This garden buildings company came to us to help rebrand and build them a full database-driven CMS website to showcase their products. We chose the modX framework for the website, given the complexity and scope of the data structure and hierarchies. We trained the client who was then able to input all their images and product information into the site directly.
We also provided print advertising and stationery updates in line with the rebrand.
Nick Shipp Architects required a full rebrand and a new website to showcase their work. The rebrand involved the presentation of a number of logo concepts which were developed following client feedback to the ‘sign-off’ stage, after which stationery artwork was produced and we moved on to the website design and build.
The website required a fairly complex structure of categories and image galleries and the client wanted to be able to manage these directly. To make it as simple as we could we chose WordPress for the database CMS (Content Management System) and provided training to enable them to add and edit content within the website.
The database structure also allows search functionality to be built into the site.
Not a typical web ‘design’ project – the client are a design agency themselves and wanted to produce something a little different. They also had their own visual ideas and artwork, and were looking for a partner to help implement their ideas. To begin with we looked at the options for implementing this type of site, and decided against ‘Flash’ (primarily as this would exclude many iphone/ipad users, an important sector for this type of client). We also presented a variety of ‘single page’ HTML5 sites to the client to help shape the approach and give them confidence. The client then provided their illustrations/artwork and we produced an initial test scene before developing the full site.
We designed the new branding, stationery and website for this Bath-based PR company. The website is based on the popular WordPress platform, which was already familiar to the business owner, and provides a great way to keep the site content up-to-date and ‘in house’. A bespoke WordPress theme was designed and developed. We also designed materials such as Twitter backgrounds, adverts, avatars and presentation templates.
The last couple of years has seen the rise of the embedded web font. At last it’s become practical to use more than the handful of standard system fonts within websites. There are many options for embedding web fonts, but surely one of the most ubiquitous sources is Google. They currently have 197 font families available (July 2011) which can be quickly previewed here: http://www.google.com/webfonts.
But the quality does vary, and the names won’t be familiar to most traditional graphic designers, so I’ve put together a list of 20 of the most “useful” Google fonts. My criteria was to create a selected fontbook set that I personally would use on a day-to-day basis. So they tend to be the more conservative choices.
I haven’t necessarily used all of these a LOT yet, so this list may change over time.
By the way – tallhat.com uses Coda (Headings and Navigation) and Brawler (Body text).
We’ve just started working with luxury designer bridal wear boutique ‘Carina Baverstock Couture’ – who sell wedding dresses in Bradford-on-Avon near Bath – to improve their website marketing and positioning. Their existing website has been tweaked to make it much more ‘search engine friendly’. Watch this space for future improvements!
We designed the new branding and website for this Bath-based community centre. The website is set up using the WordPress platform, which provides a great way to keep the site content up-to-date and ‘in house’. A bespoke WordPress theme was designed and developed and we also provided training for the content management.
We designed and produced this website for Bath-based renewable energy specialists ‘Ace Energy’. The website is set up using the WordPress platform, which provides a great way to keep the site content up-to-date and ‘in house’. A bespoke WordPress theme was designed and developed.
We designed this logo and signage artwork for Swaffham Motorcycles
Stuart is a professional guitarist, tutor and writer and required a ‘personal’ website to market his services and tutorials. We designed and built the site using WordPress to allow him to manage the site content directly, adding news stories, event information and generally keeping the site up-to-date.
Kevin is a professional speaker, businessman, and polar explorer and required a ‘personal’ website to market his services. We designed and built the site using WordPress to allow Kevin to manage the site content directly, adding news stories and keeping the pages up-to-date.
We designed the new branding and website for this California-based geodata specialist. The website is set up using the WordPress platform, which provides a great way to keep the site content up-to-date and ‘in house’. A bespoke WordPress theme was designed and developed. We also designed and produced the Flash animations within the website
I’ve used NextGen gallery for WordPress quite a bit and it’s a nice plugin. BUT… I’ve always wanted to be able to do ‘easy embed’ multiple jquery slideshows that show images in a RANDOM order. (This IS possible using the Flash slideshow component but I don’t always want/need to use Flash for this).
The non-Flash (jQuery) slideshow component is currently quite basic, and after much hunting around it was looking like this simple requirement would be difficult to implement.
I have, however, found a simple hack for this. It does involve editing one of the plugin JS files though, which isn’t ideal (e.g. future plugin upgrades may well overwrite this change). But this instruction might help someone out – and might persuade someone more technical to extend the core plugin in some way.
(more…)
This was an unusual branding project – to develop a logo, brand and website style for a site which allows people (or their relations or carers) to store memories about their life; particularly aimed at those with memory loss issues such as dementia sufferers.
We presented a number of logo concepts and through the usual development cycle quickly focused on the slightly more fun approach of the elephant (never forgets). The addition of the book motif completed the connection.
The website is in its first phase with further developments in progress.
We also designed some of the interface elements and icons within the website.
We created an animated Flash illustration to explain the products and services provided by System 2000 Group. This has been built into their homepage and also provide navigation to the sub-sections of their website. The illustration began life as an isometric pencil sketch which was scanned and traced in Adobe Illustrator. The layer elements were then taken into Flash and coloured and animated. The ‘vector’ nature of the illustration ensures a small file-size (and hence a quick load time)
This online tutorial provides a good introduction to isometric illustrations. The key is the SSR method which involves shearing and rotating each element to provide the correct fixed perspective. I used a printed grid to create the initial pencil sketch which was then redrawn in Illustrator.
The final animation can be seen at • www.system2000group.co.uk
Wherever the Need are a Bath-based charity that work in India and Africa providing water, sanitation and building livelihoods to help alleviate poverty. Following the completion of two successful campaign websites for them we were asked to redesign and redevelop their main website. The site is built on WordPress and is our most complex WordPress development to date involving gallery functionality (allowing the client to directly manage project galleries) and multiple content areas within various sub-templates. We also provided client training to hand over the day-to-day content management.
