Showcase of Watercolor Effects in Web Design

Web design is an eclectic industry with a wide range of creative professionals with all sorts of backgrounds. Some of them are very artistic backgrounds. This is evident by the number of design elements that fill the web and that are in use which are rooted in other arts. Elements that are meant to replicate those artistic mediums and transfer them into the digital realm.

Today we are looking at a showcase of web designs that have all included some watercolor effects with inspiring effectiveness. Below we have taken some screencaps and included some of the ways these fantastic designers have brought this ‘mixed media’ feel to their designs and the web audiences interacting with them.

Watercolor Effects in Web Design

Fabien Barral’s site uses a slight stained watercolor texture in the background is subtly employed to add a bit of richness to the header. The arrows also carry a light bit of watercolor texturing, allowing them to stand out a bit more. With the site layout being so clean and sharp, the watercolor effects add a nice bit of balance here.

XHTML Cafe fully commits to the whole mixed media look with their colorfully illustrated header that captures the look of a pen and watercolor drawing perfectly. Giving the site a whimsical feel, the watercolor effects work flawlessly to help sell this tone to the user.

Football Made in Africa uses bold, in your face watercolor effects all throughout the design with stunning results. Watercolors are not often the first thing that comes to mind when going for the grunge design approach, but as we see here, it can be done with a hard edge that works fabulously to that end.

Moonbeam Illustrations has a wonderfully, and deeply textured site, that features splashes of watercolor works and effects in various fashion throughout. All of these elements come together to create a fantastic layered constructed feel to the design.

Small White Bear blends watercolor textures and cute illustrated iconography and imagery to help bring a serious issue to the forefront with a design that tugs gently at the heartstrings. The subtle watercolor effects adding dashes of color and depth to the site.

Antonio Rozco’s site is another fine example of watercolor effects being used to help create a grungy look for the site. Done very artistically, including the canvas like textured background, the design ties all of the elements together beautifully. The watercolors acting as a nice highlight to the rest.

Jacksonville Artwalk uses a mass of layered watercolor effects to create a colorfully muddied focal point to allow their massive header to display against the large image behind it. With the nature of the site being what it is, this perfectly compliments and accents the group’s mission and purpose.

Pupa has dozens of illustrated children gathered in interest sitting on the floor for the design, all of which have watercolor-esque fills to give the site a welcoming and playful appearance. Overall, while subtle, the effects brilliantly compliment the feel of the site, and give it that finishing touch of a mixed media illustration.

The Happy Time Cafe has a beautifully designed interface that uses a multi-color watercolor wash behind the elements in the header and footer (and more). Each element also has the look and feel of a watercolor painting. Working well with the canvas texturing beneath it, the site has the feel of an actual painting versus a digital rendering of a painting.

Olszanska is one of the first sites that we have come to where the watercolor effects are used more for highlights than as texture or background. With these subtle inclusions, the site takes on a bit more grunge to mix with the other elements working in that tone through the design. Nicely accented.

Francesco Mugnai’s design uses multiple instances of watercolor effects to compile and complete a very technically sound and stunning illustration for the site’s header. As both background and fills, the site’s watercolor-esque design has the perfect blend of a hard grunge edge and soft artistic heart that makes it an easy feature in this showcase.

Klinkov’s site design takes on a much more minimalistic approach than most of the ones we have featured thus far, but the watercolor painted effects help to give the whitespace it encroaches upon a nice bit of texture and personality. Given that the site is home to a painter, this is no mistake.

World Snowboard Day 2007 was marked with this stunningly detailed and layered design filled with rich watercolor textures and effects throughout. While the site does have music that plays without bidding or warning, the design itself was too breathtaking not to feature.

Simple Living Style uses some wonderful watercolor effects throughout the design to create a very simply style that is both charming and welcoming. The soft colors and watercolor texturing work harmoniously to envelope the user in a warm, cozy blanket of visual comfort.

Lucuma has a design with a ‘painted’ background filled with watercolor-like brush strokes to give the design some texture and a few extra touches of soft grunge. Overall, while simple, it works extremely well to sell the tone the site carries.

Giancarlo Fajardo has a gorgeous header that is perfectly accentuated with splashes of watercolor texturing and patterns. The overly artistic design encapsulates an imaginative nature that users will immediately tie to the one behind it.

Erguvan Platin does so many things right with this effective and engaging design, that simply highlighting the brilliant use of watercolor textures deployed in the background seems a bit of a short sell. But the stunning way they are used, is just one of the many reasons this site is worth a look.

That brings us to the end of this showcase. What were some of your favorites featured? What other sites that use watercolor effects have caught your attention around the web? Leave us your thoughts below.

About the Author:

Artem Minayev, Brand Manager at Webhostinghub.com – helping you to get online in minutes. Visit our Education Channels and Community Support pages to find answers to your questions. Follow us on Twitter.