Designing web sites...

I enjoy designing as much as illustrating, particularly specializing in web site design. Coming from a creative background, I tend to consider aesthetics such as theme, graphics, layout and interactivity as a key part in a site's design as well as usability and navigation and realize, at the end of the day a site is for an individual, company or organization's users so each site will need to be catered for specific markets. The tough part of web design is to get the right balance between it looking good and being easy to use. On top of that, making a web site requires a lot of technical knowledge alongside creative flair. This page will talk how I go about designing sites and show some of the designs I've completed over the years.

How do you start a web site?..

Once I have received information and specifications from the client, I'll usually brainstorm ideas on paper. I consider the services being offered and the market it's aimed at then tailor a design around this. I'll then create a rough digital image of the site with photoshop this closely resembles what the site will look like in an internet browser. Designing the look and feel of the site comes first, then I worry about making it "web worthy" by planting the design and layout into a html page.

What tools do you use?..

Mainly Photoshop for graphics and Dreamweaver for the layout. I'll use Image Ready or Fireworks for optimizing graphics or slicing them up for use on the web. Flash can be used for animation. I'm familiar with HTML, which helps, along with knowledge of Java script, ASP, PHP if I need to create certain effects, web forms and so on. I tend not to work on back end development such as database integration or advanced programming and coding language. If needed, I'd work alongside a web developer who specializes in this. However, I wouldn't mind learning more back end jargon to aid my designs.

Lets see some designs...

Here's a selection site I've completed displaying various layouts and techniques, i.e. Image maps, icon navigation, CSS. More examples or working sites on CD available on request.

	Oni Art Contest I designed and hosted the Oni Playstation & PC game art contest.		Red SQL Server hosting company including prices and information.
	Your Formula.com As an employee of Your Formula, it was my task to create the company web site. It included a familiar “Windows style” navigation with slide out menu.		BNI Invicta One of my freelance web site designs. A modern business feel, navigation icons and a set colour scheme were required. To ease navigation, an “info panel” was created explaining each icon.
	Homesure As a new company, it was my task to create the corporate identity and interactive, single page web site.		Chambers Local Honda Motor cycle retailer was in need of a web design. The title page shows main navigation and recent updates, then a sub navigation was implemented to the content pages.

Other web plans...

I hope to have the opportunity to design more sites in the future and expand my repertoire of design based skills and techniques. I'm keen to try more visually stimulating web sites allowing me freedom to be really creative in an effort to really make a lasting impact on the visitor.