Designing a website can be a daunting task. It can be
tempting to make the page as "pretty" as possible.
We have looked at
hundreds of websites where there are butterflies, babies,
or cherubic angels,
floating in the background. They tend to have the effect of making
the page look busy and difficult to read.
White space is an important concept in design. White
space simply means the "empty" bits around a page and between each part
of the page. White space provides balance and is relaxing on the eye,
making it easier to look at a page for longer. The longer you can keep
people on your website the more likely you are to be contacted by them.
If you have a color theme and have used a solid color for the
background, think about using more white space to allow the eye to
relax.
When using images or pictures as backgrounds, it can be
more powerful to have one larger image rather than a repeating image.
You can then reuse this image in your buttons, or at the top of every
page to draw all the pages together with a consistent theme. Compare the
two images below and see what a difference it makes to use more
white space, as well as a single image rather than the recurring one.
These simple changes can make all the difference between looking like a
homemade website and one that is professional. In the next newsletter we
will look at the use of color to change the feel of a website and
explore the impact of color on our emotions.
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It is common to find websites with a background
image that makes it difficult to read the text. The repeating
lotus flower in this page is distracting and hard on the eyes.
There is not enough white to break up the page and allow the
eyes to rest. |
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In this example, the white line between each menu
button helps to separate them. The logo of the lotus flower is
dominant and placed with a white background. The main text is
spaced further apart to provide more white space between each
paragraph. |
In the next issue we will look at how we can improve
this page further with some simple changes to the fonts
and colors.
How can Childbirth International
help you?
Every Childbirth
International course provides a section on
building your business. We look at topics such
as marketing and advertising, planning for a
successful business, and using a website. In the
future we will also be offering advanced courses
on successful birthing businesses, using the
internet for research and using the internet for
advertising and marketing.
For more information on
training with Childbirth International, take a
look at our
website at
www.childbirthinternational.com,
or
contact us.
Childbirth International
offers training programs for Birth Doulas,
Postpartum Doulas and
Childbirth Educators. From September 2008 we will
also be launching a Breastfeeding Counseling
course.
Author: Nikki
Macfarlane
Last Updated: October 5 2007
