Website Themes

Website themes and templates that allow us to create a visually appealing look are what we are looking for when we want to brand ourselves in a professional way on the Internet.

With our own product – the Google efficient Semiomantics XO Scripts – we already get a spiffy SEO optimized technical setup that we then configure according to our needs and preferences ourselves… if we have the complex knowledge and skill. The alternative is to outsource to a professional Graphic Designer.

It’s an important choice and a clear Business decision.

Website Themes

Having created several website themes by now, I know how laborious and time-consuming it is to get through the Coding until the visualized result is achieved, and this under various aspects.

Website Useability

Website useability in general is a crucial consideration in Website Design.

What it means is that Website Themes need to be customer-friendly and reader-oriented in various ways and on different levels for diverse needs.

Screen Resolutions

It starts with the simple fact that not everybody online sees the same; we all have different screens, different resolutions, different settings and different programs alltogether. Not to mention different browsers…

While I find this very disturbing as a graphic designer, I have to accept it and find the best way to offer my content, pictures, media… brief everything I show on my website in an optimal way to a maximum of readers, visitors and existing as well as potential customers.

As I now have a 23 inch screen, I know what I missed before… but also the constraints for everything I am doing in terms of Web Design.

While I personally love a highly aesthetic website design that leaves room for discovery – as I did on yesterday’s ‘beaming’ website theme – I am aware that while the web design is perfect for a photo blog, it’s not ideal when offering good web content – meaning that the ease of reading in that case was only possible through scrolling. It’s a little detail, however, it may cost a reader.

Therefore, minus points in terms of mere Web Design.

Just as the website navigation system should allow for easy and intuitive navigation between the different sections of a site, the typography should allow for fast reading in terms of color and fonts… and having almost black fonts on black, even if only partially, is in my view extremely sexy – yeah, it’s artistic and Dali would love it – but not appreciated in the fast & easy my brain got lost in the gym environment.

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New Website Theme

Bearing the above in mind, I created a new website theme that solves the above issues while being elegant and totally in sync with my Brand – up to the subtle floral background based on a picture from my garden that I prepared in Photoshop.

Just the Bee missing, but be assured I’ll get to that one too :)

Bianca Gubalke Logo

Even the Bianca Gubalke Logo had to be slightly adapted in its nuances for maximum harmony with the delicate color scheme. Again, it’s always a matter of details and lots of work and testing until the desired result is achieved. And at the end it looks soooo easy. . . so obvious!

Simplicity so often if not always has a hidden history of lots of learning and doing it over and over again… until! Practice and Experience leads to Mastery…

As a next step I will have to think of Social Networks and adapt my Twitter account… no boredom ever – guaranteed!

Wegowell Publishing

Wegowell Publishing was lost and no longer seen… but it will hopefully be completely regained as Neil Dimanond sings… in other words: it was rediscovered, totally cleaned out, upgraded to 2.8.4 on Semiomantics and brought onto a new path to Google Top 10 today!

Wegowell Publishing

While wegowell.com was initially planned for quite another purpose, our plans have changed and the new “Wegowell Publishing” will be focusing on Media, Communication and Design – all topics I have been writing about, with an emphasis on Web Design and Web Graphics as part of Design.

Wegowell Publishing Logo

To relax a bit from the boring clean-out, I started experimenting and designed a picture that could well be the start of a sexy Wegowell Publishing Logo.

What interested me here was firstly the background design with its original color array; I hope it’s not only my new screen that gives me such sparkling colors :) You may have guessed right: I created it from an original picture I took in my garden.
Secondly, I wanted to achieve an interesting tension between two sets of fonts, of which one should be in the initials in big – WP for Wegotop Publishing – and in transparent fonts.

Transparent Fonts

Transparent Fonts are achieved when playing with the many effects in the Layer Style Options of Photoshop.

I am not aware whether transparent fonts are available otherwise, but here practice makes perfect and the more we know our tools and exercise with the diverse options, the better the results achieved.

I never really focused on transparent fonts this consciously before, so I had to find my way through the jungle of fine effects and nuances of light and shadow. . .  and there’s room for improvement.

