michaelmatosian.com/blog

I’m not super zealous about fighting corporations or sticking up for the environment. When I approach these issues it’s from one who asks themselves first, what does Jesus say about stuff. He said, dont make false idols for yourselves, sell all your possessions and give to the poor, live simply not gratifying the sinful nature (many things can be a sin when in access), and the list goes on…

This movie is by free range studios.

Strange.

Thanks to Allison for this great choice.

My favorite issue of Comm Arts Magazine came in the mail, the Interactive Design Annual. As always, there were some awesome ones, mediocre ones and sucky ones. What I’m repeatedly amazed with is how flash trickery and pointless animations fill up so many seconds of navigation and loading time. Not to mention confuse the hell out of me in terms of site navigation, where am i!? I think it’s totally ok to have some fun when it comes to navigation (one site in particular on this annual does it beautifully), but you have to know your limits. You have to know when it’s detracting from the experience instead of enhancing.
Below are my favs from the annual, I chose them for their completeness. I chose them because they were designed well visually and functionally. Then I also considered their loading time and “cool” factor. The cool factor is that factor that exists when you see, hear or experience something that makes you say the word “cool” outloud. This list is by no means full. I’m sure there are many sweet sites on the internet, I’m only re-covering what Commarts initially covered. Also I should note, that some sites I found were so slow loading that I just gave up on them flat out. The internet demands immediacy. To not design with that consideration is to deny one large aspect of what makes it such a unique medium. Another note, I’m not to the technical profenciency of many of the sites provided. (i know I’m not as good as even the bad ones)

Good Ones (in particular order):
• Jonathan Yuen Portfolio Site
  Portfolio sites are always my favorite and this one I think has the best navigation out of any of the sites in this annual. It’s playful, unexpected, easily navigated and readalbe yet cool and interesting. Hats off to Jonathan Yuen, this is my all around favorite site.
• Urban Silo
  I have no idea what this site does. Initially I just thought that it was another cool portfolio site, but now I’m not so sure. Another great example of good navigation. It’s clear where you are at all times, yet isn’t boring. Isn’t cluttered with useless imagery, but is still interesting to look at and interact with.
• 10 ways
  I don’t know what this site tells me or is supposed to do or what it’s goal is, but this one I think takes the rad award for “cool factor”. Somebody out there will see this site and run to the end zone with it—take this idea to it’s completion, there’s more to this idea than i think the creators realized or were capable of accomplishing within they’re alotted time, budget or internet technical limit.
• What Noise?
  A great site for it’s interactivity. Fun and interesting games that look cool in the process. It doesn’t sell me, doesnt make me want to donate, but I’m a tough and selfish piece of bread crust.
• Section Seven
  This is the site of the firm that designed the above site. Another good example of navigation. I hate how fast the left/right scrolling is though, slow it down just a bit and it would seem perfect to me, but hey I can’t even do such a paralax scrolling function in action scripting yet.

I wanted to do an honoralbe mention section. There were several sites that on the surface looked great. They even worked well and had a great idea for a foundation. The problems with them I found were usually based on loading time, slow performance, too much flash or that they were just useless. That purpose is well and good for pieces of fine art, but on the web there’s got to be a reason other than just this.

Honorable Mentions: (no particular order)
• IAMS
  What a great idea. If only it moved around the whole screen! If only anybody ever saw it before it was cached…(put out of service)
• Converse
  I think it was converse who had the first customizable product via the web. Excellent idea and well performed, but the site is the most confusing mish mash of color and images I have ever seen, i had no idea where i was unless i thought about it and that’s not cool with me. i know there’s a better way out there in the ether that can blend spastic youth culture with good nav design.
• Spam Recycler
  Another great idea, well displayed, easily navigable. Just boring, useless, why try it more than once, all the abstracts created look the same. Just taking the letters and making a visual, has nothing to do with the actual meaning of the words, just takes a letter as a visual shape and turns them all into the same thing. What if it really some how related to the content of the Spam article!?
• How Edison Are You?
  Another cool design. The font is so small that it totally distracts from the experience not to mention, bad navigation bro, maybe that is a factor of the small type itself and nothing more.
• Kuler
  As nicely displayed as this idea can possibly be, but that’s where the problem lies. Why return after you’ve done it once, what have a really learned, color theory is based more upon the heart than the brain. Incredible technical function on such everyday color findings. I wish it did something tangible with the color schemes you create like color the nav in that color to see how the nav works with it or email it to somebody, just something with that info needs to be more done and less just talked about or reviewed. Maybe i missed something cause this was one of those sites that was taking too much time so i quit.
• Lauren Greenfield Photography
  Cool Photographs, descent nav, nice loading times… Maybe it’s just cause I’m a boy or maybe there was no cool / awe factor. i dont know, but it didn’t make my favs list even though it is very good.

• The Creative Mind
  This site had a unique (that doesn’t make it good, but it makes it not bad) take on navigation and was fun to interact with, I found myself just clikcing on stuff to see what would happen. It’s difficult to tell what things do what, but the illustrations make up for that. It certainly does not sell me on CS3, but it doesn’t have to cause CS3 sells itself. This site is boarderline when I talk about cheap flash trickery and animations taking up attention and time. A good example of threading the needle, but ultimately doesn’t make my favs cause it does inform. I feel like they should not have even tried to use the excuse of info, maybe just made it quirky animations that do things when you click them and that’s it! Or inform on a primative level or CS3 capabilities, but in a different way than normal, not through text, some other way, show me what it can do by using this site as stage and i’m not talkin video, something else! i dont know what! in between demonstrations and entertainment, but short and obvious.
• Nike Air Max
  Another site that is just fun to play with. Again it doesn’t sell me, but it’s worth visiting. It’s worth showing to a friend, but only once.

That covers a lot. Thanks to anyone who reads this. i know these are tough critiques, but this is what i would demand of myself if i had made these sites. All other sites I felt were nothing out of the ordinary.

Another funny and cute thing cause it’s true.

Funny cause it’s true.

Marian Bantjes is an up and coming designer/artist that has a great style that mixes the old and new.