Web design is a serious business so it is nice to come across some humour now and again. Sure as designers and developers we generally enjoy our work but I don’t think there is enough comedy in the web design and development industries these days so I decided to do some research and see what is currently out there.
This is a look at the lighter side of web design, if you spot anything you find funny that isn’t here, please let us know in the comments.
Web Design Comics
Online web comics are a great way to kill a few minutes when bored or if you’re just in the need of a laugh. Here are a few web design related ones:
The Brads
The Brads is definitely one of the best comics on the web.
OK/Cancel
OK/Cancel is a comic focused on interface design.
Kopozky
Freelance Freedom
A comic based around the life of a freelance designer.
Business Guys on Business Trips
Very simplistic drawing style but points out surprisingly accurate scenarios. Good for a chuckle.
Funny 404 Pages
Error messages are usually boring, lifeless pages. Users get frustrated by errors so a good way to reduce a user’s frustration is to make the the 404 error page more interesting with the aid of comedy.
Design Bump
Design Bump’s 404 page lists 101 funny ways to annoy people. Almost makes you glad that you found a missing page!
Astuteo
A nice visual design of a simple Simpson’s reference. (Talking of Simpson’s references, I’ve sneaked one in a few places. If you spot it, let me know in the comments!)
Frye / Wiles
Illustration as a way of indicating a 404 error.
Tee Times
Tee Times, a golf related site, have used a golfing term as a pun for their 404 page.
Dawdle
Dawdle is a site for buying and selling video games so they’ve used a classic scene from Mario as their 404 page.
Client Quotes
Clients asking about design related issues can often, unintentionally, come up with pure comedy gold.
Here is one request I’ve had:
“Can we use a lighter shade of black?”
So you mean grey? I was tempted to ask if they wanted a darker shade of white too… Luckily it was in writing because I couldn’t help myself from laughing!
Another classic a designer friend told me about:
“Can you use a warmer blue?”
If you’re looking for more classic client quotes, head over to Clientcopia. If you have any of your own, share them in the comments.
Other
10 things a web designer would never tell you
A tongue-in-cheek article based on a very entertaining presentation by Paul Boag.
You Suck at Photoshop
Hilarious series of Photoshop tutorials hosted by Donnie Hoyle.
Save IE6
A reversal of all the campaigns attempting to discourage the use of IE6.
IE6 denial message for Momentile.com
We all know the pain of designing and developing for IE6 so this comic should make you smile.
Even more:
- Graphic Designer’s Judgment Clouded By Desire To Use New Photoshop Plug-In
- 10 Signs You May Have Webular Standarditis
- Yapoo GeoShities
One more funny web thing – funny page 404 idea
I always love seeing the 404 pages.
The super funny http://pcweenies.com/ is a strip about geeks and people who tolerate em..
Great post. I got a laugh when I saw Chris Harrison’s 404: http://cdharrison.com/404 (think Idiocracy)
That’s a Simpsons reference?? I don’t see it.
Added CSSquirrel to the comics after suggested by Ben.
I’ve seen some really funny 404 error pages out there these days. They are nice …….in fact quite interesting…..but don’t you think that it’s like taking too much pain for just a 404 document!! Anyways I really liked the 404 page of Dawdle.
Nice, always nice to take a break from being so serious!
Our designer came up with an amusing graphic for the home page– a statement on the average web user’s attention span.
These are cool funny error 404 page collection. =)
Follow Chuck Norris the Web Designer on Twitter. There are some interesting facts about him there. twitter.com/chucknorrisweb
NICE funny post.
fun is everywhere…..