March 2018 Summaries

The article explores how to effectively transition web design ideas from Sketch to Webflow, focusing on optimizing designs for the box model used by Webflow. By utilizing plugins like Paddy and Sketch Measure, designers can streamline the process by setting specific padding and exporting assets efficiently. The guide emphasizes creating a style guide using global settings in Webflow to ensure consistency and responsiveness across devices, recommending the use of relative units such as percentages, viewport width, and rems for scalable design. The article also suggests making the style guide a symbol for easier reference and modification, and it provides practical tips on uploading and managing images within Webflow to enhance the design workflow from conception to execution.

Webflow emerges as a robust alternative for non-coding web designers following the discontinuation of Adobe Muse, offering a comprehensive web design tool that combines creative freedom with the practicality of a visual interface. It allows users to design and build a variety of projects, from mobile app prototypes to CMS-powered marketing sites, either from scratch or using customizable templates. Webflow's designs are inherently responsive, with the ability to customize layouts for different breakpoints and preview changes directly within the browser-based Designer, eliminating the need for FTP. Additionally, it features a powerful, visual CMS that simplifies the creation of dynamic content types, known as Collections, which enhances ease of use compared to Adobe Business Catalyst. The intuitive Webflow Editor offers clients a user-friendly, on-page editing experience, making it an appealing choice for designers transitioning from Muse and Business Catalyst.

Maximalism emerged as a prominent web design trend in 2018, characterized by its bold, extravagant, and visually striking designs that create unique and unforgettable user experiences. Webflow's Mariah Driver highlights the trend's appeal, noting its potential to produce eye-catching juxtapositions and its rising popularity despite the word "maximalist" not being widely recognized. Several examples of maximalist designs include Glitché, which overwhelms the senses with neon colors and layered multimedia; TAPE, a Danish music venue's site that captivates with dynamic visuals; PIN-UP magazine's site that uses repetition to create an engaging effect; One & All festival's bold color contrasts that enhance its minimal content; and A Day Out studio's colorful illustrations against a stark background, all of which demonstrate maximalism's power to convey distinct brand identities through creative excess.