Ashlee works at Artonic, a web design and marketing agency in Tecumseh, MI. She is a graphic designer.
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How did you become interested in graphic design?
I credit my mom with instilling and encouraging my interest in the visual arts at young age. Being a talented artist herself, I had a built-in art instructor at home. I continued to work on my technical skills (photo-realistic drawing, color theory, etc.) through-out school. As I began to develop as a creative and research various career paths, graphic design stood out to me as the best way to enter the job market while scratching that artistic itch.
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What’s the best part of your job as a sr. graphic designer?
I enjoy the variety of projects I’m able to work on and the challenges presented with each one. “How can I make this ad design better than the last?”
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What’s the most challenging about your job?
The most challenging part of my job is educating the client. Sometimes the client may want a change that could be detrimental to usability or layout. But hey, they don’t do this for a living… educating the client is part of the gig. Most of the time, clients agree with our suggestions once an explanation is given.
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What’s your philosophy regarding design, in a general sense?
This can be said of a lot of things: Keep it simple. It’s not hard to go overboard on a design, especially if a considerable amount of content to incorporate. Now, that doesn’t mean skip the details, but don’t let the details stand out over the design in its entirety.
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How can you spot a bad web design?
- How many fonts are being used? I usually recommend no more than 3. Is the font easy to read? Is the font over-used?
- Are the colors in harmony?
- How much white space (or lack of white space) is there? Don’t be afraid of white space…it’s a design element, too!
- Is the website only focused on design, or design AND usability?
- Poor photography or imagery (bad lighting, un-sharp photos, cliché stock imagery, etc.)
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If a company wants to build a website, what’s the one thing they should keep in mind, regarding the design of their site?
Companies should keep in mind they came to a professional design company for a reason. Everything we do is meant to ultimately benefit the client’s business. Now, that doesn’t mean we refuse the client any say in his or her design. We aim to sculpt a final masterpiece out of the goals and wants we are given from the start. We build the custom-ordered sports car, while making sure it stays on the road and out-paces the competition.
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How often should a company update its website design?
Every 5 years or so. Trends come and go at a rapid pace in the web design industry; what was in 3 years ago, may look dated and tired today. It’s important to present a fresh, up-to-date website for visitors, as the homepage of a company’s website is probably the first impression potential customers will see.
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What types of photos are best for mid-sized company websites?
I believe custom photography, or authentic stock photography at least, should be part of every website. I think we’ve all encountered those stereotypical stock photos before: businessmen shaking hands, target with arrows, generic corporate figures, and so on. Bleh! Custom photos allow the visitor to develop a level of trust with a company before making a transaction; good, custom photos can literally give a face to a company.
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When should a company invest in a custom video for its website?
Whenever possible. Video is quickly becoming one of the most desired ways to consume content. Short, well-produced videos are a great way to educate and connect with potential and existing clients.
Don’t forget: good audio is SUPER important. Never skimp on sound quality. A great image is important, but no one will watch if he or she can’t hear what’s being said.
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What design trends are just emerging in website design?
- Card Design & Grid Layouts
- High-quality, authentic photos
- Big, bold typography
- Cinemagraphs and Video
- Modular Design
- Vibrant Gradients
Send your web design questions to Ashlee at [email protected].