2nd Modx site - Web Design Blog

What is the difference between visual clutter and richly textured (for the non-designer)?

BTW - I would add the rss feed link into the Browser address bar as well. I did not notice it a first (even though I did roll over it), I am conditioned to look in the address bar for the nice orange icon.

Quote from: dev_cw at Apr 10, 2008, 08:34 AM

What is the difference between visual clutter and richly textured (for the non-designer)?

Richly textured = organised visual clutter

Quote from: dev_cw at Apr 10, 2008, 08:34 AM

BTW - I would add the rss feed link into the Browser address bar as well. I did not notice it a first (even though I did roll over it), I am conditioned to look in the address bar for the nice orange icon.

Ah thanks. I’m an RSS noob so to speak and haven’t integrated it into a site before. I’m going to look into doing the address bar thing now.

@thehen.

To get the RSS icon to show up in the address bar you need to add the <link> with the URL of your feed document to the head of your template.



On the Richly Textured vs. Visual Clutter: (This is a personal opinion as these are not academic but subjective terms) Richly textured designs are those that use layers of elements and many elements that oppose minimalism or extreme whitespace. Visual clutter is a result of poor organization of elements in a design that distract, confuse or frustrate the viewer either physiologically or psychologically. Richly textured designs can give warmth, create mood, and enrich an experience, clutter just messes it up.

Many elements != Clutter
Clutter = Lack of structure, organization and relationships
Richly Textured opposes minimalism and starkness
Richly textured doesn’t necessarily need to have tonnes of elements but depth, tone, and relationships between elements both subtle and strong.
Some minimalist designs are visually cluttered.

Again these are opinions of someone who is a student not a professor of design (student as someone with a library card and an Amazon account and has spend time learning from others and doesn’t consider himself a graphic designer by any stretch of the imagination).

If it’s pretty, it’s Richly Textured. If it’s confusing and ugly, it’s visual clutter. I’m no way a designer, but I know what I like.

http://www.ndesign-studio.com/
http://www.sparkplug.com/

My two favorite sites.

Richly textured = organised visual clutter

I get it.

If it’s pretty, it’s Richly Textured. If it’s confusing and ugly, it’s visual clutter. I’m no way a designer, but I know what I like.

This is along what I was thinking.

Quote from: sottwell at Apr 10, 2008, 08:54 AM

http://www.ndesign-studio.com/
http://www.sparkplug.com/

My two favorite sites.

There’s something about http://www.ndesign-studio.com/ which really gets my goat; I think it’s one of the most overrated designs on the internet.

I think it’s probably because the vector background reminds me of the tacky framed pictures you can get when you go to Majorca (or somewhere of equivalent diminished culture). The layout’s okay; it’s neat and well structured.

I do like some of Nick La’s other work, namely his Web Designer Wall, not much else.

The SparkPlug site is clean and simple.

Quote from: smashingred at Apr 10, 2008, 08:50 AM

@thehen.

To get the RSS icon to show up in the address bar you need to add the <link> with the URL of your feed document to the head of your template.

<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Your Blog Title Here" href="blog.url" />

Thanks for that, a great help.

Quote from: smashingred at Apr 10, 2008, 08:50 AM

Again these are opinions of someone who is a student not a professor of design (student as someone with a library card and an Amazon account and has spend time learning from others and doesn’t consider himself a graphic designer by any stretch of the imagination).

Have you seen Good Will Hunting? Your quote reminds me of the guy’s attitude towards the education system.

It should be href="feed.url". Just a detail but I am sure you figured it out

Quote from: dev_cw at Apr 10, 2008, 12:48 PM

href="blog.url"

It should be href="feed.url". Just a detail but I am sure you figured it out

I’m struggling a bit with the RSS. The URL is .HTML extension and I can’t seem to get it to be a .XML.

Also this "feed.url". What does this mean? Doesn’t the url to the XML file just go in here?

Actually the extension does not really matter, due to FURL, if you have it set to html all docs will have the html extension. Feed.url reffers to the the url of the feed. On your site it is /feed.xml.html - I often use the full URL including the domain. You ccan use the same path as the existing feed link.

I subscribed to your feed without any problems from the link but not from the icon in the address bar. In the address bar you have a different path it should be...wait you just fixed it. This is sure a fast time at ridgemont high

Quote from: dev_cw at Apr 10, 2008, 01:49 PM

Actually the extension does not really matter, due to FURL, if you have it set to html all docs will have the html extension. Feed.url reffers to the the url of the feed. On your site it is /feed.xml.html - I often use the full URL including the domain. You ccan use the same path as the existing feed link.

I subscribed to your feed without any problems from the link but not from the icon in the address bar. In the address bar you have a different path it should be...wait you just fixed it. This is sure a fast time as ridgemont high

Thanks for your help, I got there in the end