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Posts Tagged ‘design inspiration’
Web Design: Custom CMS Themes
8/22/2009 1:39 PM By Catherine TOne of the most popular freelance web designer job opportunities is the custom content management system (CMS) theme. Those who use WordPress, Joomla, Geeklog and other CMS platforms often require sites far beyond what is available in the free CMS template market. If you're serious about taking on freelance web designer jobs, your web design skill set should include knowing how to modify PHP, CSS and other code to customize sites using these content management systems.
The challenge of customizing CMS themes depends on which platform is used. Become familiar with the major CMS options including Drupal, WordPress, and Joomla. Some choose to specialize in one CMS only, but this is an area where a bit of market research is in order. If you find the majority of the freelance web designer gigs open to you are in WordPress, specializing in it is a good thing. If you discover more work from those who need Joomla customization, your time is well spent learning all you can about that CMS first.
Above and beyond
8/18/2009 10:03 PM By Sharon PotschYou may wonder: what good is it to go above and beyond when my manager who always worked all hours of the night just got canned? If you’re the last designer standing in your department you may look around at the empty cubes and just feel deflated. You may feel stuck and that you have nowhere to go. One way to distract yourself from a depressing office environment is to pick up a side project. If you have the time and mental capacities to add something to your plate, think about a project that you’ve always wanted to really get into and make some baby steps toward bringing it to fruition. When you go above and beyond for yourself—or better yet someone else who needs your talents—that feeling of good nature can bleed into the whole rest of the workday. That may even mean you snarl a lot less at your few remaining coworkers.
Page Layout
8/9/2009 1:42 PM By Catherine TIn terms of Website design best practice, page layout is one of the most important features. The way a Website looks is crucial, and a good designer should be able to create something that will impact the target audience; whoever that may be. It should be easy to read, with a good balance of items and a text color that is legible on the background.
Loading time should also be a consideration that is taken into account. This is especially true if the Website will have a lot of photographs or graphics on it. Slow loading will frustrate users and impact the Website traffic in a negative way.
In addition to visual appeal and load time, the navigation should be simple and intuitive as well. Most good sites include a navigation area that assists the person who is browsing the Website; kind of like a table of contents page in a book. These layout principles help make the overall Website more appealing and give the user some help as they look for information.
Naperville: The Naper Settlement
6/30/2009 4:41 PM By Catherine TNaperville, Illinois is home to a very unique piece of property called the Naper Settlement. If you are trying to come up with some traditional ideas for a Web design concept, spend the afternoon here with the costumed interpreters and you are sure to get some material that you can work with. The property has 30 historic buildings that are located on 13 acres, and visiting each of them makes you feel as though you have been transported back in time.
The buildings that are on the grounds include a blacksmith shop, a print shop and a Victorian mansion. There is also a fort, a schoolhouse and a chapel that you can visit to round out the imagery. After spending some time at the settlement, you can begin to get a feel for what life was like long ago. Look for things that are symbolic to represent the traditional American lifestyle–they are all around you here.
Chicago: Downtown Deco Tour
6/26/2009 4:40 PM By Catherine TArt Deco is a truly unique style, and if you are looking to find a way to incorporate it into a design, the Chicago Architecture Foundation's "Downtown Deco" tour is a must. Not only will it get you in touch with the history of this popular design style, but it will teach you details about the motifs and characteristics of Art Deco as well. Chicago is home to many buildings that exemplify the Deco look, including the Field Building, the Carbide and Carbon Building and the One LaSalle Street Building.
If you want to go out on your own and see the Deco buildings in the city, there are plenty of places to see. Some buildings you might want to view include the Palmolive Building, Mather Tower, the Chicago Board of Trade Building and the McGraw-Hill Building, all of which have the ornamentation and design that have come to represent Art Deco style. Classy, yet modern in its own way, this can be a great starting point for a totally new design concept.
