Archive for July, 2009
Website Design Tutorial, how to add a Preloader in Flash
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on July 30th, 2009
In this week’s website design video blog, James demonstrates how to add a preloader to your Flash Animation, improving your website’s usability. The supporting blog for this video can be found here: www.crearedesign.co.uk Where you can download the ZIP file that is used in the demonstration.
Blog, cs4, Demonstration, design, flash, Flash Animation, Preloader, Preloader In Flash, tutorial, website, Website Design, Website Usability, Website Video, Zip File
website design northampton
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on July 29th, 2009
A good webmaster knows that the best website design in the world are the one that achieves maximum performance under all circumstances. The existence of large, slow loading flash files on some website shows that some webmaster do not require the basic understanding if what constitutes an optimally designed website.
To help you remember the rules for effective website design, here are five basic rules.
1) Splash pages should not be included
The first pages of a website that consists of dazzling fancy displays are the splash pages. They normally have a very beautiful image with words like ‘welcome’ or ‘click here to enter’. They are merely fancy additions without any real functions at all. This page serves a good purpose to entertain but if website conversion is your goal, it can be a big barrier for you to achieve your goals.
2) Try using less banner advertisement if you can
When banners are displayed on a web page, they are usually right at the top but can frequently be seen located elsewhere, including the foot of the page also. Blatant ads such as banners tend to be regarded as being less credible and it is a total waste of website space Web surfers tend to ignore such banner ads so adding them would only mean a waste of virtual real estate space. Instead add useful contents and add your affiliate links skillfully into the body of the text so that it would seem like a natural part of your text and not an advertisement.
3) Simple navigation is important
The best navigation would one that a young child can understand. Leave out any form of complicated menu that is flash based or the use of multi-tiered menu: they only add to complicate the layout. There are so many websites competing for attention, if your menus make it difficult for them, they will leave. A site map will help them find what they want and should be factored in to the website design right from the start.
4) There needs to be a clear indicator where the user is on the website
Give them a clear view of where they are now and how to get to where they want to be. With this map, they can directly head to the information they are looking for. This can be achieved by making sure that each page has its own title and some form of trail that shows them which links they have been to and which is new for them. If you create any form of confusion, you will drive the visitors away.
5) Audios are counterproductive
Your favorite tune may be repulsive to some visitors, so use music sparingly. Whenever you decide to use sound, be sure not to let it loop continuously because this a huge cause of irritation to people browsing sites. If you insist on adding audio, make sure they have some control over it – volume or muting controls would work fine. When you use all this website design information, you will find that your visitors will return again and again to your site.
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Photoshop Tutorial 4 – Rendering Images For Website Graphics
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on July 26th, 2009
In this Adobe Photoshop graphics tutorial I will be teach you how to add a backdrop to a rendered/selected image. Just like a greenscreen effect where you can place someone in front of a backdrop or use it for website design banners. This tutorial is compatable with Adobe Photoshop CS1, CS2, CS3 & CS4 versions. Difficulty Level: Medium/Intermediate If you have any problems or need help with any of this tutorial please leave a comment below or message me on YouTube.
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huntsville al web designers
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on July 25th, 2009
A beautiful website design can never compensate slow performance in any website design. One very common occurrence in many websites owned by amateurs is the use of fancy graphic works that need a very long time to load them.
Follow these basic rules for website design when creating your site and you can be assured of an optimally designed website you can be proud of.
1) Splash pages is not a good solution
The splash pages are the fancy pages you see when you enter a website. These pages use elaborate designs created with the purpose to entertain the visitor with fancy animations, brilliant photos and include welcoming words such as ‘hello’ ‘welcome’ or ‘click here to enter our website’. In fact, they are just a ‘pretty vase’ that serves no real purpose. The most important thing is not to allow any room for users to think about leaving your site, and this is almost impossible if you are using fancy splash pages with slow loading times.
2) Banners can be counterproductive
Normally you will find these at the top of the web page where they will be advertising something (not always related to the site) but sometimes they will be elsewhere on the page as well. Even the newbie to the internet have trained themselves to ignore banner ads so placing them would only waste precious real estate space. There is a better way to add contents instead of using banner is by giving them useful information and then add their affiliate links so that they would seem natural.
3) Always make it easy to navigate
Keep navigation simple so that the youngest user can use it. Do stay away from any form of Flash based menu or even multi-tiered menu as they only serve to add more complication to the layout. If you make it difficult for them, they will leave your site. A site map will help them find what they want and should be factored in to the website design right from the start.
4) Make it clear where the user is at the moment
When visitors are deeply engrossed in browsing your site, you will want to make sure they know which part of the site they are in at that moment. With this map, they can directly head to the information they are looking for. This can easily be achieved by ensuring each page has a title and a textual ‘breadcrumb trail’ that clearly shows the links they have made to get where they are now. Any type of confusion drives your visitors away.
