What is Responsive Web design

So yesterday I talked about the launch of a new website mrbison.com and how we had taken the opportunity to recode it as a responsive web site.

But what does that mean…what is a responsive web site?

Simply put, it is a site that will give the  visitor an optimal viewing experience regardless of what device they are using to access it- desktop, laptop, tablet or phone. And as I am all about graphics let me show you in pictures exactly what I mean.

Here is the site on a 24″ desk top monitor

Responsive webdesign in action

Here it is on an iPad – both portrait and landscape orientation

Responsive design on ipad

and here it is on an i Phone

responsive design on iphone

The way the site is coded means it automatically “responds”  to what ever device it it viewed from. Here are some of the things that happen

  • Automatic  adjustment the overall width of the site
  • Re sizes all the images – see how the entire width of the header graphic and call to action banner are visible whatever the device
  • Adjusts the placements of page elements – on the phone the elements that were displayed horizontally ( the block of text and video) are now displayed vertically
  • Optimization of the navigational tool. If viewed on a phone a clunky navigational bar would detract from the site content. Instead the user is presented with a menu button, which, if selected, will display a drop down menu.

You don’t have to view the site on all of these different devices to see this responsive nature in action, simply visit the site and re-size your browser window…getting smaller and smaller as you do.. see how the site changes?

 

New Web Design for Authors Web Site

Last week saw the release of a new book by one of our clients, Edward Bison. His book, Mr Bison’s Journal,  is a very funny collection of stories and observations and is a laugh out loud read. I was commissioned to not only illustrate each of the stories but also design the book cover.  It was a fun project and fingers crossed it will become one of the top humor books of 2012/2013.  It would make a great Christmas gift -see it on Amazon as a paperback and Kindle ebook

As part of the launch we updated his website www.mrbison.com moving it from a blogger powered blog, to the  all singing and dancing WordPress platform and giving the site a mini design overhaul.

The home page now features a prominent call to action to buy the book and a video clip of a sample chapter. The site navigation was revised to include such as his Facebook fan Page

mr bison website chicago

We also took the opportunity to re-code it as responsive website – I’ll fill you in on the ins and outs of that tomorrow.

Book Cover Design

As a graphic designer I have designed many things, logos, brochures newspaper ads, business cards, invitations, menus, graphics for t-shirts,  20ft banners that have hung on the side of a building, I could go on and on but I won’t bore you.

There is something however I have never tackled before and that is the design of a book cover, until now.

Here is a sneak peak at the cover of a new book by freelance writer Edward Bison

Book cover designBook cover design

The book is a funny, light hearted collection of observations and stories geared towards the adult market.

I was also commissioned to illustrate the book , which was another first.

A revamped website will be launched shortly to coincide with the publication.