11 Most Creative Loading bar Designs
“There are too many elements on most web pages to affix or align each one to the baseline grid. Doing so would require a mathematical rigor that, if it can be achieved, might produce rationally exact measurements and placements but will most likely be something less than elegant. The result would be a design driven by math, rather than a design that uses math to create an elegant product.”
– Khoi Vinh
Progress bars are a part of our life whether we like it or not. So why not make something out of it? Well you aren’t the only one that asked this question – designers all over the world stumbled upon this too and made your waiting time a little bit less annoying that it really is. Lets scroll down and see what they have come up with. Here is our list of 11 most creative loading bar designs.
1. Progress Bar by Joshua Sortino
Sortino did this as a redesign for the signup phase for publishers on Disqus. Whenever the user completes a step, the progress bar moves a little bit. It is a nice way to interact with your users, and tell them how much work they have done, and how much they are facing. We all know that we dread signing up on different websites – How much is it going to take? What is it going to ask me? I got to run in 5 minutes, do I have the time to finish this?
2. Installing by Jason Perez
Cycling through the installing phase. Ow, how much would we love if this were actual reality. I mean, yeah it takes the waiting off of your shoulders, for a little bit – just look at the cyclist go, having the time of his life, with mountains glazing his view, no problem in the world, no deadline to keep him up at night, no stress that he hasn’t received his weekly e-mail telling him what he is supposed to do. You know, the usual stuff.
3. Gun Status by Nick Mealy
Ok, so what is going to happen when the gun is loaded? Are we going on a rampage? Rampage of getting all the work done in one night? Rampage of killing that work schedule like the professional you are? It would be really awesome if at the point of 100% the gun would fire all of its shots directly at you – also setting off some SFX to wake you up.
4. Deadline Progress Bar
This is unsettling. Not because I am in a constant panic of deadlines rushing up on me, but because I am in a constant panic of deadlines rushing up on me – who am I even kidding? I hate this progress bar with a passion, but hey, it is indeed a good looking and creative progress bar, I cant at least give it that.
5. Progress Bar by Jekaterina
So if I wait long enough, those eggs in my refrigerator will cook themselves and I won’t starve to death? Ow gosh, thank you so much Jekaterina. I was planning on actually trying to make myself some food. In all fairness, it is really a great and creative design what you managed to create. Kudos to you for thinking out of the box.
6. The Death of a Progress Bar
The Death of a progress bar or The Death of you? Smoking kills, and I am glad I had the guts to give it up. It is no easy task, i can tell you that – you will crave a smoke every single moment till’ you manage to get to the next phase, the one were you dream of smoking and you wake up feeling all guilty that you relapsed. Ow, fun times, really great fun times.
7. Toxic Progress Bar
This one is actually really cool. It is like your own concoction being made, and you wait there patiently, bursting into evil laughs once in a while, thinking about your evil plan to conquer the world. Yes, you are a mad scientist, more so, you are Brain.
8. Progress Bar Hole in One by Denis Perpelenko
I really dig this one by Denis Perpelenko. I am not much of a golf fan, but whatever takes away boredom from loading bars has a place in my book of good graces. Even if it’s one of the most boring “sports” that mankind has come up with. Sorry, I just find golfing to be the dullest and anti-climactic thing ever invented. How you can be a millionaire from playing this just astounds me
9. Ragged Progress Bar
Eugene Kavalerov bring originality to the table. I, for one, haven’t seen this design anywhere else. Kudos to you for trying to think, and not copy someone else’s work.
10. Rusty Progress Bar by Voyover
A really interesting idea. Just a bolt and nut to tell you how much longer you have to wait. Simple, and concise. I like it! I would have absolutely loved it if Voyover managed to pull of a tiny wrench that screwed the nut into the bolt, but maybe I’m asking too much.
11. Welcome Steps by Luke Beard
I find this to be the most user friendly design ever. And I recommend everyone to use it, whether it is for a signup phase or just a loading bar that gives you information, asks you different questions. It interacts with the user, and it lets the user get over the waiting period more quickly.
All in all, this is our short list of 11 most creative loading bar designs. If you have any design that you wish to share with us, please feel free to post in the comments section below. We would love to see your own creations, or what you think it is worth to be shared.
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