Lo Fi Grunge and Curt

The author of this article is one I have had contact with in the past. He is very creative and a bit strange.

It does seem that for many to be "fresh" means to reach back twenty or thirty years ago. The current trend is toward neat and clean lines and styles but those such as Carson continue to defy modern conventions. Design was suppose to be seen and not heard. Design was suppose to lie dormant in the background. Design was not blend in and not call attention to itself. But the edgy trend is to be bold, loud, and noticed. If your type and layout are "invisible" and simply a conveyance device for material your goal of being noticed will be significantly reduced. It is necessary to stand out and rise above the common courtesy within the design field. With the limited attention of students and parents, and the high demands on time, a calm and standard design will be more easily dismissed.

Photoshop is often the most relied upon tool for creating the Lo-Fi Grunger look. With this look a design can more easily stand out as fresh and new. Lo-Fi Grunge is not about packing designs with more information, to the contrary it is about finding the right balance between clean and clutter.

The desire of many current designers is to move away from the sterile digital nature of many websites and introduce a measure of vitality.

"The Low-Fi Grunge Style of web design requires guesswork, experimentation, and a willingness to spend some time in Photoshop."


1. Ford Web Site: http://www.ford.com/en/default.htm
Clean site. Helpful naviation. Accessible options.

2. Dell Computer Web Site: http://www.dell.com
Clean site. Several options available at parent level.

3. Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/casehand/casehand.html The site is clear and uncluttered. The font color and the background are questionable.

4. Safeway Supermarkets: http://www.safeway.com. This site allows for easy navigation and simple attention grabbing animations.

5. http://www.web-cars.com/humor/yugojava.html. Bland

6. Australian Government Site: "http://www.australia.gov.au/" Too Much Everywhere!


7. Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream "www.benjerry.com" Once again there is too much noise. While the imagery used by the designers is unique there are two many pieces of the site that shake or bounce around for my comfort.