Archive for the ‘Website Design’ Category
Raster Graphics
If you’re at all involved in the web design field, you’ve likely come across the modern rise to dominance of vector graphics, which allow for smooth graphic creation, zooming, and printing. But this exciting format has left its predecessor unexamined by some web designers new to the field, and while there’s no denying that raster graphics are inferior for a number of applications, this format is a wise choice for some projects and can make for some fun experiments. Pretty much everyone who has produced work online, from artists to SEO consultants taking a break from search engine optimization to doodle a logo or enhance a company portrait, has played with Adobe Photoshop or similar editing programs, and it is around these experiences that the design culture of the raster graphic has centered.
Raster graphics are sometimes also referred to a bitmap images, as the format relies on a structure of pixels in which a varying number of bits of information are stored. These pixels relay diverse information to programs and computer screens for display, including color (typically based on the RGB system and conveying a certain percentage of red, blue, and green to achieve a certain hue) and position. The vast majority of computer and web graphics –especially small items such as icons– have traditionally been created with this bitmap structure. And indeed, despite its imperfections, this method has been used to create a variety of digital artistic masterpieces, from attractive and well-received abstract designs for pages to full-fledged digital paintings that rival traditional formats. But despite the long and storied history of raster images, their disadvantages compared to the more modern option of vector graphics has produced a decrease in the amount of pieces created in this fashion.
The principle drawback of the classic raster graphic is that it is resolution-dependent. This means that scaling is generally not an option, at least beyond a certain threshold, because the graphic itself will become distorted, blurry, or otherwise a mere echo of the original’s look and feel. Some designers might declare that this isn’t a problem if a graphic is created in the correct size to begin with, and this certainly has its merit, but often, graphics are changed in terms of size after they’ve been produced in order to make them perfectly suit the setting or application. Printing can also be disadvantageous with raster graphics, as the nature of the medium can lead to uneven lines or noise when ink is put to paper.
That being said, raster graphics are still the format of choice for photographs and photo-realistic images. A broad panorama of Austin Texas is still best rendered and printed in raster format, as the details and depth may be lost –much to the chagrin of Austin Tx admirers– with vector graphics. Knowing when raster graphics are a good choice will help designers stay in touch with this traditional digital medium, while affording the freedom to use more appropriate methods when needed.
NuArtisan
7000 N Mo Pac Expy Ste 200
Austin, TX 78731
(512) 712-5359
Using Twitter for Big Business
Have a quick look at some of the most popular users on the micro-blogging community Twitter and you might think that the site is specifically geared towards sole, social individuals, leaving little to no room for big businesses or corporations. But as with many things in life, in business, and on the web, things aren’t always what they seem. Twitter can actually –and is actually– used as a powerful marketing tool, one which can keenly take advantage of modern trends in social media and become a valuable component of any company’s campaign to establish itself online. Using Twitter for big business isn’t entirely new, as many corporations have picked up on the trend, but as it is still enjoying its youth, the phenomenon is aided typically only by top web designers, SEO specialists, and other online experts in major tech and development hubs like Austin Tx. Strategies for incorporating a versatile and effective Twitter presence with excellent web design and search engine optimization naturally vary, but there are a few core concepts that make great Twitter accounts thrive.
Twitter functions by allowing its users to post short “micro blog entries” through their account; these entries are limited to an extremely small 140 characters, and can be a challenge to use for those more comfortable with generous formats. Links to resources and pictures must be shortened with a URL shortening service, and long, arduous copy must be condensed to fit the confines of a single “tweet.” After getting the hang of it, most users find this shortened format liberating and fun at the same time as they work to extract the essential meaning from a thought, or, in the case of big business, a marketing plug or advertisement.
The community at Twitter isn’t all that fond of being spammed with marketing messages, however, as one might expect of a highly net-literate and creative audience. For this reason, a bit of creativity is needed when it comes to getting a message out there. Using Twitter’s primary focus as a social hub, some corporate users and their account managers stick to interacting with other users in a real way, responding to the tweets of their followers or addressing a message to someone in particular. This may sound tedious, but the broadcast message is likely to catch the attention of everyone who sees it, as a big company having a casual chat with someone unknown in a distant town is a fairly unheard of experience. Bringing this level of personal detail and interaction to business marketing while still reaping the rewards of branding and exposure is what using big business for Twitter is all about.
Whether in Austin Texas or halfway around the world, companies are likely to find a professional marketing team capable of getting the most out of a corporate Twitter account. Once an account is set up, business owners may wish to take the reins themselves; after all, the site’s primary appeal for users of every sort is fun.
for Austin Web Designers:
NuArtisan
7000 N Mo Pac Expy Ste 200
Austin, TX 78731
(512) 712-5359