The 404 Project.
30 404s, 30 days.
To kick off this new website and shift in my career toward a UX focus, I challenged myself to create one new 404 page a day for the entire month of June. Now, I have a cannon of actual 404 pages to keep my site fresh. Plus, what good is a well-crafted 404 page if no one ever sees it?
EXPECTATION SETTING: These are very D-I-Y and more for concept and writing than design. I used images from Squarespace and Unsplash, personal photos, and other creatively-procured visual elements.
Here you go: 30 ways to say, “That page does not exist.”
Read about my trials and tribulations (and takeaways) for this project on Medium.
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JUNE 30
Ack!
HOW’D YOU GET BACK HERE?!
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JUNE 29
Choose Your Own 404 Experience.
(DEFINITELY THE MOST LOW-STAKES DECISION YOU’LL MAKE TODAY.)
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JUNE 28
Howdy,
WELCOME TO 404 COUNTY.
This is all we got here in the Wild Wild Web.
Stick around and play this theme song or go back to civilization.
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JUNE 27
I couldn’t find that particular page. Luckily, there are plenty of other pages worthy of a visit.
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JUNE 26
Not cool, Kenny.
SORRY THAT PAGE DOESN’T EXIST.
TBH, neither does Developer Kenny. (But if he did, it would definitely not be cool.)
HAPPY FRIDAY! :)
Go somewhere that makes sense pronto. →
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JUNE 25
Neko’s not impressed.
NEKO DOESN’T LIKE A 404 PAGE ANY MORE THAN YOU DO.
Marfa, Texas, October, 2019.
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JUNE 24
Gone hammocking.
SORRY THAT PAGE IS TAKING A MUCH-NEEDED BREAK.
My backyard in Charlottesville, VA, sometime in 2018.
Leave a message or use the links in the footer to move on.
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JUNE 23
Page not found.
SORRY MY SEARCH CAME UP EMPTY.
Maybe you’ll have better luck.
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JUNE 22
Sorry, not sorry.
ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER ONE OPENS.
Welcome to the 404 Portal. Tap the mirror to be transported to content not accessible from anywhere else on my site.
Free photo from Unsplash (I lost the artist’s name.)
Use the menu in the footer to resist this enticing, once-in-a-website experience.
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JUNE 20
Four, oh, four.
HOW YOU DISAPPOINT.
Photo by @fransiscomorales from Unpslash.
Every website has at least one.
While I try to find where this page went astray, here are at least eight conforming ones.
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JUNE 19
Sorry,
THAT PAGE ISN’T HERE AT THE MOMENT.
Photo by @jannerboy62 from Unsplash.
Not sure if it’s gone for a nibble or forever, but leave a message if you like, and I’ll get back to you if I can track it down. In the meantime, feel free to use the never-not-here menu below.
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JUNE 18
Let’s try that again.
Something didn’t quite land. Make another attempt or use the low-risk menu below.
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JUNE 17
3-6 letter regretful exclamation!
SHORT SENTENCE EQUIVALENT TO “PAGE NOT FOUND.”
Tip or link to help users get where they want to go quickly (and maybe a tinge of personality if it works and not too long).
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JUNE 16
Page not found.
SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. I DON’T HAVE A SITEMAP TO DIRECT YOU TO, BUT HERE’S A LINK TO EVERY PAGE I’VE GOT:
FOR MAIN PAGES, USE THE LINKS IN THE FOOTER
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JUNE 15
Sorry.
THAT PAGE COULDN’T BE FOUND.
Use the links in the footer to get where you need or go to my homepage.
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JUNE 14
Taken somewhere above and below the clouds in November, 2018.
This break in content brought to you by Mother Earth.
(And a misinformed link.)
When you’re ready, go back to (my) Work.
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JUNE 13
Oh, hey.
SORRY THAT PAGE CAN’T BE FOUND.
Neko, circa 2015.
Use the links in the footer to continue on to more pertinent (but way less cute) content.
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JUNE 12
404
PAGE NOT FOUND.
Potential Causes for the Error
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JUNE 11
We all get lost sometimes.
APPARENTLY EVEN TORTOISES.
Photo taken in Allandale, Austin, Texas, September 2014.
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JUNE 10
Oh, snap!
YOU FOUND A 404 PAGE.
Photo by @mrthetrain from Unsplash.
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JUNE 9
Bad link. Good vibes.
Galveston, Texas, July 2019.
Next Topo Chico is on me.
Sorry the page you were expecting isn’t here. If you send me a quick note, I’ll personally deliver the content you were looking for. And to thank you for helping me to keep my site tight, I’ll also send you a case of the best sparkling water on the planet (no joke).
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JULY 8
Neither here,
nor there.
Untitled (Marfa Project), 1996, by Dan Flavin at the Chinati Foundation, Marfa Texas.
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JUNE 7
Missed connection.
Thanks for checking out my site on a Sunday! You get a Sunday error page. :)
Sorry something didn’t quite connect with the page you were looking for. Might I recommend a page has the connection thing on lock.
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JUNE 6
How embarrassing.
Neko, hiding from shame, circa 2016.
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JUNE 5
Whoops!
THIS ISN’T THE PAGE YOU’RE LOOKING FOR. (OR IS IT?)
Preliminary data indicates that three good links offsets the negative effects of one bad one.*
Give it a try, and if you’re so inclined, let me know if you agree or disagree. Select one, two, or all of them for maximum results:
2. See how I gave an all grown-up start-up a more sophisticated voice.
3. Take Door #3.
*I’m still conducting research to back up this claim, but my initial hypothesis is: It can’t hurt.
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JUNE 4
Minor detour.
Somewhere near Llano, New Mexico, August 2019.
You just stumbled upon the scenic route (aka an error page).
Enjoy the view as long as you like, or:
Get back on track →
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JUNE 3
Hey, you found Waldo!
A photo I took at the Charlottesville airport December 2017. (Face blurred for privacy.)
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JUNE 2
404 SOS
Free image from Squarespace library.
The url or link you used isn’t right, but the ones below are double and triple-checked and guaranteed to do the job.
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JUNE 1
Mind the content gap.
A photo I took of a door at Longman & Eagle in Chicago.
Though I strive to deliver a seamless and friction-free experience, mistakes happen. While I fix this one, I recommend visiting any of the following places with plenty to see.
Check out my work
See all the ways you can connect with me
Find out what types of things I do