Flash or HTML Websites?

Posted 29 June, 2007 in Flash, Tutorials

Not for the first time and undoubtedly not for the last time either, I was asked if a site should be all Flash or HTML.

Now this depends, is what I say. This particular site had already been created all in flash. They sell gifts online and the site is basically an e-commerce store. They had been up and running for about a year and where getting little or no organic hits to the site. The site was 1 page, with a clever bit of flash running the catalogue of products. (more…)

Web 2.0 Stripes in Photoshop

Posted 25 June, 2007 in Tutorials

This tutorial is meant as a simple way to make stripes in Photoshop. It assumes a basic understanding of Photoshop. Included are various samples of stripes at the bottom of the tutorial, for your use subject to the free (cc) licence.

1. Start with a 200 x 200 pixel box.

2. Set foreground colour to Black and background to white.

3. Using the gradient tool set to Reflected Gradient, drag a gradient from the middle of the image to the top. Use the shift key to get it straight. (For special effects, try an oblique or angled gradient)

4. Got to Filter > Distort > Wave.

5. Set Generators to 999. Wavelength Min and Max to 5. Scale 100%. Type: triangle. Repeat Edge Pixels.

Now you should have nice web 2.0 stripes read to use. You can of course use other colours.

If you wish to have stripes without the gradient do steps 1 and 2 again then:

3. Using the gradient tool set to Linea Gradient, drag a gradient from the bottom of the image to the top. Use the shift key to get it straight.

4. Got to Filter > Distort > Wave.

5. Set Generators to 999. Wavelength Min and Max to 5. Scale 100%. Type: square. Repeat Edge Pixels.

This should give you plain stripes that you can then add to your patterns, Edit > Define Pattern.

Mess around with the settings to create some nice effects!

Gradient Patterns

Gradient 2.0 Stripes.

Free Web 2.0 Gradients

Posted 18 June, 2007 in Tutorials

I found a nice page that does some great Photoshop web 2.0 gradients. Gradients play a strong role in web 2.0 graphics and add that 3d feel to icons and logos and words etc. It is a large collection and with the use of hue and colouring you should be able to create an endless variation of gradients.

ultimate-web-20-gradients-free-download

Make Web 2.0 Icons in Photoshop

Posted 7 June, 2007 in Tutorials

Submit Photos & Illustrations to Shutterstock and make $$$!

This is a tutorial on how to make glassy icons. This is just one of many ways to create web 2.0 images. I have tried to keep it simple but it assumes you know your way arround Photoshop.

(more…)

Sell your photos or illustrations online

Posted 6 June, 2007 in Tutorials

If you are a photographer or an illustrator there are now a few sites that will happily sell your work and pass on a commission for every work sold. Such sites are known as Microstock Sites. (more…)