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The Marriage of Content and Design – A Tricky Alliance

discernible visual trend has ensued over the past couple of years in the field of blogging. Design based blogs (the authentic pioneers of this visual fad) are increasingly incorporating more flexible layout styles thus allowing each blog post to be adorned with a uniquely inspired theme. This then allows the editor to tap on his/her repertoire of design skills to evoke a sense of visual originality. Some might perceive it as a ‘perennial’ re-designing process. Every post carries an element of suspense and surprise. Others might view this process as particularly laborious and time consuming, especially when you have a series of freelance projects lined up; the work that pays for the food on the table. The marriage of content and design is no bed of roses. 

The Philosophy of Print

The concept of designing for content is a system rooted in the presentational philosophy of traditional print magazines. Every page is a glossy work of art; it tells its own story, sets its own agenda and leaves an independent impression on the reader. There is however a key difference between reader expectations in both web and print mediums. A website has to achieve a sense of dynamism; somehow people expect ‘things to happen’ online, there should be (or an appearance of) a constant stream of activity and liveliness. Print mediums are ‘let off the hook’ in this respect; they need to be visually enticing but there is no rigid expectation for the same kind of direct interactive stimulation.

Online Media - Create Visual Fairy Tales

Nevertheless, both mediums have to strike a balance in bridging content and design. Print mediums, in how they are structured (static viewing), are naturally assumed to be more adaptive to the union of content and design; from the tactile experience of holding on to a newspaper or magazine to browsing through the various tabloid sections, design and content seem to work in harmonious partnership. The same cannot be said for online publications. Websites have to ‘work’ harder in captivating reader attention, in the sense that the reader is engaged with content and design only on the basis of what is viewed on screen. The whole notion of building visually versatile web layouts to reflect the nature of varied topics is particularly useful in forging a personalised connection with the reader. Most importantly it invites interactive exploration. One is more inclined to browse through and read the sub-pages/archives of a blog with different layouts as opposed to a blog with a standardized theme. There is a sense of adventure in every post; each journal entry is a fantastical fairy tale which captivates and mesmerises. 

Practice What You Preach

I designed Tripping Words with the intention of eventually transforming it into a space that is less constrained by visual uniformity and more oriented towards design versatility. The process is a gradual one and it involves an understanding of how design and content reach a logical point of ‘compromise’.

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