Using textures in websites can be a great way to add accents to your design. Sometimes we find in the design process that there is just something missing from the overall look and feel of the design. When there is already enough content and you simply do not want to busy up the environment, a great thing to experiment with is texture! Whether it be the background, or the main navigation, there is always a way to implement something with style!

For Example:

Say you have a holistic medicine website. You have all the right colors, the right content and plenty of it! You have your navigation with perfect contrast to the layout. You even have a nice large call to action with some vibrant colorful images…. Yet something is missing! Here is the perfect place to experiment with some textures.

Unless you have a goal in mind, start with the background. Try to associate related textures with the theme. For instance, you could try leaves or something similar to the product labels. For a storage facility website you could try using the garage doors from the container units or the surface of a pad lock. Try to pick the most memorable textures related specifically to your content. You will be surprised at how well it can make the rest of the site pop at times. Next, try the main section where you would like users to interact. Try the logo or any main images. I have found fractals muted to brink of visibility works really well as the backdrop for headers or calls to action that have too much void space.

There are different ways to think about the texture image itself as well. Do you want to change an existing surface? Would you like just the outlining edges to be textured or ripped? There are many ways to apply textures to our designs, the key is being tasteful!

Texture can be used simply to accent something, or to add a realistic character that brings it to a higher standard of design. It is a perfect solution to many designs looking for a little something extra. You can base it on the importance of location, or simply Something with Texture!

Here are some of the sources you can try out:

• Creating custom patterns in programs like Adobe Photoshop.
• Scanning colored or textured paper.
• Images of fabric or a textile.
• Images of liquids and glossy surfaces.
• Video clips of moving textures.
• Images of stone or earth.
• Images of natural wood or composites.

Here are some links that might help:

• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/01/07/textures-in-modern-web-design/
• http://zentextures.com/
• http://www.squidfingers.com/
• http://www.cgtextures.com/
• http://textures.forrest.cz/