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What is fascinating is always what we find along the way when actually looking for something else… and so Photoshop never stops to surprise and amaze me; it has its price, but it’s simply a magnificent program!

I will come up with some other variations for Wegowell Publishing soon!

Guinea Marketing

Guinea Marketing was just an example to demonstrate the route that needs to be taken when looking for a name to brand.

Guinea Marketing on Google

Once a domain name is found and a blog or web site setup, the prime objective is visibility on Google – focus Google Top 10.

What count here is the Domain name (but not necessarily), an efficient Script – Semiomantics ideally as in my case here -, smart Editing and spiffy Publishing.

Guinea Marketing on Google – the proof within less than 24 hours and on 13,6 million search returns:

Editing Skills

Whatever we do on the Internet and at whatever level we may consider ourselves to be, we have to continue learning and improving in all sorts of areas – this will never stop. And it’s exciting as it constantly keeps us on our toes, offers new challenges and has our little neurons dancing!

Editing Skills will be the focus in the Ycademy October Seminar; so if you wish to refine your knowledge and skills, make sure you get a ticket in time HERE.

Guinea Marketing

“Guinea Marketing” – what is that?

Did you ever hear of a thing like that? Plus a noisy guinea fowl – you sure can’t miss hearing that one – with or without sound!

I beat this caught your attention!?! So what’s Guinea Marketing all about?

Guerilla Marketing

Having used the picturesque and typically African guinea fowls as a background in both picture and sound in Audios and Presentations on Auctiontalk LIVE, it was just natural to sooner or later think of  “Guinea Marketing” as a possible Marketing Brand – a creative thought process stimulated by a picture of a guinea fowl in the rain in my garden.

I immediately felt the probably quite marketing efficient proximity to “Guerilla Marketing”.

Therefore, before getting too excited… and as a normal and essential next step when choosing a name – any name -, I had to check what else there was on the market, whether the name was taken, and by whom… and of course, I had to refresh my memory on the concept of Guerilla Marketing.

The quickest way to find out is to look at wikipedia, which explains is as “… an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional; potentially interactive; and consumers are targeted in unexpected places. The objective of guerrilla marketing is to create a unique, engaging and thought-provoking concept to generate buzz, and consequently turn viral. The term was coined and defined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his book Guerrilla Marketing. The term has since entered the popular vocabulary and marketing textbooks.

Guerrilla marketing involves unusual approaches such asintercept encounters in public places, street giveaways of products, PR stunts, any unconventional marketing intended to get maximum results from minimal resources. More innovative approaches to Guerrilla marketing now utilize cutting edge mobile digital technologies to really engage the consumer and create a memorable brand experience.”

I like this. . . it’s spontaneous, it’s imaginative, it’s modern… and if you’ve ever seen one guinea fowl create a BUZZZZZ you know what I mean… and you’d agree it’s a funny and very apt presentation!

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Guinea Marketing

But of course, “Guinea Marketing” was already taken… and while I immediately thought “guinea fowl” there’s the state Guinea… and Guinea Marketing has 12.7 million returns on Google – so that was that.

Digital Advertising

My point here is that in real life as in Digital Advertising – whenever we create or choose a name that we want to brand and build -, we need to first do some thorough research and based on the results make an informed decision.

Circle Experiments 1

Experimenting with Circles – just circles as a basic geometric form repeating itself ad infinitum all through the Universe fascinates me – and anything related to this. I even included aspects of it in my award-winning movie screenplay “Die Emscher Schlange” back in the early nineties when still living in Europe.

Computer Art

But I’m no mathematician. . . so when it came to Computer Art I watched and admired the beauty of Fractals rather from afar. . .  especially those created by a wildly talented and generous scientist in Australia!

However, being without my PC and all that I had in store to work with, I was forced to fire up my laptop which I only used for Artwork, Graphic Design and learning experiments. And then I must have been bitten by a spider yesterday as I just started off with a circle in Photoshop – no special  fractal software -, just a first circle… that repeated itself… and so on following an inner rhythm. Playing, learning… and observing my own first steps into the magic world of circular infinity.

