Web Critique

www.ralphsteaman.com

Ralph Steadman’s official website displays a fascinating window to his wonderful world of creation. In it, the self proclaimed “Toon God” provides the user with a biography, information regarding his works, current exhibits, and projects. Plus, if you’ve got the cash, there’s a large range of artwork and accessories for purchase. From silk screens of literary icons such as Kurt Vonnegut and George Orwell to Hunter S. Thompson aprons, the website gives even the modest art collector a chance to own a piece of Mr. Steadman’s work.

User Centric Design

Ralph Steadman is a cartoonist, caricaturist, and author whose website provides the user with a large span of information regarding his life and work. This is what the user wants from the website and this is what the website provides. Most people who come to the website for the first time will probably only know of Ralph Steadman as the wacky illustrator of Hunter S. Thompson’s semi-autobiographical novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The website does a great job providing the user with the story behind what lead to these wonderful works of art but also manages to also manages to travel way beyond his collaboration with Dr. Thompson, giving us a full view of the artist. In a user friendly environment, appreciators of his art are treated to hundreds of images of his work, information regarding his famous collections, and current projects and exhibits. One thing that could be criticised is that the blocks of text are a little bit long and could be made into shorter paragraphs, however, It’s not the kind of website that I would personally just scan over anyway. 

 

Simplicity

From a design point of view, the website is quite simple and easy to follow. The artists signature is used as a logo and is spread across the top of the home page and is displayed clearly in smaller text on each additional page at the top right corner. There is a vertical navigation bar which uses large text to the right with four separate options for searching the site. Data is displayed using a single bar split between text and images that runs down the page. The background, which is quite plain, uses a lightly shaded design that doesn’t intrude on the information of the site. Most sections provide a learn more button for extended information on a subject and each page has a navigation bar which keeps you clicking further into the site with a home button to bring you back.

Layout

The layout of the sites home page uses one large block containing all the information running down the centre of the page. This block  is bordered from the background and split into two columns,  mainly image on the left of the block and text on the right. This large block takes up 70% of the pixels, leaving 45% on each side for the background. At the top of the page is the logo with the navigation bar running down the side in the artists ink splattered handwriting.  A link for contacting the website is replaced by a rather unnecessary hit counter on the main page, but is present on every other page on the site. Once browsing through the site the main navigation bar shifts location and becomes a horizontal bar at the top of the page, with a new vertical bar appearing on the left of the screen for filtering additional information. This is slightly confusing for a first time user but is necessary in achieving the less important design of the home page.

 White-Space

White-Space is used extensively throughout ralphsteadman.com giving it a crisp, refreshing look. As Ralph Steadman’s favoured medium is simply black ink on white paper, it is fitting that his website is designed in the same way. This creates a unifying balance between all aspects of the website.  Macro-white space is used in the background with light grayish sketching drawn around the screen. This acts as a frame for the main picture- the important data  in the center block of the page. In the center column, micro-white space is used generously behind the text and images, with only the navigation bar and a few articles displayed on a coloured background to add some contrast and warmth.

Advertisement