5) Try to leave the audios out from your design
If your visitor is going to stay a long time at your site, reading your content, you will want to make sure they’re not annoyed by some audio looping on and on at your website. A sound file should not be played continuously it can be irritating on the user. Using audios may not always be a good idea, if you have to include them be sure to allow for some form of user control such as volume or muting ability.
If you use all these tricks of website design effectively, you will in time that your visitors will likely return again and again to your site.
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web design free tools
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on July 22nd, 2009
One can never justify the lack of performance when visiting a web page just because the website design is beautiful. Many new webmasters feel the need to entertain their visitor by adding expensive, fancy flash works that can actually hamper the optimal performance of their site.
Here are some tips to help with your website design projects in the future.
1) Forget about splash pages
Splash pages are dazzling fancy pages you often see when you first arrive at a website. They are dazzling pages that have images with words such as ‘welcome’ or ‘click here to enter’. These are merely distractions that can divert attention away from the purpose of your website. Give them the value of your site up front without the splash page.
2) Keep banner advertisement minimum.
Although these can be at the foot of a web page, adverts like this are primarily placed right at the top of the page in what is called the ‘header’. Adding banner ads are actually futile efforts to maximize the use of your website as space research shows that people tend to ignore such advertisements. There is a better way to add contents instead of using banner is by giving them useful information and then add their affiliate links so that they would seem natural.
3) All navigational systems should be easy
Navigation should be made very simple so that even a young child can understand. It is good to leave out any fancy flash menus or even multi-tiered drop down menus, they only serve to make navigating the site harder. If you make it difficult for them, they will leave your site. Have a sitemap added to the website design to help them find what they are looking for.
4) Make it clear to the visitor where they are
Give them a clear view of where they are now and how to get to where they want to be. That way, they will be able to browse relevant information or navigate to any section of the site easily.
When each link that has been visited is marked in some way form the ones that are fresh, visitors can easily know which is fresh and which is fresh and which is not. Remember, any form of ambiguity or confusion will drive your hard earned visitors away.
5) Try to leave the audios out from your design
If you want your visitors to stay a long time and read the contents, do not irritate em with your audio. A sound file should not be played continuously it can be irritating on the user. If adding audios seems like a good idea to you, do make sure you provide some form of control such as muting or volume control so that your visitors can adapt to their surroundings. By applying all these website design tips we share, you can expect to reap long term benefits from continuous traffic from returning visitors to your website.
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Toronto Web Design – Datascapes – Hamilton Web Design
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on July 21st, 2009
Top 10 Reasons to choose Datascapes Web Design. Datascapes services the Toronto and Hamilton Areas in Ontario Canada
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directories for web designers
Posted by: admin in Uncategorized on July 18th, 2009
One can never justify the lack of performance when visiting a web page just because the website design is beautiful. One very common occurrence in many websites owned by amateurs is the use of fancy graphic works that need a very long time to load them.
Let us discuss what makes up a good website design.
1) For peak performance, do not include splash pages
Splash pages are the first pages you see when you arrive at a website. These are elaborately fancy pages with lavish designs and images along with words such as ‘welcome to our website’ usually, they are pages of elaborate graphics that includes words such as ‘welcome’ or ‘click here to enter the site’. In fact, they are just a ‘pretty vase’ that serves no real purpose. The most important thing is not to allow any room for users to think about leaving your site, and this is almost impossible if you are using fancy splash pages with slow loading times.
2) You will likely be unsuccessful if you use too many banner advertisements
Normally you will find these at the top of the web page where they will be advertising something (not always related to the site) but sometimes they will be elsewhere on the page as well. Even the newbie to the internet have trained themselves to ignore banner ads so placing them would only waste precious real estate space. Instead, provide more valuable content and weave relevant affiliate links into your content, and let your visitors feel that they want to buy instead of being coerced.
3) Make it an effort to make navigation very simple
The best navigation would one that a young child can understand. It is good to leave out any fancy flash menus or even multi-tiered drop down menus, they only serve to make navigating the site harder. If your visitors don’t know how to navigate, they will leave your site. It is good in any website design to include a sitemap to help them find what they are looking for.
4) Make it clear where the user is at the moment
Give them a clear view of where they are now and how to get to where they want to be. This map will help them get to where they want to be without wasting too much time. This can be achieved by making sure that each page has its own title and some form of trail that shows them which links they have been to and which is new for them. Never confuse your visitors because you will lose them very quickly as they become frustrated.
5) Do you really need to include audio?
To make your visitors stay longer, avoid the use of excessive music. A sound file should not be played continuously it can be irritating on the user. If you insist on adding audio, make sure they have some control over it – volume or muting controls would work fine. If you wish for the visitors to return to your site, learn to apply all these website design rules and you can reap the benefits of long term traffic.
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