how do i design a nice button? which can attract the customer?

ehh... i think it depends on customer

Do you mean a button for navigation, or a button for a link?

Xara has some good software for that.

Dave

both also.....
xara?

Usually we don’t design nav buttons separately. They simply should fit the design of a web-site. A button may be very nice and attractive, but if it doesn’t fit the entire design it will spoil everything…

As for buttons for links… Many people prefer no buttons at all
just the URL if is goes in a text…

Any other suggestions?

Originally posted by E-Z TechWeb
Usually we don’t design nav buttons separately. They simply should fit the design of a web-site. A button may be very nice and attractive, but if it doesn’t fit the entire design it will spoil everything…

I agree that they need to fit the design. I have seen sites where the buttons seemed like they were the main design and it ruined the look of the site. However, unless you're using a template, you will have to design your own buttons for navigation, whatever type you may use. Just don't overwhelm your design with your buttons.

Xara has an online service and software for designing buttons, banners, etc. You may want to check them out. There are lots of others on the internet, too, but that's one that I've used in the past.

Dave

Keep it simple, stupid.

This fundamental rule makes all buttons better. You may also want to try something like coolmenus http://www.dhtmlcentral.com/projects/coolmenus/ for swanky pulldown menus that are simple, elegant, and work well.

Big, Gaudy, Overbeveled, Drop Shadowed, Outerglow, Elizibeth Taylor's makeup artist from hell type buttons do tend to make most users violently ill.

I agree that plain text makes an awful nice button.

Keep it simple, stupid.
This fundamental rule makes all buttons better.

A very good and reasonable rule
Huge, pretentious will only spoil everything.

I agree. It is usally an expereince thing. It seems like greenhorn designers tend to over do everything. Beginners tend to use a lot of shadows (hopefully the light source is the same for each at least), bevels, colors and other flambpoyant "LOOK AT ME, I GOT PHOTOSHOP" type effects.

As the web designer gains more experience and ripens with age, the look gets classier and classier. Kinda like the Difference between drinking a 1990 Chateau La Tour versus a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20. Both will get you drunk, but only one with satiate your deep, depraved, Dionysian desires.

I thought I'd just add this little blurb, since it works very well for me. I usually prefer to just use text and fancypants CSS to make rollover buttons, but sometimes the client wants the buttons in a specific font which is unlikely to appear on any user's local machine. When this is the case, you have to go .gif or .png or .jpg depending on how much coffee you've had.

To design graphical buttons I do this: (You'll need photoshop 5+ and about 10 mins)

1. create a blank (transparent) photoshop file, name it buttons.

2. Create the text for each button, each on its own layer.

3. Use snapping and guides to make sure the buttons all line up.

4. Use "Duplicate layer" to duplicate each button layer.

5. Apply a layer style to the 1st duplicate that indicates the button's over state (this can be as simple or as crazy as you'd like)

6. Copy Layer Style

7. Paste layer style to each duplicate layer.

8. Make all but one layer invisible, save the layer for web, and go to the next. use "-o" in the filename to indicate over state buttons.

9. Save the layered photoshop file in case you have to go back and create new buttons.

10. Bill your client exorbitantly

11. Teach me how to spell.

Hope this helps!