I'm Jin. I work on the designs for the Stack Exchange sites as they graduate from the beta phase. Each site will have its own unique theme that will reflect its topic and culture. However, all sites will share common elements so they feel like they're part of the Stack Exchange family.
I've been working on the design for this community for a while, and I'd like to present to you a concept I came up with. During my research for the design, I looked at countless Christianity-themed art work for inspiration. They range from ancient masterpieces to contemporary arts, varying in styles.
When it comes to visual design, my goal is to capture the "right feel." It's a fine balance between establishing the right mood without making the design cliché; Making the design visually interesting without overwhelming the actual content. The design should feel Christian without being denomination-centric.
After talking to many of my Christian family members and friends, I think the design should reflect humbleness and peacefulness, and the beauty of God's creations.
please click on the images below to see the full resolution versions
I picked a sky-earth theme for the design. It creates an open and airy feel and the design is "grounded." Throughout the site, I'm using vintage typographical embellishments as decorative elements to offset the minimalist design within the content area.
There are other subtle visual elements to convey the Christian theme further, e.g. the Fish symbol for badges and the bottom of the header can be interpreted as The Book or dove wings.
Overall I'm pleased with the design. I feel it accomplishes the design goals I set. I'd love to hear your feedback. If there are no major design changes, I'd like to launch the site next week.