this because it's something different to what you normally see on the web. (but takes a while to load unfortunately.) Also, it means the design of the site changes each month, (the site is basically an electronic issue of Cosmopolitan magazine) which gives viewers a good reason to return time and time again. When you enter an article the design is fairly basic, making it easy to read; black text on a white background just like a magazine. There's not really any interactive design, apart from a little bit of text the appears and disappears. While it's a shame that the homepage takes a little longer to load than most, it is in the form of an image map so it's probably as quick as it can be.

 

VirtualChocolates

This site has nice, clean design; a white background with repeated chocolate motif down one side. (this is repeated on all pages.) There are some nice piccys of chocolates to make you hungry, and you can even send virtual chocolates to friends.(although they might not thank you for it.....Andrew!!!) The design definately suits the concept of the site, with flowery pictures and script headings adding a nice romantic aspect to the site. The construction of the site is straightforward, making it easy to visit. There's not much technical stuff; no fancy animations or anything; which makes it kind of boring but definately suits the concept of the site. Viewers are there to buy, look at, or send chocolates, not to appreciate cutting-edge design and high-tech interactive stuff. I liked this site for what it was about, but not for it's design qualitites.

 

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