top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008

By Pat Law • Dec 25th, 2008 • Category: Lead Story, The Digital Strategist

I began my search in the morning of Christmas eve for well designed blogs from Singapore that might make it into my beautiful-blogs list. After sniffing through my library for a good hour or so, the truth hit me hard like a Viagra-induced penis – we Singapore bloggers suck in blog design. FIVEFOOTWAY, Design Sojourn and Greenlaundry are worthy candidates but three heads hardly make a list.

Without wishing to compromise on my standards, in the same manner to how I adamantly refuse to watch a local movie in name of patriotism, I have expanded my search to include all international blogs. The list of blogs here share common traits in that they are clean, unique, and haven’t got a massive ass of a masthead of their faces that forces content to fall below the fold.

I appreciate simplicity. Clutter, caused by an overdose of advertisements irritates me as much as obnoxious teenagers. How much do you earn from those ugly boxes of banner ads promoting slimming? A couple of banners are harmless but 6 in a single page? It’s like female magazines these days. You’d need to flip to page 108 before you see the Editor’s note.

It is not to say that I think all local bloggers are visually handicapped. I’m sure there must be some local blogs that should make it into this list, which unfortunately, I’m unaware of. Do share with me, any local blogs you reckon is beautiful that satisfies the following criteria:

1 | Clean: Free from clutter, having the content as the hero.

2 | Unique: Surprise me the way Alex Buga has.

3 | Consistent: Bloggers who swing from Arial to Times Roman to Verdana in the same paragraph frighten me.

4 | Ease of Use: That big fat 600-pixel-in-height face that occupies 75% of the blog is both redundant and ridiculous.

Meanwhile, do check out the top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008, according to yours truly.

ALEX BUGA

This creative director from Bucharest, Romania, boldly calls himself a web design superstar. I disagree completely. Judging from his blog, I think he should be calling himself web design God. He has taken the visual concept of a blog to a whole new level. A definite must-view.  > view site

JESUS RODRIGUEZ VELASCO

Messy but in an organized manner. The content is structured logically and the search engine is just too cute. > view site

FORTUITOUS

In this instance, Matthew Haughey illustrates how one doesn’t need to try too hard to be beautiful. He pens so beautifully, his words become the best masterpieces one could find in the blogsphere. And that Startrek-like fading words is wicked. > view site

BEARSKINRUG

The promise of “harmonious unification of Design, Art and Lackluster Humor” cannot be delivered any better. > view site

AIALEX

The Update widget is sexy. The mouseover pop-up message is, for once, not irritating. And the social network buttons are too cute for words. And Alex certainly doesn’t look like your typical fugly geek. > view site

THE BIG NOOB

A great example of how you can mix serif and sans serif fonts, blue and green, into the same blog and still look fucking beautiful. Like men who can pull off wearing pink shirts with khakis. > view site

LOKESH DHAKAR

That nifty Lightbox javascript you see embedded in some websites that trigger off a pretty little pop-up? Lokesh’s the author. Who says geeks haven’t got taste? > view site

GOOD

Good is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward, as the blog says. I say it’s Wallpaper for good people. If only our traditional-media-turned-online-media publications have creativity of this standard. I adore this blog to bits. > view site

HYALINESKIES

I agree with what David Ogilvy said; copy is best read on white background with black text. But for Facebook’s product designer, Eston Bond, I’d make an exception. > view site

DANIEL MALL

I found myself reading nearly everything found on Daniel’s blog. His words draw me, like bees to honey. Annual reports should be laid out this way. > view site

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51 Responses »

  1. twittilicious (Delicious Popular) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  2. naldzgraphics (Ronald Bien) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    @kgrz: http://tinyurl.com/8omzss ten most beautiful blogs of 2008

  3. kgrz (kashyap) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    http://tinyurl.com/8omzss ten most beautiful blogs of 2008

  4. inerxia (Carlo) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    Un listado de blogs bonitos que s? son bonitos http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  5. Top10Virals (Top10Virals) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  6. hongviet (hongviet) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  7. teelook (teelook) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  8. cdny (craig) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    Top 10 most beautiful blogs of 2008 http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  9. testdeltwit (testdeltwit) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  10. luv_top10 (luv_top10) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    #luv Top 10 Most Beautiful Blogs of 2008 http://tinyurl.com/8omzss http://tinyurl.com/7ea7bv

  11. w3planting (w3planting) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    Top 10 Most Beautiful Blogs of 2008 http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  12. MatthewHardy (MatthewHardy) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  13. twittilicious (Delicious Popular) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  14. luv_top10 (luv_top10) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    #luv Top 10 Most Beautiful Blogs Of 2008: http://tinyurl.com/8omzss http://tinyurl.com/a8og8e

  15. eweqnet (Krum Nay) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    Top 10 Most Beautiful Blogs Of 2008: http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  16. konigi (Konigi) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    blankcanvas’ to 10 most beautiful blogs of 08: http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  17. TwitLinksRSS (TwitLinksRSS) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas: I began my search in the morning of Christmas eve for well de.. http://tinyurl.com/8omzss

  18. web3gr (web3gr) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008 | blankanvas http://is.gd/eqVC

  19. johnweiss (John Weiss) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    Top ten most beautiful blogs of 08′ – http://is.gd/eqVC

  20. Polledemaagt (Polle de Maagt) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    @imkedielen http://bit.ly/imE7 amazing post, amazing blog, horrible plugin

  21. Mossman (Jon Moss) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    Some beautiful blog designs http://bit.ly/imE7

  22. jlcoassin (Julie-Laure Coassin) on September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 pm:

    top ten most beautiful blogs of 2008: http://bit.ly/imE7

  23. vickiho on December 25th, 2008 at 1:32 pm:

    totally sweet list. thanks!

