Unleaded Software has been featured on several blogs that exhibit sites with superior web design. Here are a few of the blogs that have featured our new web design:
Daily Slurp
Most Inspired
Internet Vibes
Cool Homepages
VisualSafe
PixelGangster
Thanks for letting us know you appreciate the new web design!
I was recently asked to do an interview by a Graphic Design student at the Art Institute of Colorado. She was asked to interview the Creative Director of a web firm for research on how to create graphics for web design. The goal of the project was to become familiar with the expectations within the web design industry and she chose Unleaded Software based on our corporate website and our client list. Here’s an excerpt:
How do you go about creating graphics for the Web?
The first step in designing web graphics and websites in general is to determine the goals of the client. If our web design client is located in Denver, we usually arrange a meeting at our office to flush out the requirements of the website. Every client is unique and one of the keys to Unleaded Software’s success has been our ability to design custom solutions that fit every individual client. We try to push the envelope to remain artistically innovative in our web design, but we also realize that most of our clients are looking to put forward a very professional image. Designing for the web is a totally different animal than print, but the concepts of layout, type usage, usability, etc are vital in both types of design. After we’ve got a general idea of direction, I go to work on the web mockups which I post to an actual website so the client can see the idea in their actual web browser.
What software do you use? Why is that your choice?
For most of our clients, a hybrid website design is the best solution. These websites incorporate elements of both flash and html, formatted in css by our top notch developer, to provide a visually pleasing and interactively immersive website design. That being said, Unleaded Software uses the new Adobe CS3. Adobe Photoshop is our main design tool and Dreamweaver is our main development tool. Unleaded still provides entirely flash websites, which I believe are great solutions for niche websites, but it’s important to recognize the advantages and drawbacks of flash. So many clients require at least some search engine exposure, with many using Unleaded Software for turnkey S.E.O solutions, that hybrid-design websites are the way to go.
What resolution do you work at? Why?
For years, the standard in web design was 800×600 but I feel that this convention is no longer necessary. Only a small fraction of the web audience still works at that resolution. Working in a 1000 pixel wide design environment really provides a lot of flexibility. For the initial homepage, clients usually prefer to have no scrolling but even that is rarely a demand anymore. The web audience is very savvy nowadays so if we can provide an intuitive design, we can provide a lot of content on one page and still have the vital usability. For example, our website www.unleadedsoftware.com shows a lot of content on the homepage, but it is easily navigable
Do you keep in mind the concept, “Create it once, and use it multiple times”? Why or why not? How do you keep track of the concepts you create?
The Unleaded Software team is made up of students of design and creativity. We’re always looking for new, innovative ways to present content on the web. That being said, there are certain design elements that frequently appear on many of the best sites because they’re proven to be effective. For example, the “Web 2.0″ design parameters are frequently requested by our newest clients. In terms of design, these are subtle elements that combine to form very user-friendly websites (think youtube.com, apple.com, and the new cnn.com). Web 2.0 parameters lead to website design elements such as: rounded corners, slight glossy/aqua elements, clearly designed buttons, etc. I don’t necessarily resuse design elements from one photoshop file to another, but I use similar techniques so frequently that it becomes second nature to build them. I keep a library of great website design screenshots for ideas in case I’m struggling because just looking at a great website design we’ll get the creative juices flowing. Luckily, in my creative browsing of other sites, I’ve determined Unleaded has the best designs in Denver, Colorado and beyond.
If a client comes to you and wants the same graphic created for both a Web site and a print campaign, what would your process be in developing this project?
Unleaded Software is frequently asked to provide turnkey marketing solutions, including branding, web, and print design. The branding process must take place first to determine the look and feel of the company identity. The branding design process usually leads to other ideas as to where to take the web and print designs. Because companies generally want a website launched before they market themselves with a print campaign, the website design is usually the next step. Brainstorming in photoshop usually gives us a lot of ideas that would crossover between print and web. However, I do not usually build graphics at a high enough resolution for print right away. I’m familiar enough with design and my capabilites are developed enough to where I can recreate any web graphic I’ve already designed in a print-ready format.
We just launched the new website for Recovery At Serenity (http://www.recoveryatserenity.com). Recovery At Serenity is “a residential eating disorder treatment center that provides an oasis for women while they tease apart the struggles of their disease and build an empowered identity.” It opens in Dallas in 2009.
Mike and I both worked on this design and I think it accomplishes the goal of serenity.
Award-winning design in web, print, and all forms of new media.