3nhanced.com - Imagine, Design, Develop, Create the Web

Random Content Generator - A jQuery Plugin Featuring Chuck Norris

Jon — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:38:41 +0000

Placeholder Text, such as Lorem Ipsum, is something every web designer or developer uses. And for good reason. It's not meant to confuse clients and provoke comments such as, "what is this funky writing? I can't read Spanish". But, to fill in content areas for web design in a way that simulates real written text.

Photoshop Makes Peace Not War: Photoshop Masks

Jon — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:42:42 +0000

Dude, stop yelling at Photoshop every time something goes wrong and you think you have to hit the dreaded F12 key (revert) and start over from scratch. It isn't necessary. Photoshop is forgiving and loving. Time to make peace and save a whole lot of time while you're at it. Let me explain this little thing called non-destructive editing.

Create a Scorching Hot Metal Effect with Photoshop

Jon — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:12:45 +0000

This tutorial will show you how to make a raw unpolished metal texture that has been heated to a nice glowing orange. It uses some non-destructive effects that make it easy to transfer the effect from project to project by simply copying and pasting. Check it out.

Why I made the switch from Transitional to Strict

Jon — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:32:16 +0000

Okay, I'll admit it. In the past I've been ignorant and lazy about using the XHTML Strict DOCTYPE. But no more. I've always known that Strict was "better", but only recently have I seen the light and reason to abandon my old ways and make the switch. This is why.

10 Amazingly Addictive Diversions: Online Games

Jon — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:50:25 +0000

Have you ever stared at the code on your monitor for so long that your eyes begin to bleed and the urge to collapse to the floor and begin convulsing becomes overwhelming? If you have, there is most definitely a problem. To work hard, you need to play hard. Give yourself a break every now and again and seek some kind of diversion to keep yourself from going insane. To help you and your sanity, I present 10 amazingly addictive diversions in the form of web based games.

Battle of the Selectors: Specificity

Jon — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:54:26 +0000

Sometimes selectors will stubbornly refuse to accept the properties you give them. This can lead to tedious bug hunting, hair pulling and insanity.Such issues aren't random browser bugs, but the way selectors are designed to handle conflicts with each other. Understanding specificity will help you to avoid these annoyances and use them to your own advantage.

Create a Fantastic Decaying Metal Sign

Jon — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 09:36:43 +0000

The "web 2.0" look has taken over the web and has given it a very clean and polished look. Nothing against this, but I wanted to throw something of the opposite into the mix.

If done right, a nice grungy look can be rather refreshing these days. By creating a rusty street sign, I'll show you some techniques you can use to make your next design downright nasty.

Review: Helvetica (The Documentary)

Jon — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:15:55 +0000

I'll make it a point not to write to many reviews but this seemed like a noteworthy film to write one on.

Yes, they made a documentary on a font. Helvetica to be precise. Directed by Gary Hustwit. I noticed this on Netflix and couldn't resist putting it in my queue. A few days later, I sat down, placed the disc in the player and braced myself for utter boredom.

3 Rules of Seeking Inspiration

Jon — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:30:04 +0000

All designers and developers are fueled by inspiration. The way we transform that inspiration into our own masterpieces should be treated with care.

There is absolutely no problem with seeking out ideas to help us improve our work. The problem lies in becoming fixated on our inspiration and not being able to translate it into our own. I believe that even the most well-intentioned designer can cross the lines of copying without realizing it.

This is something I have been guilty of and was recently put in a very embarrassing spot when it was brought to my attention. I looked back to see where I went wrong and came up with three rules to go by when seeking inspiration.

5 Typography Articles Web Designers Should Read

Jon — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:34:45 +0000

In web design, typography is one aspect that is ignored way to often. It's really easy to get sidetracked adding ornamental design to a website and forget about the most important element of a website, the content.

Many designers complain about the selection of fonts available and the variances across different browsers. With CSS and a little ingenuity, this is no longer a problem. Take the time to make your typography beautiful and make the web a better place.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you 5 inspiring articles on typography.