5th Reading/reaction

http://www.zeroonezero.com/magic-layers/graphic-design-trends.html
Current Styles in Graphic Web Design, 2006

The 2006 trends in graphic design for web sites are currently taking a turn towards simplicity. Designs are clear, modern, and attractive while being extremely easy to use. Some of the biggest trends are as follows:

Simple layout
It seems that designers are agreeing that simpler is better. Text is laid out more clearly and a return of simple 1-2-3 columns improves the readability of a site and also eliminates the need for your eyes to be skipping all over the page reading text.

Centered orientation
Center-aligning is very prevalent on the Internet. Content centered on the screen appears straightforward and matter-of-fact, creating a sense of balance. In most cases the width is fixed in combination with the center orientation which makes the reading of content more efficient.

3D effects, used sparingly
The use of reflections and shades achieve a 3D feel on icons and branding logos is becoming more popular. A huge reduction in the use of drop shadows can be observed.

Soft, neutral background colors
An increased use of white or grayscale background provides a soft base that allows a designer to draw attention to an icon that flashes, uses strong color, or 3D effects which are other trends in web site graphic design.

Strong color, used sparingly
The soft stylish backgrounds that are so common now-a-days, set the groundwork for the use of strong color that draw attention to important areas on the web page. Whether it is text or icons that pop with color, trends are moving towards bold reds and other deep hues that command attention.

Cute icons, used sparingly
An attractive icon draws attention to company's branding and adds a bit of flair that gets a web site noticed. However, using them infrequently keeps a web site looking professional and avoids cluttering up the page and distracting the user.

Plenty of whitespace
The eye needs enough space around images to allow the brain to see things clearly. Graphic designers are recognizing this fact and allowing for plenty of room around icons and text. The color doesn't have to be white per say but there does need to be a lot of open space.

Nice big text
Good designs show that the most important text on the page is larger than the rest. This obvious trend allows for important details to come across more effectively.

The article I choose to read for my 5th reading is a little excerpt on current design trends regarding recent graphic desing. The article shows design ideas popular in 2006. Some of the trends include simple layout, centered design, 3D effects used sparingly, soft, neutral background colors, strong color and cute icons used sparingly, big text and plenty of white space. I agree with most of these aspects that are briefly discussed. Images need space around them so the mind can comprehend and absorb the image. Not necessarily cute icons, but catchy and trendy icons I agree with. It gives a edge to what is being designed and is different. Bright, bold colors used sparingly is very attention grabbing and I can clearly see how it has been used. I dont really agree with centering the layout. A centered layout can be great but is not always the answer. It is easy to balance that way but you can have a balanced design many different ways.