Web design is definitely art. It takes knowledge of which colors are easier on the eyes, aesthetics, defining a site's "atmosphere" based on the way it looks, and even a lot of graphic marketing! I.e. the design has to sell the product the website is trying to sell :)
cscgal
The Queen of DaniWeb
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Hey all --
I certainly think that web design is an art -- and I also think that it is often times largely underappreciated. Take a look at some of the good sites out there vs. the bad sites. The most obvious differences are usually the outward appearance -- and a GOOD web design, which is likely created by a good web artist, has taken into consideration everything from colors to font size and color to alignment of page elements to photography and the weight of each element on the page. It's just that our canvas is not a big white tangible one sitting on an easel... and our tools aren't paint or chalk or watercolor... but we certainly have our own canvas and artistic tools to choose from. And like any other art -- you can tell when you're dealing with someone who really knows what they're doing and has the creative, artistic talent to bring together all of the aforementioned elements to create something that looks really nice.
Wow -- perhaps I'm a little more adament about the topic than I thought. Like I said, I think it's very often underappreciated. But yes, a web site is definitely art.
Cheers!
Shannon
2ndPlatform
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thx for those replies. i too feel its under appreciated hehe.
Do you think style affects web design? Do web designers use style to persuade?
all these questions btw are for my degree dissertation for uni. getting some opinion so i can write my arguement.
I think style in web design is like style in any art --- you have your abstract style and you have your impressionist style --- and within each style there's good and bad. And each style can be used in different ways to convey different messages, or as you say -- persuade. I think that the right combination of style and color and content does indeed have an effect on the viewer... and I think that a lot of thought has to go into all of those things in order to convey the right message. It all goes back to marketing. You gotta find that golden message, the golden style, that speaks directly to the consumer base that you are targetting. That's why, again, I think that web design is often underappreciated. The good designers know these things and are able to cater to different audiences and use different styles in order to hit those sweet spots.
Just my thoughts. :)
2ndPlatform
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...Hand drawing, however, is very nice, but cannot not compair to what a very skill full person can do with images on a computer...
with the likes of master artists such as da Vinci, Rembrandt, Monet and Dali , to name a few, i'd have a difficult time taking ur statement verbatim, but if ur saying that a skillful computer artist can generate wonderful multimedia imagery and motion worthy of display and competion on its own merit i would whole heartedly agree.
aeinstein
Team Member - aka kaynine
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...yes, a web site is definitely art...
well, i would amend that in as much that while the graphics inherent in a website may constitue art, it isn't automaticallygood art. Can it be? Absolutely! But that's not by definition, but rather execution. jm2c :)
aeinstein
Team Member - aka kaynine
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an aside is that a poorly functioning website may still have great graphics, or if you will, artwork, but great artwork doesn't make for a great website - great websites are esthetically pleasing (not necessarily comprised of works of art), efficient, functional & r conducive to a positive "customer" experience, whom ever that "customer," or visitor, may be.
true Art, whether it be comprised of clay, bronze, pigmented oil paste or pixels is defined not only by a great composer but (hopefully eventually), also an appreciative audience - an absence of either one denies the attainment of greatness. fft.
aeinstein
Team Member - aka kaynine
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Anyone who thinks web design isnt art can checkout my new project www.sitesthatrock.com . We are showcasing the best websites on the internet here.
bwest
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Definitly, there are many types of artforms, it's not just about pen and paper. You need creativity, colour theory and other such qualities to be able to design professionaly.
talkfreelance
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I guess the same question could be asked about many things...
Is dance art or exercise? Is rap art or just talking to music? I have seen a few "artists" try to design a web site, but it comes out completely useless.
The reason that question is asked is that so many people without design skills can make (I won't use the word "create" here) a web site with the "push of a button" that it appears to the trained artist that anyone can do it. Sure, anyone can make a butt-ugly web site with tons of animated gifs, crappy color schemes, etc., but it take someone with design skills and creativity to make it look good.
rus
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I think web design is definetily art. It takes much more skill than just a click of a button. You have to make the website for the people who will look at it, you must have a massive imagination and a skill for knowing what people want.
roryt
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