What's the real secret to getting things done? While much of the answer lies in things like motivation and daily habits, you also can't ignore the value of the tools you use every day to do the work. We polled our staff to find out what's running on their machines here at the office and at home. What we found is that our office has some universal solutions, and then seemed to split departmentally. So... Continue Reading

There are certain aspects of web design that you should make absolutely sure you are getting right. Here is a short list of the most important ones: Continue Reading

Perhaps it is the way creatives are wired or the difficulties of collaborative projects, but too often creatives have a file management system that is.....well, "creative." Organization is often not one of our strengths. Yet keeping advertisements, stock photography, designs, proofs, versions, illustrations, and production files organized will maximize your efficiency and your ability to collaborate with all the members of your team. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Andrew Krzysiak) Photographs and illustrations are elements of nearly every design. They have the power to add emotion, interest, and impact to the content of any layout. Getting the right image that will communicate your message to the desired demographic can be a challenge. This article will help you get the picture. Continue Reading

Last time I visited Arizona, I had the pleasure of visiting the Grand Canyon. Undoubtedly, one of the most moving experiences of my life, there is absolutely nothing on the face of the earth that compares to standing on the edge of the canyon face and looking down one mile into it's deep, deep enormity. It was an experience that actually moved me to tears. (Hey, when you spend the majority of your life on... Continue Reading

I occassionally receive email that looks like this... "Dear Joel, I have purchased your ebook and applied your strategies to my web pages. It's been a week and I am not making any money. It just doesn't work" Welcome to our microwave society. We want our popcorn done in sixty seconds. And if we can get someone else to put it in the microwave and prepare it for us, all the better. So what is... Continue Reading

You want talent? You want creativity? You want a wry sense of humor with a twist of Monty Python? Take a look at Yellowlane.com, the Internet home for one Joshua Williams. I've known Josh since he was a teenager, and he is responsible for much of the artwork that appears on the WorldVillage sites, including the character illustrations at FamilyFirst.com. Josh is a professional designer and he has some great samples of his work on... Continue Reading