At Cider House Media, we’ve had the privilege of working with many remarkable clients over the years. But few projects have touched our hearts and ignited our creativity quite like the custom web design we crafted for the legendary children’s book author and illustrator, Eric Carle. Today, we’re excited to share the story of how we transformed Eric Carle’s digital presence, honoring his artistic legacy while creating a user-friendly, responsive website that continues to delight fans of all ages.
When Eric Carle’s team approached us, we were immediately humbled by the opportunity to work with such an influential figure in children’s literature. The existing website, built prior to 2010 using Dreamweaver, was no longer meeting the needs of Carle’s vast and diverse audience. It lacked responsiveness, was challenging to navigate, and didn’t fully capture the whimsical spirit of Carle’s beloved books and characters.
To truly appreciate the scope of the challenge we faced, let’s take a look at the original Eric Carle website:
One of the most glaring issues was the absence of a site header and sitewide navigation. This made it difficult for visitors to move between different sections of the website, often leaving them feeling lost or unable to find the information they were seeking. The outdated structure not only hindered user experience but also failed to showcase the breadth of Eric Carle’s work and resources effectively.
Lennie, our creative director, recalls his first impression of the old site: “When I saw the lack of consistent navigation, I immediately understood why users were struggling. It was like trying to read a book with no table of contents or page numbers. We knew right away that creating an intuitive navigation system would be key to transforming the user experience.”
Our mission was clear: create a WordPress web design that would not only showcase Eric Carle’s incredible body of work but also provide an intuitive, engaging experience for visitors of all ages. We needed to strike a delicate balance between honoring Carle’s artistic vision and implementing modern web design principles, starting with a robust, user-friendly navigation system.
Here’s a preview of what we achieved:
The reimagined Eric Carle website: A responsive WordPress design that brings Carle’s colorful world to life across all devices, featuring intuitive navigation and interactive elements that engage visitors of all ages.
This transformation represents more than just a visual upgrade. It’s a complete reimagining of how users interact with Eric Carle’s digital presence, ensuring that the wonder and creativity of his work shines through on every device and every page. In the following sections, we’ll delve into how we brought this vision to life, creating a website that truly captures the essence of Eric Carle’s artistry and legacy.
To truly understand the essence of Eric Carle’s work, we knew we needed to go beyond simply viewing his books. We were fortunate enough to visit the Eric Carle offices, where we were surrounded by a treasure trove of inspiration. Original artworks adorned the walls, and shelves were lined with an array of licensed products featuring Carle’s iconic characters and designs.
This immersive experience was invaluable. It allowed us to soak in the textures, colors, and spirit of Carle’s art, giving us a deeper appreciation for the tactile nature of his tissue paper collage technique. We left the office brimming with ideas and a renewed sense of purpose for our custom web design project.
Lennie, our creative director, recalls the visit vividly: “Walking into Eric Carle’s office was like stepping into the pages of one of his books. The colors, the textures, the sheer creativity surrounding us – it was overwhelming in the best possible way. I remember thinking, ‘This is what we need to capture on the website. This sense of wonder and discovery.'”
Lennie shares, “One of our biggest ‘aha’ moments was when we realized we could use the tissue paper textures as loading animations. It was this perfect blend of staying true to Eric’s art while embracing modern web design techniques. That’s when I knew we were onto something special.”
Key features of the new website include:
Perhaps most importantly, the website now serves as a living tribute to Eric Carle’s enduring impact on children’s literature and art. It’s a place where new generations can discover his work and where long-time fans can deepen their appreciation.
Reflecting on the project, Lennie says, “Working on Eric Carle’s website was more than just another web design job. It was about preserving and sharing a legacy. Every color choice, every animation, every piece of content was crafted with the same care and attention to detail that Eric put into his books. It was challenging, but incredibly rewarding.”
The Eric Carle website project exemplifies what’s possible when custom web design meets WordPress flexibility. It’s a testament to the power of understanding and translating a client’s vision into a digital experience that resonates with their audience.
At Cider House Media, we approach every project with this same level of dedication and creativity. Whether you’re an iconic artist or a local small business, we believe your website should be as unique and engaging as your brand.
Are you ready to bring your vision to life online? Let’s create something beautiful together. Contact Cider House Media today to discuss your custom WordPress web design project.
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