Mar

23

A Beginners Guide to the Wonders of WordPress, Part One

web design / Wordpress

Lately, I feel as if every other conversation I have is about WordPress.  Somehow, a mixture of techonological nerdiness and excitement seem to bubble up and out comes a spiel about how AWESOME WordPress is.  Conversations in Downtown Phoenix coffee shops, baseball games, marketing consultations, parties, etc…you name it, I spread the WordPress gospel wherever I go.  I even spent a weekend geeking out with other WordPress lovers at WordCamp Phoenix in Chandler, AZ – a whole 3 days of non-stop WordPress goodness.

But what IS Worpress you may ask?  And that is the exact question I get when people ask about the website development and graphic design I do.  I decided to share with you–beginners and WordPress groupies alike–my brief “beginners guide” to what WordPress is and how you may be able to use it in your personal or business lives.

In this part 1 of the Beginners Guide, you’ll read a general overview of WordPress and how it may apply to you.  In the second part (to come), I’ll give you a peek into how I use WordPress in my freelance graphic design business in Phoenix, and what tools are available to businesses and individuals alike when it comes to getting the most out of their WordPress experience.  So let’s start with the fundamental questions (key word: FUN) I’ve received when it comes to WordPress:

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a web-based content management system & blogging platform used for creating and maintaining websites.  It manages all of your content into one easy-to-use interface where you can access everything: your photos, images, content, etc.  It also gives you the ability to create a blog with consistent updates and categorization (like this very page you are on now).  WordPress puts everything into one place, one interface, one magical world of organization that will make your life easier.

Isn’t WordPress just for blogs?  I’m not a blogger.

Where the magic happens! This is the WordPress Admin Panel that you would see when updating your site/blog.

You’re close to the truth!  WordPress started off as a blogging platform way back in ’03, much like Blogger, Livejournal, and others.  But where those other blog platforms have stayed as just that–blog platforms–Wordpress has rocketed into the web design/development world.  It has become a platform where you can build not just blogs, but full, intricate, and creative websites.  This site is built on WordPress and I build the majority of my clients’ sites on it as well — some have blogs, some don’t.

Who uses WordPress?

Anyone and everyone!!  When I mean everyone, I mean 3/5 websites I see nowadays are built on WordPress and WordPress.com is the 18th most visited site in the world… The possibilities are pretty endless with WordPress, but here are the main categories of usage:

Personal Use – Blogs that share your favorite content – quotes, personal musings, recipes, family photos, etc.

Business Use- Company websites, artist portfolios, retail and e-commerce, and MUCH more (NFL Blogs, MM Identity Lab, Vertical Measures, Anderson Cooper)

Non-Profit Use – Charitable organizations’ websites, fundraising, petitions, etc (Watermelon Ministries, Cure International)

What makes WordPress so great?

For a non-techie, there is no need to learn coding, file uploading protocols, or any other processes that are out of your expertise.  There is an easy way to install and set-up WordPress, along with customizing the style to your liking.  If you have your site built on WordPress, you have the ability to manage your own content, rather than waiting weeks for a web manager to make a small edit.  WordPress puts the power back in your hands when it comes to maintaining your own website.

How do I start my own WordPress site?

You have two options.  The first way is to sign up through http://wordpress.com.  You can get a free account with the ability to pick a theme template (how your page structure is laid out and styled), and you can start pushing content onto the web immediately!!

Option 2 is to have a self-hosted blog through http://wordpress.org.  You can sign up for a domain name (i.e. www.sukhacreative.com) and buy a hosting account.  Most hosts have an easy one-click installation of WordPress.  Having a self-hosted site is even better because you have so many more options available to you: more options/control in the interface, thousands of free and minimally priced professional theme templates, and much more.  I built all of my clients’ sites on WordPress.org and customize themes specific to their content & brand.

Stay tuned for Part Two on how to take your WordPress installation to the next level through design, development, and customization.

 

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Feb

03

Urban Street Art in Phoenix and Beyond…

Central & Downtown Phoenix / visual inspiration

AZCentral.com has a great gallery up on their site of the top 10 murals in Phoenix, AZ.  Seeing as it’s First Friday today and having just moved into the urban center of Phoenix myself, I’m excited to peek at these public art pieces! Central Phoenix has really picked up since the creation of the lightrail, and Downtown Phoenix has always been an artist’s playground. It’s great to see all these new graphically awesome pieces popping up in my new area and giving me quite a bit of visual inspiration for my own freelance graphic design and illustration.

I’ve always loved street art and murals, especially after living in Venice Beach, CA where the hippies and beach bums alike live amongst plenty of visual inspiration.  I also lived for a stint near Camden Town in London, which is basically Venice Beach without the beach, and add in English accents. I always like to think of street art as a direct look into the city’s identity where it was created- you clearly see what drives the artists and community surrounding the work.  Phoenix’s identity has some struggle in it, but like it’s name, it continues to rise from the ashes.  Venice Beach’s art is all about beauty, Buddha, and the beach – an absolutely fitting description of what LA is all about.  Camden in London is more raw and culturally diverse with strong opinions coming out in the murals — also fitting for such a melting pot of international groups.

Some of my favorites from these places I once called home are posted here.  What are your favorites?

 

"Knowledge Breaks Down Barriers Created by Ignorance" by Raul Gonzalez, of Los Angeles. The mural is located in the Garfield District on Roosevelt Street. (Dave Seibert/The Arizona Republic)

 

Calle 16 Project - Barrio Cafe

A highlight of the Calle 16 project is this south-facing piece in the rear of Barrio Cafe on 16th Street, a collaboration between Lalo Cota and Breeze. (Dave Seibert/The Arizona Republic)

 

"You are Beautiful" on Main Street in Santa Monica, CA

 

You really can't miss Jim Morrison in Venice, CA

 

Apache in Camden Town - London, UK

 

Devonshire Arms Mural, Camden Town, UK

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Jan

26

Good Design Draws You In…Olé!

