Web 2.0 is all around us. It even made it into a visual style. I don't happen to like it very much, which is a real bummer.

I will leave the exact details of my aversion to rot for another post, but suffice to say that I wasn't going to be happy with the standard Web 2.0 diagonal background lines / rounded corners / gradient background colors design. With all respect to the more than intelligently written content on some blogs, but arriving on one of those empty, out of the box designs leaves me pretty uninterested in what someone has to say.

Now, wanting a personalized, appealing design is very easy. Getting one made is a lot harder. I myself handle html and css. Some javascript if needed and when the world is ready to crash in on itself I can program a simple "Hello World" for comedic effect. I have my private pool of creativity which I almost solemnly use to solve problems. I don't create things.

But I got lucky, as I always do. I had one lead which proved to be a good one. Øyvind Sørøy is a net friend I've known for many years now. We shared a common interest in Japanese animation and evolved from there. His skills as an artist improved greatly over the years and he developed a distinct style, which I quite like. Even more appealing was his recent interest and expertise in web design. Having a designer that is familiar with the semantic web is worth gold.

I really like the final result. It's pretty black and I'm sure not everyone will be pleased with that. It's rather likely to divide opinions which in my book is always a good thing when it comes to taste related things. The result turned out to be something that looks modern enough and doesn't fall into a typical web design trend. Even more important, it doesn't really bore without falling into the trap of becoming a non-design. For me it's a definite mission accomplished.

I still can't quite believe he accepted the task to design my blog as a favor, when he had plenty of other work to do. Especially because I can be a regular nuisance when it comes to naggy little details. This blog would never have been made if he had declined, though I never really told him that. Thanks a billion.

And for those interested, Mr Sørøy has a site of his own to show off his visual skills. You can marvel at his artwork there. Happy browsing.