<div><h2><strong>Web Trends:</strong></h2><p><strong>Imagery</strong>:</p><p>Large Hero areas killing sliders - Large photos at the top of websites that take up the entire screen when your website loads with minimal text are a trend we do not see going away in 2014. They take up real estate where sliders used to be located. Weather its blurred image in with a heading centered in the middle or illustrated...</p></div><div><h2><strong>Web Trends:</strong></h2><p><strong>Imagery</strong>:</p><p>Large Hero areas killing sliders - Large photos at the top of websites that take up the entire screen when your website loads with minimal text are a trend we do not see going away in 2014. They take up real estate where sliders used to be located. Weather its blurred image in with a heading centered in the middle or illustrated hear images are replacing sliders as the new way to grab the users attention.</p><p>Manipulated imagery &ndash; Most people are familiar with Instagram. Facebook has also recently added similar features. The ability to apply a filter to an image changing the dramatic impact of an image. Weather its sepia filters, creating a old photo effect, or filters that boost colors highlights, manipulated images are simple and fun for most people to create. Blurring images and color overlays can also help focus users attention on your concept or message.</p><p><strong>Layout:</strong>Long scrolling sites, Continuous Scrolling - Gone are the pages and pages and pages of information. Replacing this will be scrolling sites, vertical and horizontal, that utilize css and html5 for animation and visual interest. Many years ago it was became common to see long scrolling websites with cluttered content and side bars of information. Now &ldquo;whitespace&rdquo; and responsive design are helping long scrolling sites comeback to the mainstream.</p><p>No side bar content, no side bars &ndash; Well organized content help simplify content and focus users on specific topics. This helps make your website experience more satisfying. Content that flashes, is piled together, or is generally trying to get your attention in a crowd of content is not as effective as a clean page with a focused message.</p><p>Clean and simple -</p><p>Simplified Content &ndash; Content in short concise sentences. Think twitter. 140 characters to communicate your message. This is easier for users to scan a website and get the direct message your wanting them to understand. Let&rsquo;s all admit it, we have short attentions spans and want more information without having to read long paragraphs and stories.</p><p><strong>Typography</strong>:</p><p>Videos replacing text &ndash; Something else you will start seeing on websites is large videos. Video is quick to produce and helps communicate your message. Video is easy to share on social media as well.</p><p>Larger Fonts &ndash; Large fonts with a simple image. It&rsquo;s just sexy.</p><p>Stylized Type &ndash; Sometimes a message is better communicated or reinforced with a font that goes with what your trying to say. Thin, script, block, as long as it coordinates with the feeling or message, do it. Web safe fonts are a thing of the past.</p><p>Non-bordering type &ndash; Type that goes to the edges of the browser are becoming much more common. Web browsers are different from computer to computer and user to user. Content that is fixed in the upper left hand corner, middle of the page, or halfway down the page, will be there weather your on your at your desktop in safari, firefox, chrome or even Internet Explorer.</p><p><strong>Programming</strong>:</p><p>Responsive Mobile Design &ndash; With more than half of web browsing done on mobile devices, design that works in all browsers is essential. CSS3 has given programmers the ability to control where content is placed with a few simple lines of code. You no longer need to have an entire website programmed for a tablet or phone. CSS3 can help determine the width of the device and display the content as intended.</p><p>HTML5 - Flash, silverlight and java will die. It was going to happen at some point and that time is now. Can you see flash elements on an iPhone? No, Steve Jobs saw this coming 10 years before it actually happened. He was good about those sorts of things. That is why the iPhone has never supported flash and never will. If something has to load then you have lost your audience. Once again attention spans are short so get to the point.</p><p>Flat User Interface, Menus &ndash; Apple has really taken this and run with it and is probably the most recognizable form of flat design people were forced to see. Gone are elaborate gradients with photos and text on apps. They have been replaced with a simple symbol or single character. If you look at all of the apps on your iPhone you can clearly see who has adopted this design trend.</p><p>Flat web design &ndash; Along with flat user interfaces, flat web design is starting to pop up everywhere. A single color with with a simple message. It&rsquo;s attention grabbing. Just like on television when a commercial is completely silent. It makes you take notice and focus your attention. In those few seconds your message can be received and understood. It will also be remembered.</p><p>Parallax scrolling - Moving or changing backgrounds on websites at different speeds than foreground elements. This created the illusion of perspective movement.</p><p>Horizontal Scrolling&ndash; Left to right scrolling websites are more common than you realize. With responsive design left to right scrolling websites no longer have to worry about browser type or size. The site is dynamically created on the fly. Think about how you view the web on your phone. You often navigate to where you want to go, then turn the phone horizontal to view more of the content. You also do this when you watch videos. Horizontal scrolling websites do have a place and purpose. They are good for displaying a portfolio of work, making your work standout. Horizontal scrolling is also good if you have multiple locations, giving you the feeling of traveling from one location to the next. It is also useful in creating a story. How do you read? How do you turn pages? It&rsquo;s only natural to display information this way.</p></div><p><strong>Read more</strong>&nbsp;<a class="rssreadon" rel="external" title="Web Design Trends for 2014" href="http://dogstarmedia.com/blog/entry/web-design-trends-for-2014.html">http://dogstarmedia.com/blog/entry/web-design-trends-for-2014.html</a></p>
