The introduction
There are many websites which provide different genre to meet different need. Family Tree Magazine and Practical Family History http://www.family-tree.co.uk/ provides interesting contents. It contains academic and private researches: tracing back why your ancestors immigrant to other countries; what your name originally been used. Also, as many websites it provides blog to communicate with its readers. The writer will discuss some elements presenting on as the typefaces, the visual elements, the website features and designer’s purposes.
The typefaces used
According to Wysocki, typefaces are important indicators to show readers what kind of genre they are. From the company logo, the title of the web site, until the section linker-rare books, the first half of the home page is using Georgia typeface. The serifed typeface originated in inscription in Eastern European, from which the contemporary artist designed the style for Microsoft in 1996. It becomes the most popular word font for the web screen, because it proofs to be clear to read and show a classical and charming style. For example, the Web sites of The New York Times, the artist Damien Hirst and the Metropolis. Therefore, in this magazine, designer wants the first front page to indicate the serious attitude about their researches and reports.
Moreover, the professional characteristics (history)and quality (practical) are the main point for the designer to present the typefaces as traditional and prestigious style. The section linkers on the left hand side and the “Rare Books” uses Georgia typeface also present they are important supporting Web sites. To readers, they find the Web site combines traditional and cultural contents.
However, the opposite typeface, which is sans-serifed Verdana font, presents a different style on the half bottom page. According to will-Harris (2003), “the font was not made for ‘style’ but for ‘function’”. Without the strokes at each end of the letters, the font looks simpleer. Sans-serif fonts appear to be more casual and informal than serifed ones. Therefore, readers can build a equal and friend attitude toward the website.
What the designer wants you to see and think about
While readers read the words as welcome and please take your time to browse around they can feel the friendly attitude from the Web designer. Moreover, there are some adjective words to show its strategy. The words relate to the ideology of consumerism, e.g., your own Family Tree, A collection of your favorite Ancestry links, Makes an ideal gift. ‘Your’ implies and encourage a person to own something by buying activity. ‘ideal’ implies that if the reader buy it as a gift, you will get respect from the receiver.
The visual elements of this page
The biggest size to attract the readers is a photograph of a tree on the grass, and it simply reflects the title of the magazine. Both the colour and the imagery show the theme of the magazine. First, the colour is not very bright, and looks like a fading picture. Second, the tree was photographed from a long distance. The authors in this magazine dig out all the information from the documents found by living people. The documents they study might be faded or worn out like the colour of the picture. More than that, the designer uses the single tree instead of trees to cooperate with the sentence on the picture “The worlds best selling British Genealogical publication”.
Another picture to attract the readers is some promoting products as books, magazines and certificates. They have completely different design of the colour and size from the tree one. They are more colourful and brighter which show modernize and delightful. The size of the books and magazines displaced in a big square which show they are reachable. Therefore, it is very clear that to attract the readers the designers want the readers to buy the books and magazines.
On the bottom of the website, the designers place a variety of credit card. They have colourful pictures which show readers the on-line payment is acceptable. There are two factors revealed by those payment icons. First, some cards can only be used in Europe as Pay Pal and Switch Solo. Second, the readers could be professionals or the rich elders who are interested in studying the subject. As can be seen that Master card is not own by normal workers.
The website features
The webpage is divided into many sections and each section has its link. The linking sections invit readers to explore. For example, Ebay.co.uk will lead you to the program which describe in the square below. Family blog gives you a writing space for editor and public readers. Different from its magazine, the webpage is simpler. Checking the magazine displaced in the new-book column, there are more pictures, and vivid and interesting explanations on the front pages. Comparing both the websites of the Time http://www.time.com/time/ and Family Tree Magazine and Practical Family History , the former is more lively and attractive than the latter.
The conclusion
To sum up, the typefaces are not only presented the academic and personal interests of the website, but also reveal the authors’ intention to build the authority and closeness with readers. Moreover, the visual elements show their identity and promotional products. Furthermore, the web features indicate readers a simple way to explore.
The reference list
Wysocki, A. F. (2003). The multiple media of Texts: How onscreen and paper texts incorporate words, images, and other media. In Introduction to 3D spatial visualization : an active approach / workbook (pp. 123-163) Clifton Park, N.Y. : Thomson/Delmar Learning
Time (2007, November 1). Retrieved from November 1, 2007 web site: http://www.time.com/time/
Family tree magazine and practical family history (2007, November 1). Retrieved November 1, 2007 from web site: http://www.family-tree.co.uk/
