An Illustration…

I hope its obvious who this is. 

I wish I could really draw so I set myself an afternoon at the weekend to produce something.  And this is what I came up with.  I uploaded a photo into Sketchbook and traced the image.  Then placed into Illustrator and used the live trace setting to vectorize the image.  The textures are grunge paint brushes that I created.  Not too sure about the colours though… I wanted to add some paint splashes and spots and avoid colouring the skin but couldn’t resolve in the time I allowed myself to do.

Lobster script font

I love this free font by impallari.com. I hope to use in some future web projects using the new CSS @font capability. Have a look at the glyphs here

The Lobster font is available as a Webfont on the Google Web Fonts Directory.

Generate your own website QR Code

A QR code is a ‘quick response’ code introduced some years ago by the car industry to scan and track components using this complex 2 dimensional bar code.  Its become popular in recent times – seen on promotional vouchers and posters for example.  All this is intended for the use of clever smart phone apps which can quickly scan and interpret the code directing to web sites or promotional information without the user having to type a single word.

I found a site called qrcode.kaywa.com which can generate a QR Code from a URL link code, text string, phone number or sms.

Here’s my link code for davidsimagination.com domain I have just acquired(under construction!).

Codecademy

Well I continue to get my mind around JavaScript and one of the ways helping me do this is the free programming lessons on the Codecademy site.

New lessons and challenges are issued weekly and I have so far managed to keep up to speed with the progressively harder JavaScript tasks, phew!  What’s great is that your profile page clearly displays your progress and your can share how you are getting on with others.

Here is my progress updated on my Codecademy profile

CSS Gradient Generator

I have found this really cool online CSS Gradient Tool by Colorzilla.  I made some glossy effect CSS nav buttons in minutes using this tool – brilliant!

HTML5 introduced many exciting features for Web developers. One of the features is the ability to specify gradients using pure CSS3, without having to create any images and use them as repeating backgrounds for gradient effects.

• Powerful Photoshop-like interface
• Cross browser CSS output
• Horizontal, vertical, diagonal and radial gradients
• Complex multi-stop gradients
• Opacity support with multiple opacity stops
• Hex, rgb, rgba, hsl, hsla color formats
• Support for full multi-stop gradients with IE9
• Import from image (convert image gradient to CSS)
• Import from existing CSS
• Adjust gradient by hue, saturation, lightness
• More than 135 gradient presets
• Saving custom gradient presets
• Sass output
• Flexible preview panel
• Gradient permalinks for sending and sharing

45 jQuery Navigation Plugins!

 

Here are 45 jQuery Navigation plugins, a list complied by the guys at noupe.com. I am currently learning JavaScript, well jQuery actually and have been looking at dynamic nav bars.  Although CSS can do a great job (it seems) jQuery has more dynamic control over things such as transitions, fade in/out, timing etc.

The Wilderness Downtown – Experimental HTML5

Here is an ingenious site by Chris Milk which experiments with HTML5 in a fun and interactive way.  It shows what creative potential can be unleashed in the latest web standard plus enjoy a great tune from one of my favourite bands ‘Arcade Fire’.

It works on Safari and Chrome and you will possibly need some processing power and good broadband speed for it to work.  Enter your address and press play (minimise the main front window) and enjoy.