now launching – beccahowell.com

I haven’t spent much time writing about the web design I’ve been doing over the past few months. But, I thought I would be appropriate to highlight a new design I just launched because it was put together for a good friend and former co-worker, Becca Howell. Becca does wedding, portrait, and artistic photography. Her work is awesome and you can see it featured on this brand new site.

http://www.beccahowell.com

Getting the business going

Now that I’m into summer mode, I’m back into full swing with web design. This summer I’ll be working on developing my side business, Seth James Thomas Web Design, working as a freelance web designer here in Bellingham. I’m trying to establish something of a regular side business to compliment my work at the INN. Since we don’t have a huge summer program at the INN, we have a smaller staff around to make sure things keep going, but there’s a lot more flexibility to do other things. I’m working part time at the INN this summer, so I have time to devote to my web work and to get some good R & R.

I’m pretty excited to be getting off the ground with my web design work. I’ve been doing little projects here and there for people over the last couple of years. While my roommates where off climbing rocks during college, I hunched over my computer upstairs, messing with HTML, PHP, and ASP.NET. I’ve come to enjoy the process, the tinkering, and the creativity that can come out with the development of a site. I also truly enjoy the personal interactions I can have doing this kind of thing. It’s very different than meeting with college students, but I still get to meet with people and serve them. By helping local businesses or non-profits get their websites off the ground, I get to help them succeed with their plans for their own small businesses, which is very rewarding. I have a lot to learn still (there’s always a sharp learning curve with technology), but I’m having fun!

As far as work goes for this summer, I’ve actually got quite a bit going. I’m working on a bigger project right now with a couple others on the back burner until that is finished. I haven’t done any real advertising, so everything is coming word of mouth, which is very encouraging. Finally, the plug: if you know anyone in the Bellingham area, or North Puget Sound for that matter, who is in need of a web site, please pass my name on or send them to my website – www.sethjamesthomas.com. Thanks! 

Seth James Thomas, Web Designer

As many know, I dabble a bit in web design on the side, along with working full time at the INN. Lately, I’ve been wrapping up a bigger project and had a chance to spend on developing a little bit more of my own site and business plan. Thought it might be a good time to share this with everyone!

I’ve started www.sethjamesthomas.com as a portfolio/resume site for myself. Here I feature links to sites I’ve worked on in the recent past. My goal with this site is to showcase my portfolio and include some cool techniques and design work to get potential clients excited about the kind of work I do.

Here’s where you can be involved: Right now, I’m in the process of laying out a couple of project proposals and starting on some smaller projects, but I am still looking for some solid design work for this summer. With the schedule for the INN, I have the opportunity to work on staff about 1/2 time during the summer, so I will have extra hours to devote towards some web design. If you or anyone you know is looking for help on developing or redesigning their website, please feel free to put them in touch with me and my site.

I’ve worked primarily with small businesses and non-profits and I really enjoy this more personal market. However, I’m up for most anything and I’m hoping to expand my portfolio. So, check out the site and please keep me in mind. Hope you like what you see!

Syntax, syntax, syntax – A Web Designer’s rant

One of the biggest pains about web programming is syntax. With scripting languages, you either get it right and everything works like planned, or you spend hours upon hours getting it wrong and begin to lose your mind. I’ve done both in my couple of years as a web developer. The former is wonderful and makes you feel great. The later is more frequent, less desirable, and plenty of reason to never design anything ever again.

Some web design on the side

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been doing some web design on and off on the side this last year. It has been exciting to work on a variety of small projects and build up a portfolio. I’m start to wrap up another project, so I thought I’d mention it here and share a bit about what I’ve been doing.

This project has been my first real stab at doing a complete business identity, doing business cards, a logo, web site design and development, a print ad, and other graphics. Valley Computer Services is a new computer and document services business starting out in Sudden Valley, WA. This project has allowed me to test some of my graphic design abilities (and learn a few new tricks), while still working on my web design and development. The owners of VCS are great and it’s been really fun helping them get all set up to start their new business. Check out the site to find out more.

Godbit

I think I found my people. This website is great. Theology/Technology. It’s a bunch of web designin’ Christians. And they’re good at what they do.

Great New Website

This is a must see – it was bound to happen. Pretty cool, huh?

More from the home front

Day three of stay-at-home-designer-Seth. Today we’ve moved on to an actual site design. The last couple of days were spent in relatively unfamiliar territory (logos and business cards) but today I’m back at the web drawing board. It feels good.

I’m working on a couple of layouts right now, toying a bit with my Photoshop and Illustrator skills. This is an interesting part in the process, because the sky is the limit. Within the confines of an 800 pixel wide screen, you can do a lot. I wish I were a better designer and I could imagine all the amazing things I see at sites like CSS Zen Garden, but I feel like I’m at least getting better.

As I reminisce a bit, I remember back about 4 years ago, getting called by the New Student Programs (now Services) office at Western to be offered a job as the Reservations student coordinator. A large part of the job was to be devoted to their website, meaning I would have to learn how to do that kind of thing. I naively said, "I’m sure I’ll be able to just pick it up as I go." Well, 4 years later web design has turned into a passion for me and I still feel like I’m trying to pick it up as I go. Anyone who has lived/worked with me can attest to how excited I get when I work on this stuff.

Needless to say, this has been a fun summer, spent working on web stuff and working at the INN. I’m excited for the year, for working full time at the INN, and for the prospect of dabbling in web design again next summer.

Oh yeah, tunes for the day: Sonya Kitchell, Leigh Nash, Thrice (just to mix it up), and Zero 7.

Working from home

This morning has been spent updating logo proofs and laying out business cards for my newest web design project, Valley Computer Services. It has also included two cups of tea (Peach Black Tea and Wild Raspberry Herbal, both by Stash), a sampling from Leigh Nash’s new album, and Say I Am You by the Weepies.  Umm, this is a pretty good life.

I like the idea of working from home. There’s something about being in a comfortable environment, where it’s quiet, and the phone isn’t ringing. I think working in fast-paced offices over the last few years has helped me appreciate the feeling of solitude this style of work provides. I haven’t read up on it, but I would venture to guess that if you’re a self-motivated person, working from home is probably more productive on the whole than being in an office setting. I’m sure I would get lonely after a while doing this, but I feel pretty dang good right now.

Web Designin’ – Bella Musica Entertainment

I’m wrapping up my first web design project of the summer. I’ve been working on the website for Bella Musica Entertainment, the DJ company that did my wedding last summer. The couple that owns the business are friends from college, so it’s been fun working with them again and helping them expand their business’s marketing. Just to plug them a bit, if you’re ever looking for a great DJ/coordinator for an event, or know someone who is looking, they are amazing at what they do. They run a classy, fun business and take great care of their clients.

I did the complete site design. I’m particularly proud of the photo gallery. It uses SimpleViewer, an app that I’ve used in the past, but the great thing about this one is that the photos are generated directly from a Flickr photo account using an extension called FlickrViewer. This way, all you have to do is upload your photos to Flickr and they automatically appear in your site’s photo gallery! Amazing (aka nerdy).

Check the site out here: www.bellamusicadj.com.

Look for more web design related posts in the weeks to come. I’m starting two new projects next week.