Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Dreamweaver Assignments

Get Lost link: file:///Volumes/ELAINE%20ZIP/website/GetLost/Getlosthomemap.html

Portfolio link: students.smcm.edu/ebbucknam

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Web Designer Post: Colorz

Colorz is a  French web design company, founded in 2006 by three up and coming designers. The trio began by working with small French blogs and small businesses, some of which went on to do quite well. As these companies and their websites gained more popularity, so did their web designer, Colorz. The Colorz team, now consisting of more than twenty designers, makes websites for well respected and well known clients including Universal Studios, popular blogs such as Garance Dore and The Sartorialist, as well as fashion designers and retailers. Their most recently completed project was for Colette, a large French retailer planning to expand internationally. They commissioned Colorz to revamp their site in order to appeal to a younger clientele.  

Colorz's web design for Colette.

I think Colorz has been successful because of their clean yet detailed design aesthetic. Their work feels very fresh and updated, and while a little quirky, it's relatable and easy to use. I appreciate that in creating sites that are visually appealing, Colorz does not sacrifice ease of use. They are also good at tailoring their aesthetic and skills to fit the needs of different clients. While all Colorz's designs have  a similar feel, they also do an excellent job of presenting the mission and needs of their clientele.

Colorz's web design for blog Garance Dore.

I also find it interesting that a company like Colorz, that was started so recently, has done so well and is expanding so quickly. Colorz's success, and the success of many other web designers like them, really speaks to this idea of the rapidly expanding digital age. By riding the wave of increased internet use, especially through personal blogs and other new forms of digital communication in the mid 2000's, Colorz has really established a niche in the web design market. It should be interesting to see over the next few years if Colorz is able to continue their expansion, and if more and more of their web design work will be for internationally companies and groups based outside of France.