Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
New Sprite coming for the Front Page
The NCCU plays around with CSS sprites. So I made a new one for the front page. Its pretty refreshing
in reference to: http://www.nccu.edu/ (view on Google Sidewiki)Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Purpose of a University and it's Web Site
As far as the purpose of a University Web site goes, the purpose should be closely related to the purpose of the University as a whole. The purpose of a Univeristy should be to provide and support Higher Education for prospective and current students and its employees (in that order). So I think the purpose of the Uninversity Web Site should be to promote its self(primarily) and to support its students, faculty, and staff(secondly). So Navigation and web elements should be set up to achive these two goals.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Images are suppose to look Good for the People
Two simple things you can do for your images to look good on the web.
Images are suppose to look Good for the People
So don't Pixelate them.
AND
Keep them proportional.
"Un-Proportional Photo"
"Original Photo"
Images are suppose to look Good for the People
So don't Pixelate them.
AND
Keep them proportional.
"Un-Proportional Photo"
"Original Photo"
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Mike Render.com v2
Mike Render.com v2
Originally uploaded by mrender
simple black, white, and red design. Just the front page.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Upadate: What Im working on
Whats going on This Week. Whats going on many fans of me?
Just wanted to get another post into this blog and know let you know what Im working on as far with NCCU and Freelanceing.
For NCCU, I'm working on the new Campus Echo website. The Campus Echo is NCCU's Campus Newspaper and they just got a new CMS called College Publisher. So I'm helping them set things up and getting ready to go live this fall semester.
Next Web Services is working on launching a new look for our Campus Emergency Website. Somebody wanted a new look, so Public Relations provided the design and we are gonna code the whole thing.
Finally the Edu Style awards just came and went and I have been looking at some of the Winners and Nominees and looking at why and how they won. A lot of the schools web sites handle information really well. Meaning that a lot of things just make sense on there sites. So it made me take a real hard look at NCCU's Web site and the things we need to work on. So I'm gonna try to revamp our main navigation and make it cater to Prospective students.
All yeah we got graded on EDU CheckUp by Nick DeNardis. He talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly with our website, which is pretty cool.
For Freelance work Im still working with Q&A PR firm. They finally decided on what color they wanted me to use and they got their hosting done. So Im gonna publish their Splash page. I knocked out their Logo and their Business cards.
Ok, that's it, just wanted to get some thing down. Here are the links to EDU CheckUp.
NCCU Main Web site
NCCU School of Business
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Dear Client: Lets Talk About You
Do You think Designers are Mind Readers??? Client, you are a funny person. You don't realize that in the Creative industry, there is a give and take relationship between me(the designer) and you(the client). Im not trying to sound selfish but, you gotta meet me half way. You can't assume I know what your thinking(Client)and vice versa(You know what I'm thinking). Like if you want me to use a certain color or use a certain text somewhere, you gotta tell me the color you want me to use, and you gotta tell me what you want to the text to say and where it should go. I think that you think I can read your mind. But I can't. I need direction from you. So Help me help you. You make it hard sometimes, but I need you(Client). Just Venting
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
NCCU University Laptop Program
NCCU University Laptop Program
Originally uploaded by mrender
The inside of the Brochure. Tried to make it sorta Techy and Grungy.
NCCU University Laptop Program
NCCU University Laptop Program
Originally uploaded by mrender
I Brochure I did for NCCU's Laptop Program. They wanted an updated look compared to the old one
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Lable your Layers( If you truly care about other people opening your PSD file)
I just read a article this morning called "5 Pet Peeves Developers Have With Designers (and How to Avoid Them)" and I saw one that I am guilty of and I know my teammates can vouch for it. I just read a article this morning called "5 Pet Peeves Developers Have With Designers (and How to Avoid Them)" and I saw one that I am guilty of and I know my teammates can vouch for it.
Im just now starting to Lable my Layers in Photoshop, but in the past I would never do it because I thought I was gonna be the only person who would be using the files. Until I had to work on the NCCU web site redesign Project, where my teammates would be using the PSD files as well. They were so mad that it was so hard find what Layer is what in the PSD file and it just so hard for them to work with it. So when they saw article I know they where thinking about me when they saw that one.
I have learned quickly how Labeling your Layers can help you and your team out if you looking at the same PSD file or files. I know for me it helps me work with a really old PSD file that might not have work on in a long time. It makes it easy to locate things and make any modifications. For a team its good because everyone is on the same page with the PSD file. Basically the file be set up so all members will be able to work with quickly and easily. But that's it for today, check out the article. It funny if you Design or Develope for the web.
Im just now starting to Lable my Layers in Photoshop, but in the past I would never do it because I thought I was gonna be the only person who would be using the files. Until I had to work on the NCCU web site redesign Project, where my teammates would be using the PSD files as well. They were so mad that it was so hard find what Layer is what in the PSD file and it just so hard for them to work with it. So when they saw article I know they where thinking about me when they saw that one.
I have learned quickly how Labeling your Layers can help you and your team out if you looking at the same PSD file or files. I know for me it helps me work with a really old PSD file that might not have work on in a long time. It makes it easy to locate things and make any modifications. For a team its good because everyone is on the same page with the PSD file. Basically the file be set up so all members will be able to work with quickly and easily. But that's it for today, check out the article. It funny if you Design or Develope for the web.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Music Developer vs. Web Producers
The web team that I work for is thinking about trying to reinvent are selves. All of the members of my team have some sort of experience with music production. Derek Brinson, who is one of the members of my team and also in a band, says that web developers and musicians have a similar approach to solving problems.
