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Graphic Design
Website Graphics First Half of 2009
A new year resolution maybe...? No, I never carry them through and failing is a little soul destroying. To quote Homer J Simpson...'the moral of the story is, never try'.
So I need to do something so signify a fresh start for 2009. Oh bugger it, another re-design for Corrosive Online. That should do it!
Starting with a new banner. I wanted something with a bit more impact than I had in 2008. With the previous design the banner was an afterthought really so this time I started with the banner. I wanted the theme for 2009 to be a little dark as I believe that we will only feel the true impact of the economic turmoil in 2008 this year and it's going to be tough!. So I sourced three main images to incorporate. The grungy stereo speaker (circa 1986), the girl smoking the cigarette and the scruffy looking Union Jack flag. I also wanted to re-use the Corrosive Online 'Recycle' image so that is incorporated as well.
The bright 'glow' effects were created using something I have 'discovered' about adding brush tool images to layers where an 'outer glow' has been applied. Using a brush tool image will distort the outer glow that is added to a shape or layer. I'll try and explain in steps; firstly I used a large, red tribal image on the plain background. I then layered this image using the cut option. Next I added a green 'outer glow' and then finally added the brush images of the girl and the speaker. You can see how the brushes have adopted the outerglow from the tribal symbol. Neat huh? The bright blue glow on each side is created using a Photoshop brush I found called 'light beams'.
To finish off the banner I added an image of a tattered Union Jack and my recycle image. The text is the same font as I have used before but I used a green to transparent overlay to make the text seem to glow from underneath. I also added a new 'strapline' using a comic book style font I found.
Click on image to view large version (Lightbox)
The menu is quite different to the 2008 version in it's graphic design but the web layout is pretty much the same. I followed on the font styling from the banner and incorporated the recycle image. The rollover effect is again created by adding an 'outer glow' to the second or 'rollover' image. Because it is on a plain background this time round it did give me the opportunity to play with the button spacing a bit more, using the CSS file. I hope that the overall effect is to give a big, bold menu which highlights the five key areas of Corrosive Online.
Finally I decided to incorporate an image panel which runs as a constant throughout the site. I want to be able to swap this image as the year goes on. Maybe to highlight where there is a new article or an event on the site. I have started the year though with an image created from a photograph I found on a fancy dress costume hire site. The 'evil clown' has simply had posterisation filters applied and the red dots for the eyes added. I used the 'light beams' brush again but this time with a green glow.
There is a basic 'rising sun' Photoshop shape applied over the top of the image and then with a reduced opacity so that you can still see the image behind it and it circles the clown's face. Finally the text is the comic book font that I used in the 2009 banner. Overall I think the effect is that of a modern day 'graphic novel' (that's comics to you and me) image.
I do hope that 2009 isn't as scary and grim as I think it is going to be and I can always change the site again if things start to pick up but overall I am happy that the site reflects my feelings about what 2009 may bring.
