I am Learning to Appreciate.

I am one of those designers that has been very hesitant to convert to web design. What can I say, I just really like the interaction that you get with print design. I feel like a customer will get a much more intimate experience from a well-thought-out mailer than from an e-mail. Same with a poster as opposed to an online banner, or a printed magazine rather than a blog. Talking of which, I think we should all just take a moment, on behalf of Domino.

Okay, enough of my ode to print design. I am trying to get past this. Really, I am. In fact, there are even websites that I like. I like apple.com. I like anthropologie.com. I'm even liking CNN.com, simply for its easy-to-use navigation. Here are a few lesser-known sites that seem to stand out from the herd.


Magnivate.com, the site for an "Interactive Boutique Agency" in Jakarta, uses an interactive layout to showcase their work. You have to physically travel through the site, like in a video game, to find their information. The only potential problem is that this ends up being a lot of work for the viewer, and gets a bit confusing. But hey, they did something different - they got their viewers involved in an unexpected way. And they made it look good.


Sinisterbutsweet.com was designed by a local Minneapolis studio, Seventhsin, for a local artist/illustrator, DC Ice. What I like about this one is the creativity in the representation of the artist's work. It serves her perfectly, and it's obvious that the designer and artist were able to work well together.


Squaredeye.com is just pretty. The type is handled beautifully, it is well-organized and it's easy enough to navigate. The organization reminds me of magazine design, and the type is very similar to that used in the book, "Thinking with Type," by Ellen Lupton.

I think what draws me to these sites is the creativity and the incorporation of certain aspects of good print design. Or maybe it's just the adorable characters. These examples are interesting enough, but there are so many more sites out there! I'm sure you've seen better? Do tell.