Understated “less-is-more” approach to type selection informed by contemplative graphic produces ageless design: CSS ties it all together.

Increasingly, cascading style sheets (CSS) are becoming the guiding path for web design both strong and subtle, and for good reason; in one set of specifications can the styles and appearances of an entire site be altered. The CSS Zen Garden is a site devoted to demonstrating the power and flexibility that well-tempered CSS can provide to web and graphic designers.

In the case of Ryan Sims, the photograph (see illustration) provided the insipration for a CSS theme called “[1] Oceans Apart“. The soothing ocean scene informed a choice of color palette and type that indeed seems to transcend fashion and fad.

[2] This story at CreativePro.com offers a link to a PDF excerpt from the book The Zen of CSS Design that shows the path to typographical enlightenment. The emphasis is on typography but there are valuable insights about solid and creative web design which should prove the value of CSS knowledge.

(Via CreativePro.com)