You know that book you picked up the other day, the New York Times Best-seller with the black pages and the red type inside? Oh, wait, no, maybe it was navy blue pages and black type. Or red background and pink type.
No? You don't remember that book? Well, may I suggest to you that it's because the publishing industry kinda knows what works and what doesn't work, visually speaking. And they know that as boring as it is, the easiest format on the human eyes is a light background and black type. Like, say black on white ... or buff ... or ivory.
People of the Blogiverse: please take note.
I know you want to be creative, and I know you want your blog to look good. We all do, dear. But what good is it if people think "Nice looking blog - damn, I wish I could read it."?
It's not JUST that I'm old, although that certainly might be weighing into it. But honestly, sometimes I have to squint to read your blog - especially if there is glare on the screen. And when that happens, as often as not, I'll just move to the next blog on my list. Maybe you had a great post that day, maybe not. I'll never know. And if I, who love your stuff, am moving on, how many others who are visiting for the first time are saying "Yoiks - (s)he's not worth the migraine."?
Look at the blogs you love. I would guess that most, if not all of them are black on light. Look at the blogs and sites designed by pros. Black on light. Feel the pattern, baby.
Look, I respect your creative urges. But I respectfully suggest you channel them into your writing (which is wonderful, or else I wouldn't be there), or your photography (which, ditto). Eschew creativity in backgrounds, font colour, or the font itself.
I look like crap when I squint. And I'm homely enough to start.
Spare us all. Thank you.
squinting with colour issues? Yup--I've had that issue meself on occasion and almost had that prob with my blog, but it's better now.
Posted by: Effie | April 26, 2006 at 12:24 PM
Absolutely agree with you. Light background and dark font are the easiest to read and basically, blogs with such layouts are the only ones I follow. The ones with pink background and yellow font color are too hard to read and I just have to skip them, because I squint enough when I read my own handwriting... online I expect everything I read to be distincty displayed on my monitor.
Posted by: Mad Maggot | April 26, 2006 at 03:46 PM
(raises hand guiltily)
Now if I had more knowledge of code and creating a template this would be an easy task...I,though, am what you might refer to as a Techno-Retard. I can copy code, do little modifications and that's all she wrote. I will try to mess with it.
Otherwise I can post in EXTRA LARGE FONT for you! ;) (kidding, kidding...please don't throw that book with the nice white pages and dark font at me!!!)
Posted by: The Kept Woman | April 26, 2006 at 04:24 PM
Oh, TKW .. you're safe from the book-throwing. And hey, I'll never identify anyone specifically, but if you want to raise your hand, feel free.
I understand it's tough when you don't know code. God, if only we *coughKristinecough* knew someone who had a reputation *coughKristinecough* for pimping blogs ... you'd think this would be a simple job for someone with that talent ...
Posted by: Nils | April 26, 2006 at 04:58 PM
Oh dear. I think I heard my name called. Sort of.
Posted by: wordgirl | April 26, 2006 at 05:10 PM
*whistles breezily*
Posted by: Nils | April 26, 2006 at 06:46 PM
allright already!! I can take a hint - I thought white text on black was easy to read?
Posted by: whfropera | April 26, 2006 at 06:57 PM
*whistles Nessun Dorma breezily*
Posted by: Nils | April 26, 2006 at 07:10 PM
you've got to stop reading those teenaged xanga and myspace blogs. (g)
Posted by: Laura | April 26, 2006 at 08:02 PM
I've seen a few light background with even lighter font. Cant read it at all.
Posted by: Dawn | April 26, 2006 at 09:33 PM
My blog is one of the regular templates in blogger. It's a dark gray on white. How is that to read.
Bucky volunteered to do up a special one for me. The main reason I'd like a new one is so that I can post my pictures in, at least, the Flickr medium size. The postage stamp size that I use now doesn't show much detail.
Maybe now that Bucky's getting settled in I'll work with her on it. But it will be dark font on a light background.
Posted by: Squirl | April 26, 2006 at 09:39 PM
so you're telling me to go without sleep to design a new blog template?
although the Princess part of it is rather appropriate - I don't hear that enough every day!
Posted by: whfropera | April 26, 2006 at 10:32 PM
Hehehe WTF ... and everybody else is going "Wha'? Huh?" Not many who catch operatic references anymore. more's the pity.
Squirl, yours in not at all hard to read - you call it a grey, but your font looks plenty dark enough to me.
And Laura, dear Laura ... I've heard about this MySpace thing and Xanga ... but of course, they're dominated by children. I prefer to spend my time with people who are older ...
Posted by: Nils | April 27, 2006 at 12:18 AM
My eyes DEFINITELY prefer dark text on light background, though I don't have too much trouble with white text on a black b'ground either.
When I restyle my crib, the one factor that never, ever changes is the black text on white background for the text of the posts themselves, in Arial font. If I can read it painlessly with my lousy eyes, I think it should be pretty viewable by anyone else who drops by.
Posted by: Bucky Four-Eyes | April 27, 2006 at 12:47 AM
I think we should all listen to Bucky. She's all about going easy on the eyes.
Posted by: Nils | April 27, 2006 at 08:28 AM
I can't do anything with mine (know nothing about computers AT ALL) and used the most lame boring thingy I could see. I don't even know how to add my photo to my profile, or add links or fave blogs on the side or anything. *sniff* My husband could help me, if I ever remembered to ask him for help.
Let me go ask him now, before I forget. Amanda B opened my eyes to the fact that I may have ADD, do you remember?? I have so many things going on at once!
Maybe that is another reason my blog is so plain...my life is not!! I need simple on some level at least.
Have a great day!
Posted by: laura | April 27, 2006 at 12:09 PM
I have mine super-plain for readability and fast download.
Posted by: Closet Metro | April 27, 2006 at 09:59 PM
One of my pet peeves is having the latest Comment be at the top of the page and the first is at the bottom.
It means that a response to previous seems out of order for the natural inclination to scroll down to read the good stuff.
Posted by: MrsDoF | April 28, 2006 at 03:45 PM
Thank you, Nils, for this blogger service announcement.
Posted by: William | April 28, 2006 at 04:00 PM
Dude... I just wanted to tell you I finally watched American Idol, but now I'm feeling totally self-conscious and inadequate as a blogger.
*rushes off to check readability factor*
Posted by: cat | April 28, 2006 at 07:54 PM
Cat's being too modest. Her AI recaps are brilliant.
Posted by: Nils | April 28, 2006 at 11:03 PM
THANK YOU! I have been wanting to leave some people a message and ask them if THEY ever look at their own blog.
You just made me check my blog. Am now debating a background change....
Posted by: Tanya | May 06, 2006 at 09:25 AM
That was so funny. I'm no sure why no one has made this statement before. As someone who has worn glasses since second grade, my vision just gets worse and worse reading blogs every day. I think I smell a discrimination lawsuit against the blogosphere (by those over-35 with lousy vision) concerning all those tiny fonts and red lettering on green backgrounds.
Posted by: Neil | May 10, 2006 at 01:10 PM