New Client Gets Identity and Website

Parish Lantern Logo, Identity by Alpharetta Graphic Designer Chip Evans

Blogger Parish Lantern approached Evans Design about creating a complete identity and blog. The idea was to appeal and be accessible to a younger audience that is politically and technologically savvy. The website is built using WordPress so the client can manage and maintain the site. It has AdSense hooks built in and is responsive so that it can be viewed on all devices.

The identity uses a fresh and vibrant color combination to appeal to a younger audience while a traditional but simple layout gives a nod to the serious and contemporary subject matter.

The term ‘Parish Lantern’ dates back to the old days. Way back to when the moon was used to light the way while traveling around the parish… at night…in the dark. I thought it was a solid metaphor for what I’m trying to do. The whole point of this blog is to make observations, start discussions, show things you might not see or hear or think or support. Challenge opinions, change minds and make fun of people that deserve it. The worst that can happen is you change your mind. The best thing that can happen is you become a better informed person and maybe help someone else become better informed too. All in all, maybe we can shine a light on something new.

Check out the site.

Digital Photography and Photo Manipulation at the Georgia Aquarium

Digital Photography, Photo Manipulation and the Georgia Aquarium

I learned a few lessons late this summer while taking my family to the Georgia Aquarium. The first and biggest one is it is very difficult to watch and manage a 4 year old while also trying to patiently take pictures. The second one, while less important is still good to know. Rechargeable lithium ion batteries last less than 8 years. I used my fully charged batteries and only was able to take about 20 or so pictures before they died. The flash really drains them quickly but that really didn’t matter because like I said, I chased a 4 year old all over the place. I really didn’t get any good pictures of her because she just wouldn’t stand still.

We also attended the AT & T Dolphin Tales dolphin show which I highly recommend. It only lasts a half hour but it is a great half hour. Both of my daughters loved it and want to see it again. The dilema is do you sit in the front and hope to get splashed or sit higher so you can see the show better. I say sit higher because it really is hard to see what is happening above the water from the front row, especially if you are a child.

Below are the pictures I was able to take and retouch from our visit. Some good ones came of our trip. I’ve since upgraded my camera’s memory and gotten better batteries. Which by the way, it another thing I learned. Batteries Plus really does have a replacement battery for every occasion.

Below is a Flickr slideshow or you can view the set at Flickr. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or to get started on your next project.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Digital Photography and Photo Manipulation, Flowers

Digital Photography and Photo Manipulation, Roses and Flowers

This is a set of flowers taken with either my Canon Digital Rebel or iPhone. Manipulation done in Photoshop CS6 or Instagram. Below is a slideshow or you can visit Flickr and view the set there. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or to get started on your next project.


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Free Oil Painting Desktop Wallpapers

Free Scenic Desktop Wallpapers

I made these Okefenokee Scenic Wallpapers from some of the Paintography images I’ve been playing with. They are free to have for personal use.  Click on an image below and it will take you to the full size (1600 x 1200) images that you can right-click on and set as your desktop background. If you need another size please contact me and I’ll see what I can do.

 

Paintography, HDR and Pixel Bender are my New Addictions

Pixel Bender and Paintography in Photoshop

One of the things I’ve been focusing on lately is trying to find time for personal creativity and personal projects. As a web designer (well, graphic designer too) you can get in a rut by only being creative for clients. I actually have a fine art degree from Oglethorpe University and Photoshop has completely ruined me when it comes to painting, drawing and sculpting. I shouldn’t blame Photoshop specifically because really ‘Control-Z’ is what completely ruined me. I have no patience whatsoever for actual paints and pencils anymore. That coupled with the fact that I wasn’t all that good at it to begin with. What I do love is the immediacy of digital cameras and Photoshop filters. (On a side note, that is exactly why Instagram is so awesome. If you don’t have it yet you are a terrible person.)

