Artmaker Studio's Award Program is dedicated to elegance and content on the world wide web.

Print out this list and use it to score yourself. There are 20 items on each list.

A Definition of Elegance

In web design and writing, elegance can be defined as:

1. Something very special in content
2. Overall layout is good, harmonious
3. The site has a pleasing color scheme
4. Originality in language
5. Spelling and grammar are good
6. No horrible pictures (fright photos)
7. Music, if used, must be good quality (not necessary to have it).
8. Expresses your point in as few words as possible without taking away from the idea. (Don't just run on, aimlessly).
9. Clear graphics which are not too hard to load
10. Presenting your site and your idea well
11. Having a clear goal in mind for the site
12. Text and links must be easy to read
13. Graphics and links should all work (although I do know that servers can be down causing links and graphics not to load and will take that into consideration).
14. Credit given when using someone else's work
15. Links that lead outside on a specific page for that, not on the first page
16. First page is not too large and has very clearly identified places to click on to enter, attractive and inviting, without a big huge graphic which is going to take so long to load that the viewer is left waiting and waiting.
17. Small clickable pictures to click on to show larger ones.
18. A clear way to send email to the writer of the page.
19. A table of contents of everything in your site with links to take you there. It doesn't have to say table of contents. It can just be a big table with links inside the cells. The words "Site Directory" might be a way to title your table of contents. This would be a good place to use the list element. Put a link back to page 1 on every page, and put a link to things related to the subject of a page in, and a way to get back to the site directory on every page!
20. I leave your site with a good feeling about you.

Note*: Don't center everything. After a graphic which is centered, it's title should be centered, but if there is accompanying text which takes more than one line, it should be flush-left. And don't avoid centering things either. Use other align features of HTML, too.

Definition of Tacky

1. Insulting your reader
2. Using foul language
3. Sexual content (should be rated for general audiences)
4. Too much "slang", making it difficult to read
5. Pages which are about links and links only
6. More than two frames on a page
7. Blinking text
8. Gaudy colors, such as chartreuse
9. Netscape gray background
10. Disarray in the placement of graphics, like awards that look just stuck on anywhere.
11. Grammar is really poor, spelling is wrong, or text is invisible, too light or too small. This is very important!
12. Not using H3 or H4 to create bolder, stronger text.
13. Huge graphics that take forever to load. Use jpgs unless you are doing gif animations. Jpgs are much, much smaller than gifs. Sometimes, that is. One must reduce the number of colors also. Often this can be done without significant change in the picture.
14. Too many animated gifs on one page (can cause your browser to crash).
15. Java for a ticker-tape that runs on and on. Short is better.
16. Nothing about the person or business, nothing which states the purpose and clear intent of the site, leaving the viewer wondering about those things.
17. Trite language, stating the obvious. Don't say,"Hi, this is my home page".
18. Trite sayings, such as "Click here" or "home page". Think of an innovative way to say these things. Your links can be incorporated into your text, for example you could say "I'm originally from Mobile, AL and now I live in Beauregard, AL. These links could lead to a photograph of your house from long ago, and a picture of your present home. Or, they could lead to a story about those two times in one's life, or the towns themselves. (By the way, I caution against putting your home address out there, especially if you have your children's pictures, etc. on your pages.) This is only an example of how to incorporate links into text.
19. A worthless midi. All midis are not created equal. There are some wonderful ones, and there are some AWFUL ones. Be sure to listen to each one before you put it on your page. Watch the size of these too. They also have to load, the bigger they are, the longer they take. Just about the time your visitor has read everything, then those big midis kick in as a person is leaving. Try to pick music that will appeal to MOST people, and will still express the kind of person you are.
20. Failing to write thank you notes. Links will not appear for winners until I hear that you have received the award letter.

The ideas put forth above are not entirely my own ideas; some things are from HTML manuals that I've read, and some things I have encountered when I was on-line, and just plain old Emily Post etiquette which everybody ought to know anyway. Perhaps you will find them helpful! These are some of the things I look at when I go out to see a site for an award application. All of these things are important elements.

I invite you to add to either of these lists! Send me your comments regarding Elegance and Tackiness.

Cia

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