WordPress has a lot of advantages as a CMS for simple websites. The admin system is pretty good for non-techies to control their site content (adding posts, pages, uploading images are all pretty streamlined processes). However, one of the areas where it falls down is managing secondary page content.
It’s great if you’ve just got a basic template with just a single column of content, but if you have a design with multiple columns, or ‘sidebars’ with global widgets and you also want to include page-specific content in these areas it all gets a bit clunky. The widget admin area isn’t particularly user-friendly and just trying to explain it to clients highlight that fact. Getting ‘contextual’ with widgets is tough work if a site has more than about 5 pages…
(more…)
Since Apple launched the iPad on 3 April it has sold over 3 million of them, significantly beating the original iPhone sales for the same period. What does this mean for web design? Whilst still a small drop in the ocean in terms of web access, the lack of Flash support on both the iPad and iPhone has been much commented on and site owners and developers have been questioning Flash and its place in mainstream web design. In many cases accessible content is winning out over presentation ‘icing’, so perhaps we’ll be seeing less web animation for the time being. Alternatives such as HTML5 may change this (although a game-changing authoring tool is needed to really kickstart HTML5).
If you want to ride the famous “Sea Tractor” this is the place to go… Bigbury-on-Sea! We designed and built this straight-forward site for a Devon Holiday Apartment. The aim was to keep the design very simple and uncluttered; to really place the focus on the photography. We also used JQuery to allow the images to be presented in a dynamic and easy-to-use way. (We’ve also visited the property, and can vouch for the amazing views and location.)
We designed and produced this Flash-based website for a London TV admin services company. We also designed their brochure and stationery. Although the site is Flash-based it still functions on mobile devices such as the iPhone (and new iPad) by reverting to standard HTML format. This is also an important consideration for search engine marketing and accessibility.
I love Tweetdeck but never seem to have enough columns, so i started thinking about how it would be useful to be able to define key search terms and access them really easily (without having to scroll every-which-way or juggle columns). This is a quick first mockup for this suggested feature. If you’re a Tweetdeck desktop user what do you think?
Click to enlarge
It could also be applied to users – so define your “top 10″ users to keep tabs on… this might help the signal to noise aspects of the main timeline…
The familiar 3-pin UK plug was designed in the 1940s but it’s the bulkiest in the world. An RCA design student has reinvented it… http://www.iconeye.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3864:rca-student-radically-improves-the-uk-plug
(I still think we should be looking at integrated DC circuits in houses – do away with all these bulky hot transformers which so many appliances use now…)
Creative Boom Bath is a blog and online community aimed at the creative industries in and around Bath. It is run by Creative Boom magazine in partnership with Highlight PR in Bath, a specialist PR agency for creative firms.
tallhatDesign is featured (Dec 1st 2009)
• www.creativeboom.co.uk/bath
And don’t forget www.creativebath.org for more creative industry news and events in Bath.
The Globe Inn at Frampton Cotterell near Bristol wanted a website that would be easy for them to update. We designed and built the site using WordPress as the CMS. We also took the photographs and build the Frome Valley Walkway Google map to help promote the pub.
Puzzles.com is now featuring two of our puzzles in it’s “expert” section. I guess that means they’re difficult…
Jigscale is a mix of tetris and a jigsaw, with the added twist that you can scale the pieces.
• www.puzzles.com/PuzzleLinks/Expert.htm
Fourbyfour is a simple grid of squares in two colours, and the aim is to get all the squares the same colour (in as few clicks as possible!)
• www.puzzles.com/PuzzleLinks/ExpertPrevious5.htm
This looks interesting: beta launch: www.fontcapture.com
Let’s you create an actual font file for Mac or PC
tallhatDesign launch an unusual ‘experience’ website to showcase the vintage products of “Miss Havisham’s Attic”. Using Flash animation, sound and an unconventional structure the brief was to create a rich atmospheric ‘environment’ to showcase both products and ethos.
http://www.misshavishamsattic.com
Have a look at most dental websites – not very inspiring are they? Elleven wanted something a bit different. They wanted to engage with people.
So we put some fun content together for the website: case studies you can really interact with, a game for kids to play (but learn from)…
The aim was to surprise people and get them to pass on the interactive ‘before-and-afters’, or to get kids to send the game to their friends and challenge their high scores.
Websites needn’t be about simply reading product and service information. They should be about involvement.
Logo of the day at the ‘Logo from Dreams’ Awards website. Our Seed to Plate logo was featured 1 September 2009 and our Widjiti Wines logo last year. See both here: http://www.logofromdreams.com/?s=tallhat.
http://shopifythemegallery.com has featured our Shopify design for Bibico Fairtrade Fashion. “Bibico is a UK-based women’s Fairtrade fashion shop. A clean bespoke Shopify theme designed by tallhat.com and developed in partnership with iamkeir.com”
http://shopifythemegallery.com/2009/08/bibico
This garden buildings company came to us to help rebrand and build them a full database-driven CMS website ...continued
Nick Shipp Architects required a full rebrand and a new website to showcase their work. The rebrand involved ...continued
Not a typical web ‘design’ project – the client are a design agency themselves and wanted to produce ...continued
“tallhatDesign have been an absolute marvel for our business. They were recommended by our non exec as a company that is high quality and very personable which turned out to be spot on! They re-branded our whole company including new ...continued
“A shiver of excitement goes round the office every time an email arrives from tallhatDesign with a new design attached. We just know it’ll make us smile, fitting the brief perfectly and then going that little bit further. There’s always ...continued