[zoom in screenshot - 162K]

TwoFifty
http://www.twofifty.net

Category:
Graphics & Web Design > Resources

Created by:
Ates Goral in 2002

Rating:
8.7 (5 votes)

Date added:
Apr 8th, 2002

Last updated:
Apr 9th, 2002

Tools Used:
Adobe Photoshop, HTML 4.0 Reference, Microsoft SQL Server, UltraEdit-32

Designer's words:
TWOFIFTY is a digital art gallery, displaying works on all visual media for the web (GIF, JPEG, Flash, Shockwave, etc.) The interesting fact about the concept is that the artwork MUST be exactly 250 by 250 pixels in dimensions. The challenge is to cram creativity in such a small space...

The site deploys a high-end coding style; the whole site is actually one single, staticly served HTML file which is loaded once. Most rendering is done client-side with the use of Javascript and DHTML. During navigation, the amount of data exchanged betweeen the server and the browser is negligable; raw data is loaded into Javascript arrays and then the HTML is rendered on the client's browser.

The coding heavily depends on CSS, and the HTML is optimized for minimal use of inter-enclosed tables and minimal amount of HTML code.

The site's core design is especially built with carefully color-reduced GIF files that total to a mere 6 kilobytes.

Our comments:
Small is beautiful, and it is even more beautiful on the web if you are on a slow connection. The idea behind TwoFifty is brilliant. By limiting the size of the submitted artwork to a small area (250 by 250 pixels to be specific), the site satisfies your need for visual stimulation quickly and easily. And let's accept the fact that the majority of visual creations will not look that good if displayed in full size anyway.

If you are using Internet Explorer, all thumbnails will be displayed in grayscale thanks to IE's image filters, and you will be able to see them in color only if the mouse cursor is over one of them. This gives your poor optic nerves a needed break, and helps you focus on only the artwork you want to see.

The amount of effort put in client-side scripting to minimize client-server traffic in order to provide a "smooth browsing experience" as the designer Goral says, is remarkable. Finally, no sound is allowed in Flash submissions. That's a big relief!

--Aycan

didulica (44) - Dec 5th, 2002 Presentation  5 Graphics  3 Usability  5 Technical  7 Personal Slant  6 Overall 5.2 the web is cramped with almost identical designs. Apart from that, the design is unbalanced and a tat too functional. However, it assembles a wonderful collection of sometimes great work, which is the site's saving grace. Therefore shame about the site, cos such wonderful work deserves a nicer framework. dez (39) - Dec 2nd, 2002 A great graphical site. But the style of the site is really similar and common to a lot of sites i've seen. BUT! its the best one yet. :D Arwen (11) - Dec 1st, 2002 Presentation  10 Graphics  9 Usability  10 Technical  9 Personal Slant  10 Overall 9.6 The navigation and classification is well done. Clean design and good color scheme.