Blog Entries

Effective Web Design: Dynamic Content is Key

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:00:00 +0100

The web is no longer a static entity. It is becoming more and more kinetic as time passes and the technology and media advance. Your customers have come to expect constant web updates with news, video sites, and social sites; it is a small leap to have your company offer this sort of frequently updated dynamic content as well.

The sort of dynamic content you could offer would range from press releases, news about your company, new services you are offering, or anything you deem useful informa [...]

Effective Web Design: Integrated Animation and Video

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:00:00 +0100

As time passes, people expect more and more out of websites. The standard of professionalism is exponentially being increased fairly quickly. Animation and video are two valuable tools you can use to help your site attain this standard and move beyond it. Static web sites often will not cut it in the marketplace of the present, requiring you to up the visual ante.

Animation can be a variety of things, and can vary in complexity. For instance, animation can be as simple as having a small [...]

Effective Web Design: The Importance of SEO Articles on Your Site

travis.simpson@webflostudios.com — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:00:00 +0100

So you have started your own business, and even have a company website. Now you might be wondering how to drive traffic to your site. You need to first advertise your company, and secondly get people interested in your website, products, and services. There are a few particularly popular ways to do this, but one of the best ways to do so is to feature SEO articles about your business, both on your website and on other sites. If you have never heard of article marketing, you are probably wonde [...]

Effective Web Design: Precedence, Navigation, Usability.

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0100

Recently I came across an excellent blog article that simply states a lot of very important principles our Webflo designers routinely employ in our clients' websites.

The first principle I'd like to discuss is Precedence, or guiding the eye. Precedence is a very useful tool in leading the user through the various parts on your site in the most efficient manner to make them aware of your logo message and content, in the proper order.

A very large portion of web design is about informati [...]

Marketing - Brand Identity

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Brand Identity

Your brand isn't just something your company sells; it isn't just some service you provide. Your brand is an idea, a symbol of what you stand for, and what identifies your company in the face of your competitors. Your brand identity could be your logo, catch phrase, a song, colors, people, etc. It is a collection of things, ideas, and symbols that associate with one another to create a stronger recognition of your company and its products and services within the hearts and mind [...]

Effective Web Design: The Importance of a Unique Website

travis.simpson@webflostudios.com — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

As an Arizona business owner or freelancer, you probably know the importance of a good design for a website, and you may think you have found an effective web design for your site. But is that outstanding web design really unique, or is it a template that dozens of other sites also display? There are few things as unprofessional as having the same website as some other business out there, and this blog will explain why.

If you are an artist, photographer, author, or interior decorator, [...]

Effective Web Design: The Importance of Font Choice

autumn.rivers@webflostudios.com — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The effective web design process has many aspects. Each one might seem trivial, like it may not make a difference, but in reality, every little detail has an impact on your overall web design. One often overlooked detail in effective web design is font.

If you have gone about creating your website the correct way, you will have a lot of content. After all, as many professionals say, “Content is king.” However, as we discussed last week, hopefully it is arranged tastefully and does [...]

Effective Web Design: Keeping it Simple

autumn.rivers@webflostudios.com — Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

When it comes to effective web design, many key features exist. One of the most obvious and important characteristics of an outstanding and effective web design is simplicity. However, few people seem aware of this, as so many websites appear overcrowded and cluttered. In order to really understand this concept, think of a website like a room in an elegant house. Which of the following rooms is more likely to be found in a nice, well-cared for house?

I came across a great blog post by colorlovers.com

Some of the best color palettes can be found in nature. A great example of this can be seen in butterflies: they have vivid colors either to trick their prey into thinking they are poisonous or to camouflage into their surroundings.

Sites designed with poor color choice can instantly ward off visitors faster than a can of raid on an ant hill. However, in just a few minutes and [...]

Webflo Studios Ideals - Effective Web Design, Do’s and Don’ts

travis.simpson@webflostudios.com — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

There are a lot of websites that I visit while looking for inspiration or just when casually perusing the web that are like nails on a chalkboard for my visual cortex. So I decided to compile a list of things to consider when developing your own design or when thinking about how an effective web designer could create your website. What does that say? Make sure you choose correct contrasting colors; green and red, despite being great Christmas colors, are poor friends when it comes to font relati [...]

How to Succeed in Internet Marketing

autumn.rivers@webflostudios.com — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Internet is clearly crucial to our society. Many people depend on the Internet for several services, such as daily communication, school, banking and bill pay, and even work, just to name a few. Obviously most people could not go a day without it. Thus, it makes sense to use the Internet as a way to develop and improve your business, mainly using online marketing.

Although Internet marketing has many names and includes several different tactics, one thing is clear: it is an essentia [...]

Tutorial: Basic Photoshop - Transform Commands

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

In this tutorial I will explain the various transform commands and how they function. Although I only use them for text in this demonstration, they are extremely versatile and can be used in nearly every area of Photoshop editing. There is also a fair amount of overlap in the function of the different commands, but each acts slightly differently.

Webflo Studios Ideals – Effective Web Design, Speed

travis.simpson@webflostudios.com — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The last topic in this ongoing discussion of effective web design will discuss how much patience the typical user has on your website, and why to have an effective web design you must make sure that you optimize your website with speed in mind.

Speed

One of the top complaints of internet users deals with the speed at which a website is being displayed. The faster your website displays, the faster your users will be able to get [...]

Webflo Studios Ideals – Effective Web Design, Navigation

travis.simpson@webflostudios.com — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Continuing with our discussion on functionality and design, I am going to bring up the next main topic of this blog: Navigation.

Navigation:

Navigation is the key ingredient in allowing people to get the content they want at a rate that they are accustomed to.

The Navigation area is often the first to be tinkered with when developing an artistic or unique design for a site. However, it is also the most f [...]

Net Neutrality – How It Affects You and Why You Should Care

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

First a short introduction: my name is Ted Potter and I’m part of the design team here at Webflo studios. I’ve had some experience in nearly every computer-related design field, from web design to 3d modeling to video editing. I’ve been in this field for many years now and I will be for years to come.

Anyway, now that that’s out of the way let’s get talking about net neutrality.

Ever since the internet was created it has operated on the concept of neutrality. All data tr [...]

Webflo Studios Ideals – Effective Web Design, Why a Unique Layout?

travis.simpson@webflostudios.com — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Before I begin, let me introduce myself. My name is Travis Simpson, co-owner and lead designer here at Arizona-based Webflo Studios. I graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Digital Art. While I was going to school I learned a lot about design, but outside of school in the “real world” I learned a lot about marketing.

Unique web designers and web designs may not be as common as your typical layout, but there are a good number of [...]

Tutorial: Simple Masking and Adjustment Layers

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

For Photoshop CS3, in this tutorial we show how simple masking and adjustment layers can change the way an image looks. These simple techniques can be beneficial to solve a number of problems when developing a website including topography as well as matching a certain design theme. This tutorial is for individuals that are brand new to photoshop and have not yet learned the basics.

So here [...]

Tutorial: Compositing and Feather Command

ted.potter@webflostudios.com — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Photoshop CS3:
In this tutorial I will show you how to use the feather tool. Feathering is today’s software term for the traditional technique known as vignetting: a soft edged border around an image which blends into the background. This technique is very effective when compositing one image onto or on top of another. It is simple, but effective technique and we are going to be using the Feather Tool in conjunction with the lasso tool in order to achieve the desired [...]