Overview
Reaching your target market means knowing how to combine 'old school' marketing principles with the multitude of new channels that are available with electronic media and the Internet. This means that documents must be authored, collateral must be built, and information must be disseminated.
But how do you get started?
I offer an assortment of creative and technical services to individuals and businesses. Browse the follwoing sections to see the types of services that are available.
(Click the title to toggle details on/off.)
Design Services
Graphic Design
In the simplest of terms, graphic design is a method of visual communication using text and/or images to present an idea or deliver a message. Professional graphic design is often a collaborative endeavor; writers produce words, photographers and illustrators create images and the art director incorporates these components into a cohesive presentation.
The term graphic design refers to both the process by which the work is created and the products of the work. Although graphic design is often associated with printed media (such as books, magazines and brochures), I specialize in graphic design for electronic media, such as, software applications, web sites, multimedia, PDFs, and related material.
User-Centered Design
User Experience Design (UX)
User experience design (abbreviated UX) is a term used to describe the experience a person has as a result of their interactions with a particular system and it's associated mechanisms. UX design also commonly refers to the results of user testing with a planned integration of software design and business strategies.
The study of the "user experience" has its roots in human factors and ergonomics. Since the late 1940s, manufacturers have focused on the interaction between people, machines and contextual environments. The goal is to design systems that address the user's needs and to implement tools and procedures that benefit the user (for the purposes of completing necessary tasks) while ensuring that the system is easy to work with. More recently, the term has been connected to user-centered design principles that incorporate elements from similar fields, such as, human-computer interaction, information architecture, interaction design, user interface design, and usability.
Graphical User Interface Design (GUI)
Graphical user interface design, often refered to as GUI (pronounced "gooey") design, is the development of a graphic layout using text, images, and other interactive mechanisms which "the user" employs to complete certain tasks. In both software and web development, these tasks may be simple and mundane, such as, point-and-click routines or data entry. However, they may also include various complex operations, like painting a picture or making a map.
Unlike graphic design, where the goal is to make the object or application physically attractive, the goal of user interface design is to make the user's interaction experience as intuitive as possible. Where good graphic design is bold and visually appealing, good user interface design is often subtle and invisible. However, both graphic design and interface design are used together in the production of the GUI.
Prototyping (for Software & Websites)
A prototype is the first or original model of an application or piece of software. It involves experimentation and the production of a "mock-up" (often called a wireframe) which suggests viable systems and work-flow. Prototyping may be conducted with or without user involvement depending on the application and the requirements of the project.
The primary purpose of prototyping is to translate requirements into a preliminary representation of the final product. If the requirements for a human-computer interface is ambiguous or inadequate, prototyping is used to define an acceptable solution. This conserves time and resources prior to the commitment of hours and dollars to construct a final product.
Imaging Services
Photography
Photography is the process of forming stable or permanent visible images directly or indirectly by the action of light or other forms of radiation on sensitive surfaces. In contrast to film photography, digital photography captures images directly with an electronic sensor to flash memory, a disk drive or removable storage media.
Digital Imaging
Digital imaging is the creation of an image that is stored as a computer data file. The term is often assumed to imply the processing, compression, storage, printing, and display of such images.
A digital image may be acquired directly from a physical scene by a camera or similar capture device. It may also be obtained by an image scanner by capturing a photograph or something printed on paper. That being said, digital images are not always "acquired" from a source; they can be created by using specialized digital painting and design software. An image can also be computed from a geometric model or mathematical formula and visualized thourgh the process of "rendering" a 2D or 3D dataset. Generally speaking, these data can be stored in either raster or vector file formats.
Related Imaging Services
Image Manipulation
Simply put, image manipulation (or photo-editing) is the technique of modifying a photographic image.
Digital photo editing (also known as "pixel-pushing") is the process where photographs are input into a computer and modified with special software. Photos can also be captured or obtained from stock photography sets or even created from scratch using computers, software, and drawing tablets.
Photo editing encompasses everything that can be done to a photo (either in a darkroom or on a computer). Edits may be subtle (e.g. alterations to color channels, brightness or contrast), but may also be explicit (e.g. removing the background from an image). Image editing software is be used to apply effects and change the image until the desired result is achieved. Sometimes the "modified image" has little or no resemblance to the original.
Development Services
Web Design & Development
Web Design is the design of pages, websites and web applications using markup languages (e.g. HTML, XHTML), styling languages (e.g. XSL and CSS) and may include the use of images and other media. Web design is in contrast with web development, which may include authoring web applications that generate pages based on a specific web design template.
Web Development is a broad term that incorporates many areas of developing a website or web application. This can include, but is not limited to: client-side/server-side scripting, content storage, database management, and server configuration. Web development can range from developing a simple dynamic page to a complex web-based application, electronic business, or other related services.
Web Standards
Web Standards is a general term for the formal standards and technical specifications that define and describe aspects of the World Wide Web. In recent years, the term has been more frequently associated with the trend of endorsing a set of standardized best practices for building websites, and a philosophy of web design and development that includes those methods.
Usually, when Web standards are discussed, the following standards are seen as foundational:
- Recommendations for markup languages (e.g. HTML, XHTML, SVG, and XForms) from the W3C.
- Recommendations for stylesheets (e.g. XSL and CSS) from the W3C.
- Recommendations for the Document Object Model from the W3C.
- Standards for ECMAScript (a.k.a. JavaScript) from ECMA International.
For more information about Web Standards and the Web Standards movement, see the Web Standards Project website.
Web Accessibility
Web Accessibility refers to the techniques and best practices for making Web pages that are accessible to people using a wide range of user agent software and devices—not just standard desktop browsers.
This is especially important for people with disabilities such as visual impairment. In order to access the Web, users with special needs require specialized input devices in addition to specialized software, such as braille emulation devices and screen readers.
To find out more about accessibility, please see Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from the W3C.
More Info...
No two projects are alike and since each project is essentially a custom job, the cost for each project will vary. The costs and fees associated depend on the type and amount of material that needs to be produced.
Projects are evaluated on an individual basis to determine goals and requirements. Estimated costs are calculated with the following factors taken into consideration: deadline, hourly rate for types of work required, hours necessary to complete the work, cost of materials (e.g., specialized software or tools required, printing, etc.) and any taxes, fees or costs required to complete the job. Internet projects may also include rates for hosting, on-going support, maintenance and setup fees (if applicable).
If you would like to see some examples of my work, I encourage you to view my portfolio.