Eye of the Chicago Web Designer

Chicago Birthday Blooms

2011-03-02T14:32:00.000-08:00

I didn't have to endure the frozen wastelands of Chicago to enjoy these latest blooms! What a wonderful display. Roll on spring and a bit more color outside my window.

©: 2011 Chicago Web Designer

Chicago Winter Blooms

2011-02-23T06:14:00.000-08:00

My my the Chicago winter is a long one. Looking forward to a splash of spring color in my garden, but loving the texture and delicate lacy nature of these hydrangea heads.

©: 2011 Chicago web designer

A record breaking winter for Chicago

2011-02-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

It seems only fitting that the record breaking winter we are seeing in Chicago this year is giving me inspiration. Yesterday I braved the cold and went out with my trusty camera. Half an hour later and with fingers as cold as these icicles (ever tried using a camera with gloves on ... impossible), I ended up with a great set of winter delights which I will be sharing with you over the next few days.

Chicago Blizzard 2011 photos

2011-02-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

Wow that was quite a blizzard last night. The snow drifts today are magnificent!

©: 2011 Chicago Web Designer

Chicago Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T06:43:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite American holidays and one my family has always embraced since moving to the US 14 years ago. It is a day to down my web design tools, kick back and enjoy.
Our first Thanksgiving in Chicago was a splendid affair with a much coveted "Tempel Steel" turkey with all the trimmings and a decadent cheesecake dessert. We are not great fans of the traditional pumpkin pie.

©: 2010 Chicago Web Designer

Chicago Candy

2010-11-02T06:12:00.000-07:00

Our Chicago neighborhood yielded a very impressive Halloween harvest with many many much prized "full size" bars.
Inspirational snacks for the Chicago web designer?

2010 © Chicago web designer

Playing with Photoshop for Halloween

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

When I first arrived in the US 14 years ago I thought Halloween celebrations were rather tacky. However it didn't take me very long to get into the spirit and now it I find it a very fun time of year.
Had 5 minutes of fun with Photoshop this morning with a a charming witch I photographed in Deerfield this past weekend.

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

Creative Halloween

2010-10-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

My creativity does not stop with pixels, it seems to infiltrate every aspect of my life. Presenting Dr Dead and Nurse Corpse with a bowl of body parts ready for Halloween. They were made with old dress up clothes and masks, and yes that is a barbie hair styling head. A big thanks to my special helper Chloe.
p.s Vote for this porch decoration here

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

Blog action day: Getting creative with cup cakes

2010-10-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

Today is blog action day and the theme this year is Water. Celebrate by eating a water themed cupcake. Nothing like getting creative with cakes.

2010 © Chicago web designer

Chicago fall fruits

2010-10-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have come across some wonderful farmers markets in the Chicago area. These pictures were taken at the Deerfield Farmers market which sadly comes to a season close this Saturday.The stall owners are happy to offer tasters and I sampled the best piece of cheese I have eaten this year from The Cheese People

2010 © Chicago web designer

Chicago reflections

2010-10-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

My camera can not stop clicking away at the Chicago Skyline and this weekend saw a trip by the Chicago web designer to the Chicago bean.

Eye candy overload! What a wonderful way to capture the Chicago skyline in all its glory. This really is a fantastic city.

2010 © Chicago web designer

Around and around

2010-10-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the Chicago web designer's shape of the day: The circle!

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

Eye Eye

2010-09-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

Turning my camera around today, welcome to the Chicago web designer's most precious design tools...my eyes!

2010 © Chicago web designer

New Business Cards

2010-09-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

A new town requires new business cards. "I spy" on my doorstep this morning a special delivery.

Printed by the fabulous printingforless.com. Click here for a great printing for less coupon.

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

Putting pencil to paper

2010-09-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

There is something quite invigorating about putting pencil to paper, no technology required and a sketch book and pencil is one of my favorite design tools. It's designing in it's rawest form. Yummy!

Take a look at these hand drawn cartoons I sketched for children's author, Cynthia Reeg. The sketches were scanned into Photoshop and brought to life with the magic of color. The elements were then incorporated into her web site resulting in a very unique appealing look and feel.

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

Chicago Rain

2010-09-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

OK, I'll admit it, I am a little odd. I find on rainy days I am more creative. Today it is pouring with rain here in Chicago and I am delighted! The logo I am working on is going to be top notch. So rain Chicago, rain all day.