Here are my first humble and purely ‘manual’ examples… the originals are obviously huge and I will come back with extracts and details, most probably in the Photo Gallery. The fact is that once one has gone through the hard labour of creating something reasonably satisfactory one has an enormous scope to do additional Circle Experiments and beyond – as I did here. . .!

Clearly, this is the opposite of ‘Grunge’. . . but just as imaginative and. . . surprising!

Circle Experiments 1

‘Circle Experiments’ are certainly something I will spend more time on . . . just a little step in learning more about the language of the Universe:

“Philosophy is written in this grand book – I mean universe – which stands continuously open to our gaze, but which cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language in which it is written. It is written in the language of mathematics, and its characters are triangles, circles and other geometric figures, without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it; without these, one is wandering about in a dark labyrinth.”

Galileo Galilei (1623)

Creating your own Signature

Creating your own Signature in your preferred Font is probably something you want to do sooner or later once you’ve experimented with the many stunning, easily recognizable and freely downloadable Fonts out there.

Creating your own Signature

It all looks so simple doesn’t it… and those Fonts are indeed so easy to use and we take them for granted… However, there’s a lot of work that goes into creating any form of balanced and attractive Typography, in fact, it’s an Art for top designers and master calligraphers.

If you don’t believe me, just try to get your name – meaning your signature – out there. Just as I do it for my Artwork . . . the rest I definitely leave to the pro’s.

Palm Prisms by Bianca Gubalke

How would you do this?

Create a new document in Photoshop or Gimp, make sure you start with a transparent layer and then work in layers above that one. Probably you have your chosen Font already, but it’s good to experiment and why not take the pen or brush tool and simply write your name yourself as you normally would on paper. While you may get quite excited doing this eye-opening exercise, you will soon observe where the difficulties are, especially as concerns a confined space like 500×80 pixels as may be the case for your header… and this without being a Graphic Designer and even less a Calligrapher.

When does one’s Signature look right?

Good Typography

While I studied Typography decades ago and the basic principles of good Typography like those of good Architecture never change… and poor letter spacing and kerning can still drive me up the wall… from there to doing something that looks good and dynamic within a short period of time and without killing the History or Undo button is a totally different story…

I know. I did it … and definitely, using a Wacom tablet is not the same as designing on paper… even if having quite a steady hand and tons of self-imposed Patience! The result? Nothing I’d be proud of… not within a couple of hours and without being properly equipped! But do I have a respect and admiration for the guys out there who know what they are doing!

So what’s the answer if you still want to give it a go?

Font Editing Software

Font Editing Software is a must if you are determined to create your own Fonts… but as there is quite a price attached to this, shop around first,  look at what others do and possibly start with the TypeTool first, see whether Font creation is really for you – and once you know this is it… then dig into your wallet and upgrade to something like FontLab.

Alternatively, outsource to a professional. Having your own look in terms of typography as a business is a worthwhile investment. Just browse through all the mega brands – Coca Cola, McDonalds, Microsoft, Coco Chanel – and it jumps into one’s eyes – it’s a must and it needs to be professionally done. No matter what!

Header Graphics

Header Graphics give a first visual impression to your Website or Blog … and we know that ‘first impressions’ count.

Design Brand Header

When doing a research on Google under the keyword “Header Graphics” you can find a wealth of free stuff to choose from and to download, however, if you are serious about developing your own unique ‘look’ and branding yourself, you have to create your own image – an image reflecting the value and trustworthiness you bring to your clients or partners and that you want to stand for in the market. Here anything ‘free’ becomes ‘cheap’ . . . and this is definitely too expensive when working with a longterm vision.

What you need is a Design Brand Header to build your Authority either as a professional in any area of expertise… or with the Service or Product you offer and promote in the online market place.

Header Colors

Header Colors are most important when creating a Design Brand Header and should remain within your chosen colour scheme.

Header fonts are very important too, however, you may divert and go a little bit wild in an artistic way when creating this specific image or picture… depending on your theme of course. However, as Grunge is in… the doors for creativity and imagination are wide open . . . no boredom guaranteed!

For my new Design Blog I experimented with Grunge Fonts while keeping to the colour scheme I already used in the early eighties for my books, posters and book covers: black on white with some grey shades and a small yet powerful dosage or red! The real fiery red that is!

