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It’s Monday and beautiful time to get inspired with very good examples and research a little bit what’s happening behind the scenes from graphic designer view.
This time I will showcase and analyze gradient effects used effectively in web-design and logo design creation. It’s very important to create and use subtle and eye-catchy color combinations and transitions to achieve modern and stylish effect. Maybe you haven’t noticed but light and shadow effects are widely used and it doesn’t necessary mean just color, but to bring greater effect, use textures and then put on them light but observable transparent color effects and you’ll see magic happening. Using light you can easily emphasize places and actually lead visitor’s attention from point to point using just color, illustrations, text size.
After this short introduction I’ll start to share beautiful examples of web site designs which use such light,shadow and gradient effects in very good way. And if you haven check out 36 Color Gradient Sets For Photoshop and Resource Sites: Part 1.
Beautiful light and subtle spotlight effect on the top of texture. Such effects can be achieved on Photoshop using Filter–>Render–>Lightning Effects and playing with settings.
To get first and main focus on Mike Precious name and specialty one more .png transparent image with radial gradient effect is used. Notice subtle color variations from #F0F0F0 to #D1D1D1 and then at the end going back to lighter color.
Notice this image below are used to repeat-y whole screen, which is great way to add interesting effect but in the same time get fast loading speed. If there would be simpler gradient effect you also could choose to use just 1px wide width image with gradient effects to get even faster loading time and beautiful effect.
Very good example of 1px wide image on background covering whole page. (1px width and 3081px height).
As you can see in this zoomed version, very subtle linear gradient is used, though I believe much more narrower image could be used in this example.
Linear gradient image (40x1216px) is used through whole site from lighter on the top of the site to little darker on bottom.
Radial gradient is created to take out company’s logo as first accent, little texture and color variations used to look really enjoyable wau. Definitely very good design.
One more amazing website with very light color variations making it to look very professional. Notice also top background image used 1px width and 237px height, other images like logo and mouse are just positioned above that one image.
Look at the background image with many lightning effects in the center but on the sides transferring to simple linear gradient to fill big resolution screens. Actually there are 3 main background images using gradient effects on header, center line (light gradient) and then on the footer.
Almost whole professional feeling is achieved just by that huge background image (1600x1200px) using radial gradient and light texture. By the way such texture can be easily created in Photoshop on Filter panel – Noise – Add noise and after that just play with settings, opacity and color variations to get very good results.
One more time background image is 30px wide and 1900px height – subtle yet very effective. Even navigation has linear gradient effect to give dimensional effect.
I cannot express how much I love this web design, it completely consists of light, shadows, radial gradients, many emphasis easily leading visitor through whole page. Exclusive eye-candy dimensional design and very good example for research.
Color always help to organize and separate content, notice that center part is the lightest one taking out main image to get visitors attention to act. Nice icons, color variations explaining what this company is offering on the main image is really good choice.
Huge background image with radial gradient behind the earth and other lightning sparks to grab attention on football players, big “Join Our Bid” button and time countdown. Impressive work on Photoshop and beautiful implementation in web design.
Background image is repeated on x-y asis, but to stand out with content in the center – white color with dark grey outer glow is used. Looks really professional. Notice light linear gradient effects on navigation bar and bottom area of main content where subtle grey gradient is used to darken bottom area.
One of the best, modern web designs – beautiful eye candy. I must say here again – “Less is more” – very subtle color gradients are used, radial gradient on the center and navigation with linear gradients and very subtle dark outer glow to make those buttons stand out. Look behind the scenes how top background image + another one with radial gradient and other separator lines are used.
In the footer again another dark image repeat-x-y asis is used.
I really hope You enjoy this kind of articles, which is more inspiring, but this time looking a little bit behind the scenes. Stay updated because this is just Part 2 in series, there will be two more continuations.
36 Color Gradient Sets For Photoshop and Resource Sites: Part 1
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Dainis Graveris is 23 years old blogger and designer, founder of 1stWebDesigner, now more silently managing everything behind the scenes. He usually hangs out in Twitter tweeting design related links and chatting with people. If you have any questions or feedback that's the best place to start! Cheers!
Monday, April 9th, 2012 18:02
Great collection of websites. I especially like the Hero For Hire, and Atebits websites. I’m looking to redesign my website so the inspiration is greatly appreciated.
Cheers.
Saturday, February 11th, 2012 04:45
Should these gradients be created in photoshop or illustrator? which is better?
Friday, January 13th, 2012 03:00
Thanks for the helpful info, I’m going to edit the header on my website using a gradient. Should look much better.
Friday, August 26th, 2011 15:11
these are great collection.
Thursday, June 16th, 2011 16:46
Wonderful collection of websites. I’m currently looking for a gradient background on my website (seems to be modern now) and got some new ideas. Thanks.
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 22:32
Thanks so much. It’s always great to know how designers achieve these awesome effects. Great source for inspiration.
Thursday, January 13th, 2011 09:26
Love some of the designs that have been featured. Good article and thanks for sharing.
Lauren
Saturday, December 19th, 2009 04:32
The best part about this article is that you separated the actual gradient from the rest of the design. Seeing the pages gave me inspiration; separating the gradients showed me it was achieved. AWESOME work! Thanks so much!
