Studio Showcase – Viget Labs

// May 18th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Branding, Inspiration, Studio Showcase

Next studio in the showcase is Viget Labs. This is the ultimate web business and they are making the web a better place by just doing things the right way. The viget crew has all the bases covered when offering a complete online package that isnt just limited to a simple website.

They offer a complete range of services from testing and User Experience, great Design, top notch Development and powerful Marketing techniques.

I like to call it the Viget Empire.

I can only imagine what it would be like to have the privilege to work with or have done work by a company like Viget. After just taking a quick glance at the different sites they have designated for their services you can tell they take pride in their work. A consistent look and brand somewhat follow the Viget vibe across the different disciplines, but attention is also take to make each section feel unique and important on it’s own. All the branches of the company have their own blogs with multiple contributors to keep content new, relevant to the industry, and interesting. My favorite of the four sections is the Inspire site, focused on design at Viget. Not only do they have great great tips and advice on the blog I am also diggin’ the cool dingy design and diverse portfolio.

Graphic Design Week

// May 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Graphic Design, Inspiration, Tutorials

I just got word on Twitter via @chrisspooner that It’s Graphic Design Week on Psdtuts+ & Vectortuts+. I found out this morning and have wanted to find a chance to learn some more cool things about graphic design. I pick up on a few things at school but I wanted a structured, extra curricular learning experience with graphic design. After reading the schedule it looks like I’ll have a pretty busy weeek of learning. When possible, I will post things throughout the week as I learn new techniques from watching tutorials, find inspiration, or just discover something interesting. Stay tuned, for MY graphic design week. I encourage the rest of you to share about YOUR graphic design week!

Enlarge Images With Lightbox

// May 13th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Tutorials, Web Design, Wordpress

In response to Chris’ post on making links to full size images I decided you all might be able to benefit from a tutorial on how to achieve a cool lightbox effect when viewing images.

The Idea:

Imagine utilizing Wordpress to create an entire portfolio. With the help of a plugin for wordpress called Lightbox 2 presenting your work in a cool way is very easy to achieve. Effortless way to post new work, and maintain a blog at the same time. All powered by a standards compliant platform that we are all becoming familiar with.

The Process:

The first step is to organize your assets. That means prepare a set of smaller thumbnail images you wish to include in a portfolio page as well as full size renditions of that same project. Save, and hold onto them to upload to your post.

Next, download the Lightbox 2 plugin for Wordpress.

Install the plugin by clicking Add New in the plugins tab located on the left hand side of your Dashboad.

Here you will browse for the .zip file that you downloaded from the plugin homepage. After the file has been uploaded click Install Now.

After that, the newly installed plugin has to be activated in order for it to work. To activate the Lightbox 2 plugin click on Installed in the same Plugin tab in the previous step. Now it’s active and ready to be configured.

Under the settings tab you will find Lightbox. Click there to configure some custom settings to meet your needs.

Custom Options:

• Change background color
• Choose overlay opacity
• Set resize speed
• Declare which sections you want to use Lightbox
• Set Lightbox to automatically enable on all images

Explore the power of Wordress and plugins, they can really make your blog/site stand out. If you have any questions leave them in the comments. I’m happy to help.

Studio Showcase – Clear Left

// May 13th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Studio Showcase, Web Design

I have always had high envy for this web consulting studio specializing in user experience. Clear Left has a very clear message of how they can help you with your website needs. A minimalistic approach to design and a unique use of larger than normal text makes it a stand out site when comparing to other studios. They represent their company very well and take pride in themselves boasting a cool Who We Are page showcasing every member of their team. I think the way direct prospective customers in the right direction at the bottom of their page by encouraging them to download the client ideas sheet.

Also, a very simple, but effectively placed section right next to the ideas sheet download displaying contact information about the company was a very good usability choice. Brilliant!

Graphic Design: The Forgotten Web Standard

// May 12th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Graphic Design, Inspiration, Web Design

I have always been drawn (pun intended) to cool illustrations sketched out in class when notes should have been taken, colorful abstract splatters of paint on a canvas and rule breaking typography. I never really got into all the “art” classes that were offered in school though and chose mostly athletics as a pass time. When my interests in design finally picked up I decided to give photography and web design a shot. I must have had some subconscious plans for my future when I enrolled in a few basic web and photo classes when I was about 15. These slide designs caught my eye in a 3 minute highlight video of them being created. It doesn’t stop there though, make sure to watch the presentation by Mike Kus that the slides were used for. It is another great example of how to bring graphic design and web design together.

Graphic Design: The Forgotten Web Standard – Slides in 3 Minutes from Carsonified on Vimeo.

Web vs. Print – Why They Should Be Similar

// May 7th, 2009 // No Comments » // Graphic Design, Web Design

As I promised this will be a short, but very informative little post highlighting Mike Precious’ Blog. It is a perfect example of a creative and very talented designer talking about information that is going to be interesting to the design community.

