Testimonials and Endorsements:

Over the many years of me doing stuff for other people for money, I have worked with - and continue to work with - a great number of super-duper clients.

I always ask for feedback so I can improve the things I do, and I have also received some blush-tacular testimonials and endorsements. Yes. Have some.

As I mentioned in my recent post: "OMG! It's alive!", this here very website has its own bespoke CMS (Content Management System) for updating portfolio examples, blog posts and all the content on every page.

I'm no PHP programmer, while my friend and colleague Graham (of behinddesign.co.uk) is. And tis he who is to thank for all the PHP wizardry that's going down on my new site. Thanks Graham. Thraham.

Let me tell you more about this rather talented chap.

Our story begins many, many years ago, in a cozy little office above a chemist ...

Have you ever heard the phrase: "The camel is the horse designed by committee"? ...

In this post I talk about what brand guidelines are, why they are so important (especially on large-ish projects with large-ish clients) and other brand related stuff that you may or may not find mildly interesting and/or useful.

I'd be interested in any other designers thoughts and experiences relating to "brand" and its application.

A project work-flow ensures I am able to apply my quality control procedure to a project, so that your 'final product' will be as good as it possibly can be, and so everyone is happy smiley balls of fuzzy light for ever more.

Here be the stages of the work-flow:

1. Research, discovery & consultation
2. Site map and plan
3. Wire framing key pages
4. Flat visual designs
5. Build of all key pages using HTML & CSS
6. PHP programming and CMS integration
7. Initial content implementation
8. Initial on-page SEO set-up
9. Testing, bug fixing and tidying pre-launch
10. Launch
11. Jam sandwiches
12. Horlicks then nap

Over the past 6 months, I have been getting more and more emails from students asking me questions and for advice about freelancing, web design, illustration and such.

Unfortunately, as my career has progressed, I've become busier and busier with client work, meaning the time I have spare to give advice and answer questions has become less and less.

All the emails I have received have not been binned or totally ignored. They have been put in a folder called 'students', and I am now going to list the main questions and try to answer them as best as I can ...