Header Graphics

Header Graphics can be very simple, using just a good friendly picture with the name on white – which gives a feeling of space… or you integrate your logo and/or play in a decorative way with your title and  subtitle or slogan either on white or on a plain or degrade background in any color matching your color scheme. Alternatively, create a picture in Photoshop or any other Graphic program of your choice.

In my case, I used a detail of one of the photos I shot on Noordhoek Beach and played with color adjustments and filters in Photoshop for a result that is attractive, within my color scheme and that serves as a perfect background for that red Grunge font. Contrary to what might be believed… Grunge doesn’t equal Grunge! To get well balanced Header Graphics using vibrant backgrounds plus Grunge Fonts needs quite some research until there’s that tension that ‘fits’! A more classical font is much easier – but not as original. So it’s always a matter of personal taste and personal choices.

Most importantly, experiment and play – it’s the only way to get to grips with for instance filters and color adjustments. You cannot learn to meditate; you’ve got to do it to understand the process and get ‘into’ it. No other way – same here.

Although there’s a lot we can teach you as to some basics… from where you either continue, grow and enjoy – or get the idea and know how to brief a professional graphic designer in case you outsource.  It saves you money and time and you get a better result faster – guaranteed!

Join our WebMasterTraining today, Friday, at 8 pm London time, to learn how to create your own Header Graphic for your Design Sandbox Blog!

Colour

Colour is all around us . . . and if you go through life with open eyes you’d be surprised at what Nature has to offer. . . and this even in Grunge style!

Colour and Grunge

Colour and Grunge by Nature – or call it ‘camouflage’. . . this curious yet incredibly rapid lizard below can be found daily on his favourite rock in my garden – provided the sun is out! That’s what I call lifestyle!

Colour Harmonies

Looking at the Colour Harmonies this magnificent ‘Bearded Dragon’ displays, I feel like being transported back into prehistoric times when dinosaurs were roaming this planet!

Well, I am not yet 100% sure that it’s a “Bearded Dragon” as it’s not that easy to find and dig out the information online, however, it’s part of the lizard family and it certainly enjoys life as we all should… never mind the hawks and herons around!

Just look at a detail and you are in awe of the beauty of Creation…

I wish I could post more of them as it’s a symphony of colours in perfect harmony.

Graphic Design

Graphic Design – like any form of Art – always starts with an idea… a vision… or an inner drive to create. To be and stay within a continuous state of amazement, enthusiasm and passion to create we need to find ways that provide us with a constant flow of inspiration for our boundless Imagination.

“Determination” by Bianca Gubalke (Detail)

One of my personal preferred methods is… digital photography. I am very happy with my new Nikon Coolpix P90 that fits perfectly into my hand and that will be my best friend once I’m beyond the testing phase.

Graphic Design

Graphic Design can start with a simple walk on the beach… capturing a moment that touches or impresses us… as was my case here – it’s only an excerpt… but it’s one that lead to more… and going for ‘more’ is what this is all about!

Bianca Gubalke Images

Noordhoek Art

Based on the above picture on Noordhoek Beach a few days ago, I created quite an elaborated Artwork earlier called “Determination” – HERE (small version of the original Design on Noordhoek Art) where I integrated various Photoshop filters and experimented with new Grunge Fonts and Grunge Brushes.

Following a request, I include a details for better viewing at the top.

Grunge Design

A Grunge Design based on the same photo (another excerpt), is visible HERE.

Grunge Design is great Fun as it’s liberating as was the so-called “Arte Povera” back in the 70’s. Although it looks simple, don’t let the ‘freedom’ blind you as here it’s even more complex to get the harmonies right – be it those of colour, space or volume.

Web Design

In the Web Design category we focus on Web Design related topics.

Web Design

More on Web Design to follow soon!

Design

This new Blog called “Design by Bianca Gubalke” will serve as a sketch book focusing on two main categories:

1. Web Design

2. Graphic Design

Design by Bianca Gubalke

Web Design and Graphic Design. . . on the Internet one flows into the other. . .

Expect more soon on Design by Bianca Gubalke . . .