I wanted to share a video from Mike’s last post about Web vs. Print and Why They Should Be Simlar.

SVA Dot Dot Dot Lectures: Jason Santa Maria from MFA Interaction Design on Vimeo.

The custom design of the blog has kept it looking like it is still a part of his portfolio site and has a great navigational approach with clear hierarchy. With a little time and experience we too can be designing and blogging with the best. I think I will talk a little about Jason Santa Maria and the impact he has had on design real soon. Stay tuned!

Studio Showcase – Mike Precious

// May 7th, 2009 // No Comments » // Graphic Design, Inspiration, Studio Showcase, Web Design

The design Studio of Mike Precious is next on my list of creative web design portfolios and companies. Mike is another one of those utility players when it comes to his skills and experience. He displays three main categories in his portfolio: Web, Print, and Concept. All of which have a number of well designed and developed pieces of work. Main focal points are at the top of the site where there seems to be light shining onto the page. Favorite feature is the Portfolio page with the fixed sidebar element. It lets you navigate to another section of his portfolio or check out a different piece of work when ever you wish. Thought he had an effective contact page as well. He has included two different contact forms, one for getting a quote and another for just getting in touch. Giving options to the customer can help streamline the beginning of a project by getting right down to business with a quote. Another post coming very soon with some emphasis on Mikes blog.

Shift Happens – Did You Know 2.0

// May 6th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Inspiration, Rants

“Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconceived notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abyss nature leads, or you shall learn nothing.”

- Thomas Henry Huxley

I think the video pretty much sums it all up, but wanted try and put into words how I feel about the world we are living in. We are living in a time of limitless possibilities. We are surrounded by an abundance of people, places, things, and ideas that have the potential to fulfill all of our wants and needs. Just think… Will you ever meet every person in the world? Will you live to step foot in every possible place around the globe? Will you ever possess every material object known to man? The answer is undoubtedly, no. We have all we will ever need, which means we can do anything we want to do.

Now, with that said, throw the word technology into the mix. We now have a way to interact with the world that we live in. They call it the World Wide Web for a reason. The internet is intended to connect people, places, things, and ideas. It is there to make it easier to share information and knowledge and it is unbelievable how quickly that information is increasing on the web. Every once and a while I take a second to realize what my role is in this era of digital media, social networks, blogs and ordering pizza online is. I see it quite simply, a vivid image of myself sitting on a merry-go-round. I am literally in a playground full of all the things I could ever be interested in, want to know more about, or wish I could experience. I’m spinning in circles, on that merry-go-round, with all this stuff flying by in a blur right in front of me.

No sure if that was such a great analogy, but the point is that the internet really is like a playground. All that you need is a curiosity for what is out there, a willingness to take in new information and progress with the times to make use of it. But without that drive and determination to increase knowledge you will miss all those things, flying by right in front of you. We are living in expontntial times. Shift happens, be ready… you don’t want to be left behind.

Studio Showcase – Andrew Bradshaw

// May 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Branding, Graphic Design, Studio Showcase, Web Design

Showcase today is not of a web design company but instead, a guy by the name of Andrew Bradshaw. His services include web design, print design, and branding. I liked his site because it has a very clean, and inviting look and feel. Again, another genuine guy who knows about being creative. I think those are the portfolios I am most drawn to. It is not the most fancy or complex portfolio, but easy to navigate and gets the point across. I like how he displays each of his portfolio pages, giving each project or piece of work a captivating thumbnail image that expands to a larger view, as well as a description of what the project was about. The subtle, but effective arrow next to each of the pieces allowing the user to move back to the top of the page is a nice feature as well. So, here is to AB, a talented web designer and active participant in the design community. I personally follow his updates on Twitter.

Digital Media Roots

// May 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Rants

Yuri Lane playing harmonica and beatboxing… at the same time!

Directed by Marty Nowak. Enjoy!

Of course, like anyone I was drawn to this guy’s talent. It takes some skills to do one of these at a time, but together is just amazing. But, I have had some experience with videography and know a well shot and edited film when I see it. However, I’m not so sure I could tell you why it’s so good. This short clip has been thought out well and cut together very nicely. What stands out the most is the lighting that really sets a distinct mood for this cool underground form of music. Everything from composition when shooting to edits leading to the final cut was thought out and planned, and in the end result it shows. Even the last little detail of exporting the video was thought out, because the original version had been rendered strange when uploaded to YouTube.

Before I came to school to learn more about photogaphy and web design I had an interest in motion picture. It never really developed into much but I did spend two seasons filming games on Friday night for my high school’s football team. I was lead camera on a film crew of 3 and helped with editing tape for the 2006 and 2007 seasons. No, I haven’t gotten a hold of their website yet. Yikes!