When I start working on a new design template for a project, one of the first things that I approach is crafting the right texture. I’ve learned that a static visual presentation can have a visceral, animated feeling simply from the texture. And I don’t mean just the patterns and materials that you use, but also the way all of the different elements sit on the canvas. This texture is something that is context-specific, and the more specific it is, the more your client (and the designer!) will be happy with the result. For instance, the texture of a site that sells fine soaps will be very different than the texture of a site that provides information on 14th-century Medieval poets. Fonts, colors, and illustrations are important, but the “base” on which all of those elements sits is absolutely crucial.

Next time, when you hunker down to create a fantastic new design, think texture. You may be surpised with what you come up with.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 13th, 2005 at 3:15 pm and is filed under Design Philosophy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.