  24. Pat Law™ on December 25th, 2008 at 1:41 pm:

    Pleasure’s all mine!

  25. ppmartin on December 27th, 2008 at 5:36 am:

    Very interesting selection. Thanks for highlighting those well designed sites.

  26. aubrey on December 30th, 2008 at 11:35 am:

    nice list! i hope that i can make it someday to this list and be placed rightly under the section of singaporean blogs with great design.

    now if only I can find my idiot’s guide to css book somewhere….

    love your site by the way!!

  27. Adib on December 31st, 2008 at 11:26 am:

    Hey Pat, thanks for mentioning FIVEFOOTWAY in the post:) ( Although we didn’t make it to your top 10 but seriously, i don’t think we deserve to be either)

    I TOTALLY agree with the adverts thing and also it being clutter free. And great list too!
    Anyway, I recently rebuilt my personal blog.. do take a look yah?:) http://misterdibster.com

    Have a great 2009!!

  28. Arup Deb on January 3rd, 2009 at 1:29 am:

    Hello Pat,
    I am probably your newest visitor and trust me I would be the regular one, from now on. Keep it up. Great work!

  29. Freakin on January 3rd, 2009 at 1:33 am:

    Wow that guy is a God. His site is really unique.

  30. Gerald Adams on January 3rd, 2009 at 1:43 am:

    Great list – thanks for publishing it. Happy New Year.
    ~gerald

  31. Memarie Lane on January 3rd, 2009 at 2:41 am:

    My favorite design is at http://islandlife808.com/. Personally my blog breaks several of your ideals, but I’m okay with that. I’m far too disorganized and stylistically challenged to aspire to such greatness.

  32. michael on January 3rd, 2009 at 3:32 am:

    you have a VERY different idea of “beautiful” than I do…..

  33. Pat Law™ on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:50 am:

    To have the great ppmartin bless blankanvas with a comment here, is a great honour. Thanks!

  34. Pat Law™ on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:51 am:

    Hello aubrey. Try googling “free CSS book” and I promise you’d be pleasantly surprised what you’d find.

  35. Pat Law™ on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:53 am:

    Hey Adib! Happy New Year! Thanks for swinging by my blog. Your personal blog is absolutely gorgeous. I’m a stickler for mono tones. Well done.

  36. Pat Law™ on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:54 am:

    *sniff*

    Thanks heaps, Arup. Stay tune for my new materials coming up next week. And spread the love like a virus would you?

  37. Pat Law™ on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:58 am:

    Hey Memarie Lane, thanks for sharing An Island Life with us. The color combination makes me queasy to be honest. Why do you like it again?

  38. Pat Law™ on January 3rd, 2009 at 11:59 am:

    Hi michael. Define beautiful then. ;)

  39. Jon M on January 3rd, 2009 at 5:54 pm:

    A great selection of blogs – thanks for posting – off for a good look at them all now :-)

  40. Ace on January 4th, 2009 at 8:42 pm:

    Liked your blog. I’m partial to the first two. The first is more of my style.

  41. --Chad on January 5th, 2009 at 1:57 am:

    Great finds. Those definitely up the bar. Now it’s back to the drawing board. Thanks.

  42. snuf on January 6th, 2009 at 2:14 am:

    “The mouseover pop-up message is, for once, not irritating.” The same cannot be said about this site. And what’s up with the tiny font in the comments text field?

    Nice entry, though!

  43. Pat Law™ on January 10th, 2009 at 12:43 pm:

    Hey snuf, how small is the comments text field font for you? Do you mind capturing a screenshot for me? I’m using a Mac and Firefox, so I’m wary the font size differs from OSes/ browsers to another.

  44. jason kenny on January 16th, 2009 at 2:00 pm:

    Nice writing. You are on my RSS reader now so I can read more from you down the road.
    Jason Kenny

  45. Chuck on January 18th, 2009 at 10:58 am:

    This was a great list. Not only did I enjoy it myself, but forwarded it to a graphic designer friend. The web is so huge…it’s great to have someone pointing out some of the best stuff they’ve seen. Really loved #1, #2 and #4. Thanks!

  46. Karyat on January 18th, 2009 at 1:12 pm:

    I feel lucky to visit this great site. Keep going….

  47. Pat Law™ on January 18th, 2009 at 6:16 pm:

    You’re very much welcome, Chuck! I’m glad you enjoyed the list.

  48. Nick Hand on January 20th, 2009 at 5:41 am:

    I’d appreciate your thoughts/comments on my blog design if you get some time, I appreciate your thoughts on JustMyThoughts, thanks!!

  49. laura on January 21st, 2009 at 4:40 am:

    This is a super collection. Thanks for sharing it with us. You make people get addicted to your blog.

  50. Nick on January 25th, 2009 at 3:43 am:

    Great list, love it

  51. lusily on March 26th, 2009 at 9:46 pm:

    Great list, love it very much,if you have time,welcome to my blogs http://www.any-bag.com

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