Six months ago when President Bush signed the Port Security Bill he mentioned it as being an effort to strengthen the nation’s borders from being vulnerable to terrorist attacks. What he failed to touch on was a particular clause in it that would bludgeon a multi-billion dollar industry. How is it possible that a business…
Is dot-mobi a Necessary Component of Your Internet Marketing Strategy?
What’s all the dot-mobi buzz about? About a year or so ago already, the domain extension dot-mobi (.mobi) began to get some buzz. Momentum slowed a bit, but as mobile web users access web sites ever more frequently, dot-mobi is becoming more relevant. Dot-mobi signifies a tool for mobile access rather than a vertical such…
"Rough Around the Edges…": Creating Masks with a Torn, Grungy, Distressed Look
The distressed, rough design look is in stark contrast to all the glossy gradient styles. This trend definitely has its roots in the streets and expressiveness and can be quite fun to create some funky graphics. This tutorial is a simple practice in Masking and creating some new Brush settings. You can use this technique…
Google Wants YOU (to report paid links)
Remember that Uncle Sam poster where his finger points directly at you no matter where you are standing? Well it looks like Google is taking over for ol’ Sammy and pointing it’s omnipotent finger at every person on the net who is buying links. What am I talking about? This weekend Google engineer Matt Cutts,…
"Get a new perspective on that font": 3D Angled Text
Sometimes you want to get that text to pop off the page or screen. With this tutorial I will go over a simple technique to give your text that 3D angled effect to really make it standout. Step 1. Create your word with a large, bold typeface and fill it with black. Rasterize the font…
APIs: An Easy Way to Make Novel Websites Familiar and Fun
Okay, you might not have had that two billion dollar idea, but that doesn’t mean you can’t partake in its features. APIs (Application Program Interfaces) allow programmers to access publicly available services from widely known services, which can make your “web 1.0″ (sorry about the moniker, folks) site more welcoming to users looking for something…
'Photos in Text': Clipping Masks
Using photographs inside your text can add a new dimension to your design work. It can really accentuate that feeling of whatever it is you are trying to convey. Lets face it, pictures are worth a thousand words and well… words are words. So it is a win-win situation. Sure, sometimes it won’t work. The…
Some Quick Thoughts from SES NY
Danielle and I are at Search Engine Strategies this week. I have been completely unplugged (since my Blackberry keeps dying) and am just now getting a chance to check in. I just went to download my email and there are almost 2,000 since Monday (ugh). This is Danielle’s first SES and she is really loving…
How to Tell When You are Simply a Pair of Hands on a Project
Part of my job is to take the vision of a client and translate it into a tangible website. In some cases it is an extension or an arm to their business (e-commerce website for an existing shop, enhancements to an existing website) in others it is the entire business. When you’ve got your entire…