Central & Downtown Phoenix / Design Spotlight / marketing

Credit: http://monica-robles.com

It might have been the 3 glasses of sangria I had last night, but I was transported.  Transported to a world of swirling skirts, clapping hands, and pure emotion.  I was transported into a world of flamenco dance right across the street from my own home.  And what a show it was! I’ve seen flamenco in the birthplace of the dance (Seville, Spain), but I must say the 3 dancers and 3 musicians of Flamenco Por La Vida can rival even the best I saw there as they brought down the house lounge at the Clarendon Hotel.

And do you know how I ended up drinking cinnamon & clove spice sangria all night long?!  A flyer in a coffee shop.  I’m a nerd for checking out what other designers are doing – fonts, textures, colors, layouts, etc- so these beautiful flyers at Lola Coffee in downtown Phoenix totally drew me in.  Monica Robles is the graphic designer, whose portfolio speaks for itself.  Her designs are full of life, textures, and vibrant colors so no wonder Flamenco Por La Vida has her design their marketing pieces — both the dances and flyers have the same quality: passion.

Credit: http://monica-robles.com

This is the power of intuitive marketing & graphic design that pulls people in.  By designing a piece that clearly portrays the essence of a company–or in this case, a dance troupe–people are drawn in and will follow through with an investment (ahem — 3 sangrias, tacos, and guacamole) and continuing brand loyalty.  A simple, well-designed, and well-placed marketing piece can draw in new customers in an instant — and that’s what Monica’s design did to me.

The next flamenco show is this Sunday at 9pm at the Crescent Ballroom downtown, and I can’t wait.  From seeing the flyers here, would you be convinced to join?

 

 

 

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Jan

23

IGNITE Logo & Web Design

brand identity / logo design / web design

I’m so excited to be able to share some of the design work I did recently for Connie at Dirty Footprints Studio. Connie is an artist/teacher/entrepreneuer who continues to inspire me with her business, passionate online art programs, and overall entrepreunerial spirit. Today, Connie launched her new program called IGNITE, a ten-month teacher training program for artists.

Here’s a little snippet from Connie’s IGNITE page about the program:

“IGNITE is a ten month, highly intensive FEARLESS® Painting Teacher Training program designed to empower, transform, and IGNITE YOUR creative spirit, YOUR Artistic voice, and YOUR innate qualities and strengths as a teacher…

 

IGNITE will prepare you for all aspects of powerful teaching–from the mechanics of creating a successful lesson/workshop/retreat, to effective methods of teaching both in person and online, to building strong professional relationships and community, to learning the necessary essentials of making creative teaching your business.”

Connie and I recently took a year-long yoga teacher training program together at Yoga Pura,  so in addition to being my freelance graphic design client, she is a classmate that traversed the (rocky-yet ultimately fulfulling) road with me to become a certified yoga teacher.  I am in awe of her being able to put together her very own complex, rich, and totally inspiring program of her own!  I think we both know how transformative these types of programs can be when fueled by strong intentions of service.

To add to this, I was able to be a part of creating the brand identity for IGNITE, including a logo mark & web banner.  Connie gave me a few keywords that she felt would best portray the intention of her program :  authentic, remarkable, leadership, creativity.  I was able to take that as my starting point and start the creative process of capturing the visual essence of an exciting program that will spark people’s authentic leadership!

Here is the end result of the logo, with my custom concept of an illustrated flame/spark that feels as if it could IGNITE someone’s creativity!  I also designed a web banner to be placed on the main IGNITE page that will illustrate the program’s qualities for prospective students.

IGNITE Logo

 IGNITE Web Banner

 This is  the type of project that really floats my boat.  To help a creative, passionate entrepreuner bring her vision to life (and what a powerful one Connie has) is an absolute dream.

To read more about Connie’s story, read this post here.

To find more information on the IGNITE program, go to this page.

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Jan

03

Sanjay Patel Illustrations

visual inspiration

I’m totally inspired by Sanjay Patel right now. A Pixar animator by day, Hindu-illustrator-extraordinaire by night- his colors, shapes, and design subjects are just stunning. He has an exhibit showing at the Asian Art Museum right now called “Deities, Demons and Dudes with ‘Staches” which I wish I could see in person. I’m a lover of the imagery of the Hindu religion, and Patel has been able to bridge the old stories and images with an innovative, fun, and stunning design style. I even bought his new poster book to spruce of my new design office!

Check out this visual eye candy…


For more information about the exhibition, you can go here: www.asianart.org. To see about Sanjay Patel and his books, please visit www.gheehappy.com.

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Dec

30

Designing the Presidential Campaign

brand identity / logo design

Not only do companies have brands, but presidential candidates now–more than ever–must create a memorable “brand identity” for their race to the White House and beyond. A new book, Designing Obama, walks readers through the creation of the Obama brand – logo, social media, marketing, and all. The Obama “O” is surely one of the most recognizable brand images of the past few years, with even Pepsi piggybacking on the design when they rebranded. This book sounds really interesting for any design or brand identity afficionados.

“The Obama presidential campaign was an innovation in American politics and American design. For the first time, a candidate used art and design to bring together the American people—capturing their voices in a visual way. The Design Director of the Obama campaign, Scott Thomas, has collaborated with artists and designers to create Designing Obama, a chronicle of the art from the historic campaign.”

Here’s an interesting video of the Obama campaign lead designer talking about the creation of the campaign:

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