I’ve spent some time digging through old images I’ve taken over the years. A lot of them – like the set below – were taken back when film was still the norm. I’m a mediocre amateur photographer at best so believe me when I tell you the quality of the images and the quality of the scans weren’t good. They were a great starting place to develop some good HDR and painterly processes that I am turning into Photoshop tutorials will share in another post. The images in the set below are over the top. I went a little nuts with it but as my good friend John Lenz once told me “If you don’t go too far you won’t know when you’ve gone far enough.”


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Photo Shoot for Sweet Eddie’s Commercial Bakery

Photo Shoot for Sweet Eddie's Commercial Bakery

Yesterday I was the photographer for Sweet Eddie’s as we needed additional images for the website I am designing. I spent a few hours touring the bakery and snapping images. Photography is a nice additional service I can provide especially when the images are editorial in nature. The themes we hit on were quality, safety and technique. Take a look at the slideshow and feel free to let me know what you think.

 


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Talent: Be Bold and Diversify on Every Level

Talent: Be Bold and Diversify on Every Level

All creative talent these days know that you need to diversify your skill set. Writers are learning print design. Print designers are learning front-end web design. Front-end web designers are learning to write code. Coders are learning to … I’m not really sure what coders are learning to do. Inventing time machines? Splitting atoms? We’ll leave what they do a mystery because it is less scary that way.

The point here is to also look at diversifying your options professionally on every level. I’m not saying that you should hedge your bets by working for multiple companies at the same time – unless you need to. However, you should certainly have as many contacts and open opportunities as you possibly can. In reality and in this economy you need to be in a position where you can quickly be employed if the ship sinks. If you have nowhere to jump all you are going to do is flounder alone.

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Webfinds for March 19-23

Web Finds

This recurring post is where I deposit fun and interesting things I’ve come across during the past week. Topics usually include photography & art, humor, science & technology, the internet in general and design in particular. Feel free to comment or drop me a line.

All Alone in the Night – Time-lapse footage of the Earth as seen from the ISS (link)

Astronauts represent dreams and possibility and the future to little kids. Everything big and wide open and unknown and exciting. Good things for a child to fill their head with. This video is awesome and makes the kid in me wish I was an astronaut.

A Day in the Life of the Internet (infographic) (Link)

I love a good infographic because that is where good design and good information come together. Form and function which is what good design is all about.

DISNEY EXPECTS TO LOSE $200 MILLION ON JOHN CARTER – THE BIGGEST MOVIE LOSS EVER (link)

OUCH! That means that we’ll be getting that many more tv shows aimed at our kids that are completely void of substance and completely full of tweens singing terrible music.

Connecting The Dots Of The Brain (Link)
This is a short and interesting post about the bold undertaking of completely mapping the human brain down to the last neuron.

Study shows how much information Facebook can mine just from relationship status changes (Link)
Facebook’s data team has released some information which gives a little bit of insight into how relationships change with the seasons. This isn’t groundbreaking and seems like common sense stuff but is insightful about how Facebook spends its time.

Smart Phone Web Browsing and Purchasing Dominates the Web

Smart Phones are Dominating the Web

53% of American consumers use their smartphones to access search engines at least once a day (Source: Google and Mobile Marketing Association Survey)

66% of Americans ages 24-35 own a smartphone (Source: Nielsen, 2012)

Sixty-five percent of mobile users said they used their mobile device to find a business to make an in-store purchase (Source: Google, 2011)

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Google Plus is NOT the new Facebook

Google Plus in NOT the new Facebook

And it doesn’t want to be. People looking for something new that ISN’T Facebook will find a lot of things here to keep them engaged. Google plus is a customizable social network which means you can keep friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, clients, etc. all separated and organized. You can follow and have discussions and even ‘hang out’ with a multitude of people sharing ideas on a multitude of things. I’ve seen it described as “like a news site like Huffington Post…only if you had the ability to customize what you did or didn’t see and could follow, discuss, or even “hang out” with those you share interests with or enjoy hearing from. A way to meet and discuss your interests with a whole group of people, not just the same old friends you only half-heartedly interact with on Facebook.”

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