Creating a CSS Rollover
In this tutorial we are going to teach you how to make a simple CSS rollover, a bit like the ones on the BBC iPlayer.
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What is RSS?
Ok so over the past few months while running this blog I have a had a few non-techy friends ask me what RSS is and when I try to explain what it is and why they should use it they still don’t want it, so I thought for future reference I would put a video on here so they could come and see why they need it!
Firstly a big thank you goes to the guys/gals over at Common Craft who create videos like this all time.
How to create a Rising Sun effect in Photoshop
After a few e-mails asking how I created the rising sun like effect on previous posts headers. I have decided I should make a tutorial explaining how to do it. There are many ways to do this but the technique I use seems to be the quickest.
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How to install brushes in PhotoShop
Ok this is a very simple tutorial that I am writing because I have had a few people unsure on how to add brushes into photoshop. This tutorial was done on a mac but the same principal goes for PC/Linux versions just you have to take a different route to get there.
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3 Important Skills a Freelance Web Designer Must Have
The web design industry is getting tougher each day. If you are a freelancing, or planning to do so, you need to be able to do more than just designing websites if you want to survive in this competitive industry. Being a freelance web designer is not the same as working for an agency. You need to be a very organized person and able to multi-task. You will probably be using the left side of your brain more than the right side.
There are many not-so-fun things you will have to do as a freelance web designer, and having the right skills can help you stay in business longer and enjoy the freedom of working for yourself. If you don’t have all of these skills yet, I’d highly recommend you buying a few books or attend some courses. So here are the three important skills you must have if you want to be a successful freelance web designer.
1. Selling – Are you good at selling on the phone or in person? If not, you better to learn it quick. You don’t have to be the top sales person in your town, but you do need to be able to understand what your client’s needs are and tell them how your service can benefit their business. You have to communicate effectively with business people who have little to no computer knowledge. By having a strong sales background, a web designer will have much better chance in get a client to sign the contract and to keep them coming back for more work.
2. Search Engine Optimisation – People are expecting more from web designers as the industry is getting more competitive. Your competitors are offering more website features and work, therefore you have to at least offer the same if not better. Search engine optimization is one of those things that many businesses are looking for right now. They are understand the importance of top rankings in the search engines, and you can deliver this within their budget, you will stand a better chance of getting the work.
3. Networking – People usually trust friends and family members more than strangers. The more people you know, the better chance a friend of yours will mention your name and service when talking to their friends. They will be doing all the ‘hard work’ for you. So this is why it’s extremely important that you go out there and network with people. You can go to seminars, business meet ups, events..etc Be sure to have some business cards with you ALL the time. You are not only limited to the real world networking, you can also network with people online. Websites like Facebook and Myspace are places where you can do just that. There are also more focused networking websites on the net. Simple do a search for web designer networks and you will find many than you can join for free. These are just a few examples, not to mention there are forums and newsgroups.