Ian James Cox - Interactive designer in web and print

The current state of CSS galleries 0

Filed in Code / Design

I Stumbled across something interesting today, It even stirred me enough to make a blog post. CSS gallery showcase Unmatchedstyle have come up with a video podcast critiquing some of the websites they have featured. Its 8 minutes long and they get through 4 websites. Credit to the Unmatchedstyle team for trying to do something different in a market that is giving birth to identical offspring every day. I suspect the keyword “CSS” and “Gallery” throws a million results on google.

It all started with...

I remember about 6 years ago when CSSvault pretty much ruled the ship. It was the type of gallery site that stuck to its principles and gained trust from its readers. Scrivs was the guy behind it all, he went on to create 9rules, a blogging network containing content from independent authors. Anyhow CSSvault was the inspiration for all the other gallery websites. This was just when CSS was getting big with the “Divs not Tables” bandwagon. Scrivs sold the site for a 5 figure sum, that spurred on the wannabes even more.

Then came along...

Predictably, CSSvault lost its appeal and trust. The new owner re-designed, slowly it blurred like the rest. Content driven Newcomer Stylegala began to push to the front, once again gaining trust. For a good time Stylegala ruled the waves. However, Stylegala was sold and once again began the demise, lost in the money hungry fog of shit. Huh!

Innovation

Its not all completely bad. Smart people can see potential. Such as creating this tool. CSS gallery list lets you input your site info just once and submits it to most of the gallery websites. Just take a look at that list of gallery website names. How many more names could go with CSS? How about CSScopy or CSSheep?

The Future

CSS Galleries make up a huge amount of incoming traffic, specially for designers / design bloggers. When you build a new website, as a designer, that your proud off, you want as many people to see it. The gallery websites are the perfect platform. For designers, the Galleries are an essential marketing tool, that we can’t live without. We just need more people like the UnmatchedStyle team pushing on to be the next captain of the ship.  Pushing on to be trusted and maybe inspiring the next wave.....