Edited template design analysis

I started with the Tic Tac blog layout. When I had Minima Lefty, as in the tutorials, there was no way to change the font in the post title, so I went to Tic Tac, which is a blog template that I love the colors on.

Before starting on my analysis, I removed the bold on the body text, which we applied in a tutorial as I wanted my comments to be able to have bold. I left the remaining changes, but wanted to explain my design decision and why I veered from the exercise.

This blog template has 2 columns. It has a large left column for posts, and a narrower right column for Links and other sidebar items.

The grid for this blog template is a three column grid, with 2 columns being used for the posts and one column for the sidebar, or informational items.

For contrast, this template has a darker blue header, which makes it stand out from the rest of the page. Additionally, the date is in a vivid orange, making it another eye-catching element to associate with the start of a new post. Also, although the rest of the blog uses the Georgia font, the title has purposely been made Verdana, to hold it apart from the rest of the page.

For size, the headings are large, making them stand out. Additionally, since the first thing you want the reader to do is read your post, the posts take up the most space on the page.

For space, there is a decent amount of white space, and, in this particular case, a soft blue background differentiates the blog from the background of the actual screen, adding more interest and dimension. The use of a subtle blue adds unity to the design because it ties in with the blog template.

As for proximity, the dates are placed cloes to the posting so that the two are tied together. On the sidebar, dingbats that coordinate with the template designate bullet items.

Repetition on this template is everywhere. From the choices of colors, to the graphic that is repeated throughout the template, from the header to the sidebar bullets.