JPEG vs. GIF vs. PNG: Which Image Format is Best for the Web?

The format you choose for images on your website affects appearance, file size and page load times. To design an attractive site with smooth functionality, it’s important to use the right format for each application.

JPEG, GIF and PNG are some of the most common image file extensions on the web. Each has advantages and drawbacks, and knowing which to choose can make a big difference in how your website looks to visitors. Continue reading

Modern Cloud Typography and Browser Font Compatibility

fontWhen web designers get together they like to discuss current trends and happenings in their chosen industry. Some developer’s responsibilities include making web and mobile versions of print magazines. As can be expected, typography can be one of the major challenges that a web developer would face in getting content published.

Print magazine designers and publishers have greater freedom than their online counterparts in terms of typography. This may be difficult to believe for average users of word processing or desktop publishing software. There is a typographic disconnect between web design standards and browser compatibility that makes print design difficult to reproduce online. Imagine the challenge of bringing Ray Gun, a mid-1990s rock-and-roll magazine that was legendary for its rich typography, to an iPhone. Continue reading

The Art of Typography is Alive and Well on the Web

The current era of Web design is extremely visual. People are increasingly drawn to websites that are rich in videos and images, but most of them do not realize that they are also attracted to typographic design. Web users are reading more than ever, and they can thank typographers and designers for this trend. The effectiveness of a written statement is heavily dependent on typography, and this is something that Web designers are keenly aware of. Continue reading

Inspiration for Your New Website: Headers

When you’re out shopping around for a new website, one of the first meetings you will have is going to be based around the question: how do you want your website to look? This is where I see a lot of clients fall short of knowledge. Websites are your online presence, and the look of it will be very important. Do you want to come off business professional, socially driven, season driven, or even come off better to younger generation than an older generation.  But why should you know how to come up with the look of your website, the companies are the experts, right?

While the company should be the expert, it really helps companies out if clients know how they want their websites laid out. In this new series: Inspiration for Your New Website, I will show you the different parts of a website and a few examples of how these can be done.

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Are You Ready to Join the Logo Evolution?

The evolution of the Orion Group logo

It may be time to evaluate your main identity, better known as your Logo!

It can seem like some labor to get a logo project going but it’s worth it. Your logo is a representation of your business i.e. the face of your brand, what you do, who you are, why you do it. Is your logo up to the challenge of promoting you and your company to the world on this fantastic medium that is the Internet? Wikipedia says that a logo is “a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition.” Logos are either purely graphic (symbols/icons), or are composed of the name of the organization. In ancient Greek logo was originally a word meaning “a ground”, “a plea”, “an opinion”, “an expectation”, “word,” “speech,” “account,” “reason”. Continue reading

Is your website looking like it’s working for you?

Chris

Does your site look good? Does it POP? I mean is it easy to look at…do folks want to stay there a while…to see what happens next?

Opinions vary… but if you’re not happy with the look of it, chances are your potential customers aren’t either and you may need a graphic tune up. It’s been a while since graphics made web sites slow. Today’s graphics will make your site slick!

Some features in today’s web sites that you may be missing out on… Continue reading