Saturday, December 19th, 2009 12:47
RTIQLIT Thanks, I always like to put my efforts into works, so you actually see what I want to show, not just yet another list post :)
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 00:51
Excellent inspiration for gradient backgrounds! I love gradients and these are great examples. Thanks for sharing how we can make the design.
Sunday, August 2nd, 2009 10:58
of course you’re right! I just wanted to show how such gradients can be used, of course some of them are not really usable because of big background images.
Saturday, July 18th, 2009 09:41
Nice post! I do agree that using subtle and eye-catchy color combinations are essential. It helps to bring a modern and stylish effect. Gradients are also impressive in webdesign. But you need to be very careful as it may look ugly if you cannot use the light and shadow effects properly. You also need to be careful about the fonts.
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 21:25
Delicious! Loveley. Good for inspiration. Dugg your post
Thursday, July 16th, 2009 03:22
This is a great post. Excellent inspiration for gradient backgrounds for web design. I am actually working on a web project and this is a great resource! Thanks!
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 15:15
Great article – thanks for the tips
Monday, July 13th, 2009 23:48
Yah these gradients effects are sick. I particularly like Cellar App and Digital Mash. I gave this post a big Stumble.
Monday, July 13th, 2009 20:35
I love how you explained how to achieve some of these effects and also isolated the background images. Great post! Tweeted+Dugg :)
Monday, July 13th, 2009 19:56
Gradients are really impressive in webdesign lately, it gives you a bit of deep in your design, but it must be not to evident either, because if it does it looks ugly.
Monday, July 13th, 2009 19:36
This is a great article! The littlest additions can make a huge difference.
Monday, July 13th, 2009 19:01
I was just talking to my co-worker about successful use of gradient so again you have read my mind!
Thanks!
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Frank Stallone
Monday, July 13th, 2009 19:01
I was just talking to my co-worker about successful use of gradient so again you have read my mind!
Thanks!
Charlotte
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 15:15
Great article – thanks for the tips
Johnson Koh
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 06:23
Very good writeup Dainis! ReTweeted!
Curtis Armstrong
Thursday, July 16th, 2009 03:22
This is a great post. Excellent inspiration for gradient backgrounds for web design. I am actually working on a web project and this is a great resource! Thanks!
gautam hans
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 21:25
Delicious! Loveley. Good for inspiration. Dugg your post
Janko
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 00:13
Nice one, dugg!
Roberto
Monday, July 13th, 2009 23:48
Yah these gradients effects are sick. I particularly like Cellar App and Digital Mash. I gave this post a big Stumble.
Allen
Monday, July 13th, 2009 19:36
This is a great article! The littlest additions can make a huge difference.
Luis Lopez
Monday, July 13th, 2009 19:56
Gradients are really impressive in webdesign lately, it gives you a bit of deep in your design, but it must be not to evident either, because if it does it looks ugly.
Tom Ross
Monday, July 13th, 2009 20:35
I love how you explained how to achieve some of these effects and also isolated the background images. Great post! Tweeted+Dugg :)
Kawsar Ali
Monday, July 13th, 2009 20:58
nice post tweeted,stumbled, reddited
Ashely Adams
Saturday, July 18th, 2009 09:41
Nice post! I do agree that using subtle and eye-catchy color combinations are essential. It helps to bring a modern and stylish effect. Gradients are also impressive in webdesign. But you need to be very careful as it may look ugly if you cannot use the light and shadow effects properly. You also need to be careful about the fonts.
Dainis Graveris
Sunday, August 2nd, 2009 10:58
of course you’re right! I just wanted to show how such gradients can be used, of course some of them are not really usable because of big background images.
sarath
Friday, August 26th, 2011 15:11
these are great collection.
Craig
Friday, January 13th, 2012 03:00
Thanks for the helpful info, I’m going to edit the header on my website using a gradient. Should look much better.
Dirk
Saturday, February 11th, 2012 04:45
Should these gradients be created in photoshop or illustrator? which is better?
Dr. Drosu Dental Centre
Monday, April 9th, 2012 18:02
Great collection of websites. I especially like the Hero For Hire, and Atebits websites. I’m looking to redesign my website so the inspiration is greatly appreciated.
Cheers.
Angielski Wrocław
Monday, July 4th, 2011 20:56
great collection, i like them all
Thomas
Thursday, June 16th, 2011 16:46
Wonderful collection of websites. I’m currently looking for a gradient background on my website (seems to be modern now) and got some new ideas. Thanks.
Camisetas
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 00:51
Excellent inspiration for gradient backgrounds! I love gradients and these are great examples. Thanks for sharing how we can make the design.
RTIQLIT
Saturday, December 19th, 2009 04:32
The best part about this article is that you separated the actual gradient from the rest of the design. Seeing the pages gave me inspiration; separating the gradients showed me it was achieved. AWESOME work! Thanks so much!
Dainis Graveris
Saturday, December 19th, 2009 12:47
RTIQLIT Thanks, I always like to put my efforts into works, so you actually see what I want to show, not just yet another list post :)
Janna
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 22:32
Thanks so much. It’s always great to know how designers achieve these awesome effects. Great source for inspiration.
Lauren
Thursday, January 13th, 2011 09:26
Love some of the designs that have been featured. Good article and thanks for sharing.
Lauren