Screen captures are extremely helpful in our line of work. We test websites extensively in mutliple browsers and operating systems, but sometimes a problem will still show up on a client’s computer that we don’t see. In those cases, a screen shot is invaluable. Screen captures are relatively easy in both Windows and Mac’s OS…
Read MoreNote: There is a much better, up-to-date blog from Holly on this topic, 15 Stock Photo Resources. Stock photography is an excellent resource to designers because we don’t always have the time or outlets to take our own pictures or hire a photographer. When I was just beginning as a designer and visiting these stock photography…
Read MoreSometimes websites look awful. You’ve probably looked at a website and thought the colors were a poor choice. Or maybe you have worked with a web designer and the colors on your site didn’t turn out exactly like you wanted. While it may or may not be the designer’s fault, things are not entirely in…
Read MoreThere are basically two ways to get listed in search engines. You can pay to be listed (sort of, I’ll explain in a bit), or you can optimize your website to appear higher in the listings. One good analogy to explain the difference is to look at the websites like books in a bookstore. Paid…
Read MoreAs I’ve mentioned before, we check our websites in six different browser / operating system combinations. Just the other day, my programmer asked me if we could stop checking in one of Opera. For Internet Explorer 6.0, there’s even an IE Death March website dedicated to telling others they should stop checking their websites in…
Read MoreI have always wondered what open source tools are out there for web design just in case I decide to boycott Adobe or Adobe goes bankrupt or something. It turns out there are some pretty good options for web design. None of them are quite as good as Fireworks or Dreamweaver, but they do get…
Read MoreThe process of designing is obviously different for everyone, and it’s also hard to reflect on your own method. I often find myself alternating between routines and never sticking with one in particular. One of the most important things for me to remember is the resources that are available to me. I would say my…
Read MoreEarlier this month, on August 5, we helped sponsor and participated in a miniature golf fundraiser for The Kids’ Place, an Edmond-based center that helps children and their adult family members cope with the loss of a loved one. About 80 participated in all and about $1,600 was raised. Thanks goes out to Natasha Baird…
Read MoreProbably one of the most important pieces of knowledge a designer could have is understanding the difference between CMYK and RGB color modes. Say you have white paper with black dots, and you allow 50% of the paper to show through: you would have a shade of gray. Depending on the concentration of the dots…
Read MoreSo as an aspiring designer in the digital world, I am always looking for ways to increase my knowledge about the programs I use to design, mainly Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash. Personally, I got my footing through school, and then started reading books and looking at tutorials online. All of these have helped me gain…
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