vanessa dewson » Design

Ottawa Web Designer helps Trademark Lawyer discover WordPress

Vanessa — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:16:17 +0000

I’m a huge fan of WordPress – this blog is a customized WordPress theme. Having built and customized websites using HTML, CSS, Flash and DotNetNuke, I love the ease of use that WordPress can offer a non-techy person. Not all of us have the time, energy and interest to figure out code but we all understand how a well designed site can make a great impression and says a lot about you and/or your business. One of my web packages includes setting someone up with a WordPress themed site, customizing it and teaching my client how to use it so they can save money by being able to update all the content themselves. That package also includes site maintenance and SEO (search engine optimization) services for one year to help build their web presence. I think it’s empowering to feel in control of your site and feel like you understand a little bit more about something that was once daunting. Although you can set up your own Wordpress site for free, sometimes getting a jump start can be a worthwhile investment.

My latest client is Ottawa trade-mark lawyer Paula Clancy and she is absolutely thrilled with her new site. It’s professional, bilingual and allows her to have static information pages as well as a blog page. I customized a theme to meet her needs which included finding a great plug-in that allows the content to be bilingual. We not only met in person for a tutorial, we also used TeamViewer and Skype to conduct a remote training session. A perfect solution for those who live out of town or find this a more convenient option. As she gets more comfortable with the interface and wants more control, it’s very easy to pass over the reins to her. Meanwhile, I’m available to help with any issues or questions while working in the background to make sure it runs smoothly and starts getting more exposure in search engines.

Whether you own a business or want a personal site for a blog or your upcoming wedding, I’d be happy to discuss how I can help you get started with a web design package that suits your needs.

Ottawa Graphic Designer & Algonquin College Graduate

Vanessa — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:39:55 +0000

It’s official! After taking the odd graphic design course at Algonquin College since 1998, I finally decided a few years ago that I would complete all the courses needed for the certificate program. Well, the dedication has paid off and I am now an official graduate of Algonquin College with a certificate in Graphic Design – Print. I know it’s just a piece of paper and I did learn a lot on my own since designing was a huge part of my various jobs but I also learned so much more and so much faster by taking a class. I’m still debating whether to attend the convocation ceremony later this month but I sure am proud to hang my certificate on my wall.

Brion Raffoul Patents & Trademarks website

Vanessa — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:04:25 +0000

After designing their logo and a basic splash page almost a year ago, Brion Raffoul Patents & Trademarks approached me to help them develop a slick Flash website. They picked a template they liked and I got to learn a little Flash while customizing it for their needs and with their corporate look. I’m really happy with how it turned out. Check it out! www.brionraffoul.com

Typos…

Vanessa — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:42:41 +0000

Ah, the bane of every graphic designer. It is always exciting to see what you’ve worked so hard on fresh off the press but nothing can be as annoying as that first call when someone spots a typo. And trust me, it is rare to see a piece completely devoid of typos. Some you can live with and most people don’t catch them. Others are downright embarrassing to have missed and in the worst case, the whole job has to be re-printed. In all cases though, you wonder, how could I have missed it, it’s so obvious! Well, we are all human and even with a second or third set of eyes, things get missed. My problem is that I look more at the design then the actual words. Does everything line up perfectly? Is the font size and spacing consistent? etc… I do tell my clients that proofreading is their responsibility because after a while for me, it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. However, I still feel bad when a typo crops up. I envy web designers who can simply go back and update a page – at no extra cost (other than their time)! As for me, a perfectionist, I have to learn to cope that some things will never be perfect. That’s not always easy. But at least I can chuckle when I see someone else’s missed typo and know that someone, somewhere is kicking themselves too.

I hope there aren’t any typos in what I just wrote, but feel free to share if you spot one and I’ll promply make the correction!