Graphic Design

This category will deal with my new developments in Graphic Design.

Graphic Design

More on Graphic Design soon. . .

Miss Garden Route South Africa

Finally… the results for the “Miss Garden Route South Africa” are out! “Lalakoi” Hanno Coetzee has joined the YCADEMY Seminar with the latest news and the winning result…

Louise Muller crowned “Miss Garden Route and Klein Karoo 2009″

“Miss Garden Route and Klein Karoo 2009″ beauty pageant, Miss Louise Muller (18) from Mossel Bay was crowned “Miss Garden Route & Klein Karoo 2009″ at last night’s prestigious event at the Garden Route Casino in Mossel Bay, South Africa. It must have been young Louise’s outgoing personality that charmed the Jury to choose her as the “Face of the Garden Route for 2009” as well as the Ambassador for Tourism of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo.

It was last year’s winner,  Noluthando Mkhobeni,  who crowned the winners.

The second runner up was Miss Nathalie Graaff (23) from Mossel Bay and the first princess  Miss Jeandre de Villiers (19) from Oudtshoorn.

The glamours Gala took place at Pinacle point, hosted by Garden Route Casino.

Miss Garden Route South Africa

YCADEMY Seminar participant from George, Hanno Coetzee (Lalakoi) , was at the event and gave some enthusiastic feedback:

“I’ve been to several of these Gardenroute pageants – this was the best… well organized… the girls fantastic… and so many images! I am sorting out images since 6 am this morning… my eyes are sore as I had too much to look at! I posted a number of posts… and the the winner was Louise Muller!

What I liked is that people started recognizing “Lalakoi” and “Lalakoi Publishing”. I like to sit at my PC while people enjoy themselves… but they need to know I am here.”
Q: Who organized this event?

Lalakoi:

It was the Garden Route Casino organizing it… it’s from the Garden Route and Klein Karroo (it’s not a province, it’s a rigid type of semi-desert area, but people are living there and farming there… it’s a very nice areea to stay. Like the Garden Route is an area… each type of vegetation has another name.

Q: Was there a local jury? A professional jury?

Lalakoi:

They were professional people; the management of the casino, the previous Miss SA’s… people who know what they are doing. The sorting out started 2-3 weeks ago… the theme of the event was to support battered children and women (Abuse). They also have shelters where the women and kids are looked after. One of each shelter lady got a make-over and the best make-over won a price. They all got presents and gifts… and all the money of the event is going towards these shelters.

Q: What does the winner win?

Lalakoi:

The total price of the event was R 200.000,–; the winner won in total about R75.000,– (R17,000 in cash) . The rest was going to the other girls. The winner will also be entered into the Miss South Africa Competition.  The winner from last year will also enter the Miss South Africa Competition…

Besides… we had fantastic rains at last… after going through the worst droughts since 123 years …

Congratulations! Well done!

Miss Garden Route 2009

And the “Miss Garden Route 2009″ Winner is. . .?

We are still waiting for Lalakoi’s feedback as to the exciting results… seems the jury had a hard time with the choice???

Meanwhile. . . I did my own guess with this charming young lady with the irresistible smile :)

Miss Garden Route 2009

As we see. . . she’s entered the right environment. . .

Noordhoek Art

Passion and determination lead beyond limitations…

Noordhoek Beach

Grunge Art

Here I used our new Web Design Tools including some Grunge Fonts and Grunge Brushes – Fun!

Miss Garden Route 2009 Images

Who will be the face of  “Miss Garden Route 2009″ ?

By now the decision must have been made. . . and soon our friend Lalakoi will report en direct from Mosselbay!

Miss Garden Route 2009 Finalists

Above is just one of the radiant Miss Garden Route Finalists and with that twinkle in her eyes she may well be the chosen one … who knows?

We are looking forward to the results our friend “Lalakoi” will pass on after the posh event. . .  Casino, red carpets, limelight and lots of Saturday Night Fever!

We are looking forward to be stunned. . . and to congratulate the final “Miss Garden Route 2009″!

Miss Garden Route 2009

“Miss Garden Route 2009″ is in the making. . . a difficult choice!

