design3

Imagery
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Is it interesting?
Although it’s important to maintain a connection between the visual elements of a design and
its content, you should avoid always making it priority number one. The problem with looking
for relevant imagery is that we often become caught in the trap of being too literal. And when
it comes to choosing images, the land of literal is where all clichés are born.
If you were designing a website for a Tex-Mex restaurant, what type of image would you immediately
choose? I think my gut instinct would be “happy people eating nachos.” This is definitely
not an image you’ll find on the Tijuana Flats 2 website in Figure 5.3. Instead, you’re treated to
an atmosphere that’s completely unexpected—an old fashioned arcade game turned into a
website interface. The concept is ingenious, with the arcade buttons as social media buttons,
and the careers link in the top left is a ticket that actually slides out of the slot when you hover
over it. The restaurant's promotions and important information are displayed on the game
screen. The entire design has a retro video game vibe that just works, while being thematically
irrelevant to a Tex-Mex restaurant.
Figure 5.3. Tijuana Flats breaks the mold of convention
Is it appealing?
Images that are aesthetically or emotionally appealing can be a very efficient hook for attention
and emphasis. The issue is that beauty and attractiveness are different for everyone. Depending
on the subject matter and target audience of the site you’re designing, an appealing image might
be a portrait of a mother and her child, a panoramic cityscape, or an adorable cartoon mascot.
Appealing images are especially important for sites dealing with restaurants, recipes, and catering.
If the food seen on the website fails to make your mouth water, customers will avoid eating,
2 http://www.tijuanaflats.com/