Web sites are striving to catch up with the latest trends in Web and graphic design. Their designers are leading the way in shifting trends in both online and print media.

Every Web site depends on graphics to create an interface that increases traffic and makes repeat visitors. Graphic design was at one point viewed as a separate artistic entity, but the evolution of Web-based journalism has created a dependence on graphic design.

The job market for graphic design continues to grow with online journalism. Graphic designer Esti Gerson said, "Journalists should work with designers. You never noticed when a Web site has good design, but you notice when it has bad design". National Geographic has realized that good design creates more hits.

Katie Parker, senior Web designer for the site, found that by incorporating dynamic leads into the home page, 25 percent fewer people leave the site immediately after viewing the home page.

A heat map showed that dynamic leads, which are photo modules at the top of the page that link to news stories, account for 15 percent of the daily clicks. This integration of news with design and graphics has proven to be a success.

Interactive and easy to navigate Web sites draw in a younger demographic who is almost intrinsically text savvy. "News stories usually involving the words 'giant', 'python eats pregnant sheep', or 'monster' in the headline become viral news stories, are emailed or texted around, and generate traffic for the site" says Parker.

Another trend is interactive images using flash. National Geographic's interactive images and online photo galleries are among the most popular features on the site.

Gerson said that her company, Art Asylum is starting to use flash as well, and has started using photo galleries showing the production of their products before their release, which builds suspense among consumers, helps sell the product, and makes them return to the site for more updates.

National Geographic used to have its Web site organized in separate departments (National Geographic Travel, Kids, etc.) and it is now organized by content, with sections on animals, science, and weather. This allows content from the magazine to be threaded into different sections on the site. The print magazine is even starting to think digital when creating images. Images for the magazine are made in Adobe Illustrator and are also sent to the Web site where slight modifications are made before publishing them online.

Design has shifted drastically in recent years. The current trend consists of bright colors, dynamic leads, and patterns. Trends in design change with the technology, and like technology become quickly outdated. Gerson points to the Las Vegas Sun as being ahead of the game.

"In 2000 no one knew what a graphic designer was and now the title has become interchangeable with industrial and Web design" she says.

Photoshop Tricks everyone should know:
There is a step-by-step PowerPoint walkthrough by Esti Gerson available here. "Not everyone who is submitting photos to your site is a photographer", said Gerson, "so it becomes your job to clean up the photos for Web publication." The tips include how to whiten teeth, fix bad skin, color correction, save underexposed photos, make your picture stand out, and how to add trendy Lomo film techniques to digital images. For what not to do (and for some laughs), go to Photoshop Disasters blog.

--Ashleigh Bennett