New York: Top Of The Rock
6/23/2009 4:39 PM By Catherine TPerspective can be changed, depending on the view. If you want to see things differently, head over to the "Top of the Rock" at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. This observation deck may not be the highest in the United States at 70 stories, but the view is tremendous. Experience 360 degree views of New York that include landmark buildings as well as Central Park. There is no time limit, so you can spend as long as you like looking out over the city in search of inspiration.
Shapes and angles are a little different when you are 850 feet in the air, a fact which can help you come up with new directions for design elements. The observation deck actually has three different levels, and the total surface area is 55,000 square feet, so there is plenty of space to roam around. The very top deck is open air, which can have a real impact on how you view the city. There are plenty of big-city observation decks around, but this one is a gem. Take advantage of it and spark some new ideas.
New York: Chinatown
6/20/2009 8:34 AM By Catherine TChinatown can be an amazing source of inspiration for Web designers and writers alike. The colors, the energy, and the totally unique look of this New York neighborhood make it a wonderful place to visit for new ideas or those with an Asian theme. With a population of somewhere between 70,000 and 150,000 people, New York's is the largest Chinatown in the United States. Here, you will find winding streets peppered liberally with a staggering selection of restaurants, markets, and shops.
Be sure to find some of the Chinese and Buddhist temples in the area and check out places such as Confucius Plaza and Chatham Square as well if you have the time. Find some of the markets by looking on streets such as Canal, Mott, Pell, and Doyers, and immerse yourself in a world that is sure to give rise to more than a few new thoughts and unusual perspectives. Take a look at the goods there and let them spark your imagination. After spending an afternoon in Chinatown, you will be filled with new ideas to take with you to the computer.
Ohio: Amish Country Byway
6/19/2009 4:38 PM By Catherine TSometimes getting ideas for a truly great design is as simple as clearing your head so that there is room for new thoughts. If you want the perfect scenic drive to leave everything behind and return to simplicity, try cruising along the Amish Country Byway in Ohio. This 76-mile scenic drive takes between three and five hours to do at a leisurely pace, and the hills and natural landscape are sure to help you relax and unwind.
You can choose to stay on the road and take in the sights, but you may need to make way for the occasional horse and buggy as you go. If you are in the mood to get a taste of the simple life, stop in at the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center or check out Winesburg Village for a little trip back through time. Slow your pace by going for a ride out in the country air and see what taking a time out can do for your creative juices. You may find that it is just what you need to get rolling with a fresh perspective and renewed energy–and you just might pick up something you can use along the way.
New York: The New York Aquarium
6/17/2009 8:36 AM By Catherine TThere is something otherworldly about creatures that live in the water, and this can serve as a source of inspiration. The way that things move, look, and act underwater is very different from the way that things manifest themselves on land. For this reason, the New York Aquarium is a great spot to check out if you are looking to see things in a different way. Sharks, stingrays, and seals (oh my!) are all available to serve as a basis for your next new idea.
Think about what type of design you are trying to create and then observe whatever you feel drawn to; there is plenty to take in here. The otters are great for communicating energy and playfulness, the sea lion demonstrations are fascinating and the large tanks can be very soothing. Shapes and colors can serve as inspiration as well. Just think about how unusual an octopus or a seahorse looks and let it take you to a new way of thinking about design. The exhibits feature over 8,000 animals, so you could spend the entire day there and still not see everything the aquarium has to offer. It is open 365 days a year, so you can go whenever it is most convenient for your schedule.
New York: Upscale Window Shopping
6/12/2009 8:35 AM By Catherine TSometimes simple observation can really be a great help when you are looking to convey a particular feel through the written word or Web design. If your client is asking for a "high-end" or "upscale" Web presence, New York's Madison Avenue can lend a hand. Spend the day window shopping at stores such as Armani, Prada and Yves St. Laurent and get a feel for the good life and all that goes with it.If you tire of the fare here you can always head on over to 5th Avenue, which is just one street over; the choices there are just as posh. You'll see Tiffany & Co., Gucci, and Fendi there as well as many other famous names. Take the time to observe the arrangement of things in the stores and in their windows. Look at how the people are dressed. Listen to what they talk about. By the time you leave, you'll be able to pull together a Website that would fit right in.
