Featured Articles
Article in Under the Hood category.
Our Top Sites for Design Inspiration: Issue 45
From chasing dragons in a virtual reality vehicle to mindlessly trailing Uber's blue dot, this Rob will make this week as memorable as enticing.
Every week at Fueled, our London-based creative director, Rob Palmer, shares a handful of inspirational websites with our teams in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. This weekly email acts as a virtual water cooler, encouraging us to congregate across time zones and discuss what brands and blogs are doing to push new trends in web design.
Catch the Dragon
If there has been an epic middle ground between a whimsical animation and an enthralling sequence on the web, you are one click away. Observing the dragon loop and slither about the page is actually only the beginning. When you finally cease your fixation of the page and dare to explore further, you’ll find more grace in reward. Before you enter the 360 degree/VR realm of Catch the Dragon, you probably would never have dreamed that the domain was mounted and promoted by vehicle sellers. And you probably wouldn’t care to think that either. This subsequent realm is more realistic and where you really get to try to Catch the Dragon. No need to hop on The Magic School Bus when you’re tailing something as mystical as a dragon in a car.
Habib-Fadel
Habib-Fadel’s website is a reflection of a messy artist’s wet dream. Bombarded by slabs and douses of paint in every color from border to border, the design makes for a fine first draft of any amateur painter. To make things more realistic, the screen tilts from side to side based on where you move the mouse, almost projecting the realistic angling of a paint board in close revision. Neatly camouflaged in the center like a sniper covered in leaves is the “Habib-Fadel” label. Make it out for yourself, though I must warn you about potential excessive squinting. If you are attracted to the combination of splattered paint and bright colors, be sure to paint yourself a portrait here.
AAA Headphones
As you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you’re also tuning into music with a headphones on. Which is exactly why you should stay tuned in to this web page. Yes, they allow you to make custom headphones. But don’t be surprised if the texture of the website keep your eyes more glued to the screen than your over-the-head to your ears. At first glance, the page will seem like any other that insert its vocal points in a rectangular box. However, the more you probe the page, the more you’ll find you’ll be subdued by classic and tradition. Maybe it’s the light lavender tile amidst the different shades of grey that comprise the rest of the floor. Maybe it’s the feeling of the calm before the storm that the color synergy brings. Or maybe it’s the prominent pair of headphones that pulsate in the middle of it all. Your headphones may have cushioning, but be careful else you might fall adrift into this cool and calm sight indefinitely.
Dennis Video
The definition of an entertaining website usually revolves around not just standalone audio or video, but a clever smelting of the two. However, just as we eventually get fed up with monotonous text and poster images, we ultimately do tire of documentaries and music videos on the web. So what makes Dennis la crème de la crème? Every time you hit that play button, the website generates unique animation to accommodate an authentic music stream. Basically, every time you visit the domain, you experience a music video different from that of previous visits. This effectively separates Dennis from the rest of the pack in memorable specialization.
Uber
Uber’s website features the subtle the color contrast of dark and light blue. But don’t be quick to dismiss it as bland. If you’re one that enjoys the mesmerizing chase of a dot that moves around a changing grid, this is your ride to hitch. Beware though, that one little dot is capable of splintering into many subsequent dots, like blossoming fireworks that had been given a vivid imagination. This website actually reminds us of the Terminator films because it utilizes technological sophistication to capture the eye while retaining the badass cool of steep blue jeans in the background. In short, it’s a great exhibition of mechanical and methodical on the same domain. See you here. Until then, hasta la vista!