Miss Garden Route 2009

Who can resist this beautiful smile?

Miss Garden Route – Nostalgic

Miss Garden Route 2009 – Romantic

Miss Garden Route 2009 – On Top of the World!

Miss Gardenroute 2009 – WHO ELSE?

Champagne!

…

Miss Garden Route 2009

The “Miss Gardenroute 2009″ Pageants are heating up as the highlight of tonight’s big event at the Gardenroute Casino in Mosselbay draws closer: WHO will become “Miss Garden Route 2009″ ?

Miss Garden Route 2009

Will SHE be the next “Miss Gardenroute” 2009?

Lalakoi is getting excited. . .

Miss Garden Route 2009

“Miss Garden Route 2009″ is to be chosen tonight!

Miss Garden Route 2009

Suspense is . . . who’s gonna be chosen as. . . “Miss Gardenroute 2009″

Will SHE be Miss Gardenroute 2009?

Dali Portrait

I have always been an admirer of Surrealistic Art… and its probably most famous as well as eccentric representative, the Spanish Catalan painter Salvador Dali (May 11, 1904 – January 23, 1989).

Dali Quotes

Dali had in excess what many artists lack: an unequalled and highly original way to promote Dali. . . if not the “Dali Universe”.

Besides, and what just the real “Dalinados” probably know, he had an incredible talent to write and I personally believe that he lived in a fantastic era for that, meeting and cooperating with brilliant artists in other creative areas, eg. cinema (Luis Buñuel, Alfred Hitchcock), photography (Man Ray) and Fashion Design (Christian Dior, Elsa Schiaparelli) to name just a few.

What a buzzing world of hyper-creativity!

When I recently came across one of the many thought-evoking Dali quotes it tickled me to react … I knew my time would come… sooner or later :)

Dali Photos

Salvador Dali

Sooner happened rather soon… when due to the usual serendipity I experience in all areas of my life, a friend sent me a tiny Dali Photo with two striking features:

~ the exaggerated expression in “His Master’s Eyes” as you see right here . . . and

~ the Dali-only moustache with an upward twirl that defies even the slightest note of humility!

The Creative Process

I don’t know who took that photo and it seems there are a whole number of versions on the net, however, that ‘look’ inspired me to firstly do some Advertising for YORGOO Booster HERE… and, as we are developing our web presence in Web Design – which includes Graphics and… Art – I started experimenting with the exact features in Photoshop that I described in my “How to Create Web Graphics” series . . . bearing in mind that I am an Artist and just constantly learning and refining my online skills – and sharing the results with anyone who enjoys the same journey.

From my first traditional exhibitions, I always work in series… as it’s the creative process itself that interests, inspires and often surprises me like a child.

Dali Portrait by Bianca Gubalke

So all I started out with was the picture above and the quote. Here are some examples of the series of transformations under the title “Dali Portrait by Bianca Gubalke” that I have come up with…

Dali Portrait by Bianca Gubalke - Transformations 1

So you wonder where Dali is in here?

Just wait. . . he’s all over, above and below and omnipresent . . . in typical Dali-style!

Dali Portrait by Bianca Gubalke - Transformations 2

. . . that quote still makes me smile. . . and smiles bring colour into our lives. . .

Dali Portrait by Bianca Gubalke - Transformations 3

These might make good ‘foulards’. . . imagine those fine colours on silk! Obviously, I would polish the blue-white bevels around the outer edges a bit for more harmony, but the basic layout and direction is here.

Actually. . . this reminds me of when I won the annual national Competition for Textile Design in France by accident. . . as what I did then was “Art Mural”and the closest I came to textile design were my large cartons for Gobelins :)

Dali Portrait by Bianca Gubalke - Transformations 4

And all I started off with was that one little picture at the top … from where I created this series of portraits (each portrait is much larger that you see it here or even through the zoom)…, which then became the material for my “Transformations”.

Dali Portrait by Bianca Gubalke

Remember:

“I do not paint a portrait to look like the subject, rather does the person grow to look like his portrait”.

And if this ‘daliesque’ experiment inspired YOU to get going with your own Artwork . . . just wait for the next post :)