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

Color Punch: The color fest continues

2010-09-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

To continue my color fest here is a fabulously bright theme I created for iGoogle. It is aptly named "Color Punch" and will give your iGoogle page a fresh injection of colorful design throughout the day. If you'd like to see it in action visit the igoogle theme page.

It has some fantastic reviews, you can read them all here, but here is one of my favorite

"Wow, Punchy, Beautiful, The Best Lynda Searle - Apr 24, 2010 -
I used the same nice arty background for....ever- just wasn't worth the energy to look for something different! I hit the 'wrong' key one day, and was blown away, speechless at what I saw. Your art is beyond words--------my mood is reflected from the changing colours of your art theme. It'll stay on my homepage for a long time, well until you create another...please ;) Thank you sooo much Zoe Feast"

What more can I say, this make the Chicago web designer one very happy web designer.

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

A color fest with the Chicago web designer

2010-09-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of fall so lets celebrate with another "color fest". Color is one of my favorite "tools" in my web/graphic designer's tool box so it's not surprising that fall is my favorite season.

Step One
Find an inspirational fall photograph
Step Two
Crack open Photoshop and get to work sampling color with the eye dropper tool.
Step Three
Create some magic with Illustrator.

The power of color: Red

2010-09-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

Color is such a powerful attribute, it can add pop, pizzaza; it can warn, it can guide. One of the most powerful colors is red and it's hues are many, from fiery orange to burnt umber. I love to use color in my web and graphic design projects and red is starting to burst forth around me as we transistion into fall in the Chicago area.

A website makeover

2010-09-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

I am in makeover mode at the moment. Moving to Chicago and a new house means many hours are spent with paint roller in hand, swatches of fabric and coffee breaks pouring over the latest Crate and Barrel catalog. Its funny when you move, how nothing you own ever looks right in your new house. Every room has to be approached as a complete makeover.

In the world of web design, makeovers or web redesigns come much easier to me. Establishing a new color palette, designing an intuitive navigation and just thinking about how the site visitors will use the site. Take a look at this web site just launched for Clinical Ophthalmology. You can read more about it here

On the Chicago house front I am in serious makeover battle with my basement, at the moment its boasts 70's paneling..but not for long!

2010 © Chicago Web Designer

Color Picks

2010-09-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

I have lived in the US for 14 years and in that time I have not once come across a conker tree. Maybe I've been looking in the wrong place.
Solution
Move to Chicago and find one growing in your own garden. Yippee!

What's not to love about conkers. Crack open the shell and you are treated to a gorgeous shiny nut, you can't eat it but it is a thing of beauty begging to be color sampled. Look at the wonderful color palette I have produced from this photo, the purple was a nice surprise.

Getting Creative with Sand

2010-09-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Anyone guess what I created with sand in my last post on Lake Michigan? I confessed it wasn't a web site. It was a sand man!

Lake Michigan

2010-09-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

Chin up...it's only Monday morning and if you've had a weekend like mine getting out of bed this morning was a little challenging. But now lets get down to business with some serious Chicago Web Designer eye candy. I opened this blog with a city scape, now here is the other defining feature of Chicago, Lake Michigan.
There is something very trance like about the sound of lapping of water that sends me into creative overdrive and I will share what I built on the sand in a later post. Lets just say it wasn't a web site!

Website inspiration from metal scroll work

2010-09-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this fantastic scroll work photographed at Ryerson Conservation Areas, a wonderful forest preserve, located in the North shore area of Chicago. How can that be inspiration to a web designer I hear you ask?
Consider the color palette, whites, grays and sage greens. These photos would be an excellent starting point to establish a color palette for something like landscaping web site.
Now think wedding planner or a high end tea shop, take a look at the textures. While the color palette may not be suitable the texture of design certainly are.

Welcome to "Eye of the Chicago Web Designer"

2010-09-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

We are a web and graphic design company new to the Chicago area and are celebrating with a new blog "Eye of the Chicago Web Designer"

As a web and graphic designer my design eye never sleeps. It is constantly absorbing everything around me and the simplest thing can act as inspiration for a great creation. Chicago has got some amazing eye candy.

At the beginning of the summer I launched a web site for a Chicago headhunter, Peter Meder & Company , the design of the site was inspired by great shots of the downtown Chicago skyline. One of the first things I did on moving to the Chicago area was to visit downtown and experience those fabulous skyscrapers.