When a visitor set foot in a blog, the first thing that captivates his attention before the content is the look, the design and the atmosphere around.This same look might mean that this visitor might come back again because he feels comfortable on the blog or maybe just stay with his feedreader(if the content is really great).
There’re so much to the design of a theme : colour, functionality, layout but here I’ll be talking mostly of layout. The one layout that offers everything on the plate and its counterpart the minimalistic one : simple, clear, basic and light on things offered. I’m for the minimalist one, so why?
choice and attention
It’s like on a table, placing lots of things on it and asking the visitor to choose among. Things are there so there gonna be a choice to be made. Then in the end it’s difficult to make that choice because there’re so many to choose from. On the otherhand when reducing the number of things displayed, there’s more chance for a choice. This is just because of the ATTENTION. I think eyes(I haven’t done biology in upper classes so I’m supposing, don’t write this for exam) capture things more easily if there is a small quantity of it and that gonna attract it there. It’s the same for the layout.
The less things put there, the more the chance of attracting the visitor to that place gonna be. A chance for a choice when it’s simple and minimalist.
As Robert Browning would say : Less is more.
clean look for more focus on the content
Clean gets it easier for a focus on the content. If there’re more choices, then this gonna distract the attention from the content. That gonna make him fancy of what this or that might be used for, so he gonna wander out trying things put there instead of concentrating on the content. If there’re lots of things, that gonna intrigue him in trying to know what they mean and there he go. Out of the content into the things that’re offered there in the sidebar, in the footer or any other places filled with things.
a place for tomorrow.
There’re so many things that exist there deserving to be put on. Plugins that accomplish all kind of fancy things. Then if all the empty space is already taken for now, that gonna be a bit harder later where to find space to put that great functionality on. A minimalistic approach provide precious space for tomorrow.
easier to tweak, try this beginner
If the layout is clear and light, that’s easier to tweak and mod everything. There gonna be less things to play with, less things to move here and there to reach that perfect atmosphere that’s wanted. Talking about tweaking theme, here’s one post you shouldn’t be missing.
A minimalist layout and approach make things lighter and more easier for the visitor to choose from. I’m for it. Then if you’re the one that just loves to put every choice under the nose of your visitor for them to smell it, gotta tell me why? Have I said everything on why a minimalistic approach is the best : what do you think? Anything to add, my comment form is just for that purpose : feel free to use it.
A great post here, Hans. I’m actually a fan of minimalist myself, but of course, there is also being too minimalist. There are some designs around with nothing to attract the eye (as in eye candy, rather than content). A white page with nothing visual about it.
I do agree with the points you raised too. I’m quite a firm believer of “Less is more” and I try to apply this to all aspects of my art (whether it be design of some sort, digital art or photography). Of course, there are times where it is neccessary to go that little bit further and stray away from the minimalistic point of view.
“A minimalistic approach provide precious space for tomorrow.” Can agree with this, and have experienced it on both sides. It’s hard finding places to put things if there isn’t anywhere to actually put them. But a lot of dead space can also be less appealing in some cases if there isn’t another element in the design to comensate.
I’m with Nyssa. I don’t dislike the entire concept of minimalist, I just threw that term out there, when what I specifically meant is themes with a lack of colour.
Number two on my list behind that is over-the-top themes with 10 different colours, and a variety of useless things, which I won’t name if only to not insult anyone out there :^)
@ nyssa
=) nice you liked the read. I particularly like white because of the meaning attached behind it. I think every colour has a meaning and white is for freedom, freedom of speech whereas grey for disorder. I think that’s why I chose that theme with the colour to reflect the atmosphere I wanted. :aww:
yeah that also raises another point when there’s nothing it just feel like blank. But then I think it just come to the layout, placing things a bit spaced out to occupy that space when there’s nothing to compensate :sweat: I suppose.
Thanks so much Nyssa for this insightful comment. =|
@ yvonne
=P hey Yvonne too nice to see you here for your great rebuttal comments. Thanks so much for sharing out your opinions :aww:
hey Yvonne gotta spit it out, it’s just opinions and thoughts, I’m ain’t gonna take them personally but more of a way to try to understand something in the point of view of others :sweat: sometimes contradictory.
I don’t tell people things they want only to please them. I tell them what I think, that’s why everybody is searching to kick my ass. Nonetheless that’s my way of blogging else I would have moderated comments so as to allow only those sharing my point of view. :bleh: that would be great fun if you could come and share these thoughts out, don’t tell me you’ve lowered your artillery when the fun is just starting :bleh:
I would really appreciate if you would spit that great list of useless things :agree: sincerely that would be so fun. =D =D I always like to play around, hey come play :X
I agree with you hans, like you sure have already guessed.
My own blog has a very minimalist layout (black and very few “graphics” things and colors) but i’m posting lots of pics/videos etc and not so much text so my blog is not too sad even if it is dark.
So i would add that your layout should depend on your content. I would choose a “fuller” layout for a blog whose owner posts only text, or the blog won’t be so attractive.
Hans, it’s better to stick to your own beliefs than try and please everyone by contradicting yourself. I relish reading opposing opinions to what I write!
And I just read your latest post - good luck with exams