Well lets see? For Music you got Artist, Producers, and Music Engineers, and for the Web you got Designers, Developers, and Programmers. On both sides one person could handle all three positions or there could be team of people who specialize in one of three areas. Both sides have a Manager who kinda overs sees production or development. They both cater to clients or customers(people who want music and people who want sites). And finally, they both have a big boss(Music: The Label or record Co., Web: CIO, IT, or Web Design Co.)
This was interesting way of looking at things. It easy to see how you could approach both industries with similar problem solving solutions. Its all about the function and delivery. Visual and Audible.
Two Post in One Friday, I spoiler you guys.
Till Next Friday, Hopefully
Well lets see? For Music you got Artist, Producers, and Music Engineers, and for the Web you got Designers, Developers, and Programmers. On both sides one person could handle all three positions or there could be team of people who specialize in one of three areas. Both sides have a Manager who kinda overs sees production or development. They both cater to clients or customers(people who want music and people who want sites). And finally, they both have a big boss(Music: The Label or record Co., Web: CIO, IT, or Web Design Co.)
This was interesting way of looking at things. It easy to see how you could approach both industries with similar problem solving solutions. Its all about the function and delivery. Visual and Audible.
Two Post in One Friday, I spoiler you guys.
Till Next Friday, Hopefully
Just Writing
Its Friday, family is in town, new naruto comic comes out, saw some great basketball yesterday, and I'm off tomorrow. Good...Good
I think I'm gonna make Friday's my Blog day, it just feels right. I've been slacking on my blog posting so I need to get back in it some how but it seems really hard to do. I struggle with trying to write something interesting like all of the other cool blog writers but I can never really get started on putting something in here. My web mentor Damond Nollan told me to just start writing and do it this morning cause its a good time to write and plus thats what he is doing. So that's what this is. I know it was short but its a start. Baby Steps.
till Next Friday...Hopefully.
John Henson from Yesturday
I think I'm gonna make Friday's my Blog day, it just feels right. I've been slacking on my blog posting so I need to get back in it some how but it seems really hard to do. I struggle with trying to write something interesting like all of the other cool blog writers but I can never really get started on putting something in here. My web mentor Damond Nollan told me to just start writing and do it this morning cause its a good time to write and plus thats what he is doing. So that's what this is. I know it was short but its a start. Baby Steps.
till Next Friday...Hopefully.
John Henson from Yesturday
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Top Ten HBCU Websites
The web plays a major role in the recruitment process for any college or university. For a lot of potential students, if your web site is not attractive and appealing, you might have just lost a prospective student. So since I work at a HBCU (Eagle Pride!) and I design for the web there(3026GTO!) I wanted to track down the ten best HBCU sites by design to see who got the hawtness, as far as HBCU's go. So here is my list of the Top Ten HBCU Websites by design.
10.
A little dated but I like the layout.
9. Texas Southern University
Very clean, Good use of photography.
8. Clark Atlanta University
Another Clean one, lots of "Web 2.0" Elements, Rounded Corners & Gradients.
7. Howard University
Clean again, Nice Photos, Kept it Simple and it Works.
6. Tougaloo College
"Web 2.o", Clean, Photos, Great!
5. Morgan State University
Photography makes this one good.
4. Philander Smith College
The best use of "Web 2.o" Style
3. Bowie State University
"Web 2.o", Great use of school color, clean, photo, sleek!
2. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University
KISS, Clean, Very nice Photos.
1. North Carolina Central University
Great design with a lot of function, Clean, photos, and very Unique.
Conclusion:
I picked these ten because they all have vibrant colors and images. They put a lot of infasese on that and they all did a good job of doing it. Alot of the other schools that did not make the list are doing the same thing but the designs where not exacuted very well. Alot of the designs appeared very dated and the photos and colors where grainy and blan. I think with great imagery and good use of vibrant colors you will be able to attract alot of students with your university web site.
10.
A little dated but I like the layout.
9. Texas Southern University
Very clean, Good use of photography.
8. Clark Atlanta University
Another Clean one, lots of "Web 2.0" Elements, Rounded Corners & Gradients.
7. Howard University
Clean again, Nice Photos, Kept it Simple and it Works.
6. Tougaloo College
"Web 2.o", Clean, Photos, Great!
5. Morgan State University
Photography makes this one good.
4. Philander Smith College
The best use of "Web 2.o" Style
3. Bowie State University
"Web 2.o", Great use of school color, clean, photo, sleek!
2. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University
KISS, Clean, Very nice Photos.
1. North Carolina Central University
Great design with a lot of function, Clean, photos, and very Unique.
Conclusion:
I picked these ten because they all have vibrant colors and images. They put a lot of infasese on that and they all did a good job of doing it. Alot of the other schools that did not make the list are doing the same thing but the designs where not exacuted very well. Alot of the designs appeared very dated and the photos and colors where grainy and blan. I think with great imagery and good use of vibrant colors you will be able to attract alot of students with your university web site.
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