It’s time for Monday Magic!

What? You don’t know what Monday Magic is? Well get used to it, because very Monday I will select four of the best designs I’ve seen all week in specific categories. These are to be used to inspire designers and help you get a start on your slow Monday. I know how hard it is to party all weekend, only to return to work on Monday without a hint of inspiration or motivation to work. Check out each Monday’s featured artist and download their music. I guarantee that you’ll be satisfied!

Most Original:

Wufoo delivers an awesome comical style that is starting to gain popularity int he industry. The layout is extremely unique and applies very well to the site’s content. The flow is simple and intuitive and the user immediately knows what to do on the site.

Moral: Make sure your designs are simplistic and intuitive. Users don’t want to get lost and want to know exactly what to do when they get to your site. Don’t be afraid to use common sense.

Boldest Design:

VirtualMemories gets straight to the point. After visiting and reading the site, the user knows exactly why they are there and what the site is offering. VM has taken an extremely bold path by getting rid of the non-essentials, and breaking it down to the bare bones.

Moral: VirtualMemories has incorporated an idea that though isn’t entirely original, is very bold for an eCommerce site. If your site has one purpose, one-goal, don’t be afraid to get rid of the mumbo-jumbo and display only the essentials.

Most Professional:

Zend has an amazing site that focuses entirely on the user experience. A user can virtually find everything they need to know about the company by simply staying on the front page. The design is crisp and modern enough to appeal to designers, while remaining simple and not intimidating to their potential customers.

Moral: It’s important to understand that clients don’t want to do too much surfing. Give all the information they want at their fingertips. Don’t be afraid to take risks in terms of design, but make sure it’s within reason.

Site of the Week:

Design Yourself is one of the most beautifully designed sites that I’ve seen. The information architecture is top notch making sure that the reader’s eyes will easily scan the entire site. The colors are powerful and calm at the same time, making an impression, but not intimidating. The designer obviously paid close attention to flow and the site connects, transitions, and flows perfectly.

Moral: Flow is one of the most important aspects of content. If you can’t come up with a creative way to make your content flow and you create breaks within your work, the viewer’s eyes will simply stop reading and scanning, and may even just close the site.

Artist of the Week:

Amos Lee

Listen to Amos Lee Now!