Posted on May 7th, 2008 by Amanda
As a client, you may send a bunch of images over to your designer only to have them tell you they can’t use them because they “aren’t high res.” What exactly does that mean? What makes an image high res?
First, lets talk about resolution. Resolution refers to the number of pixels that make up an image. Image quality is directly related to image resolution. If an image has a higher resolution, it’s going to be better quality. Images that are used on the web are typically lower res images. Since a computer screen doesn’t require as high of a resolution as a printer does, web images can be lower res. Typically web images are 72, PPI meaning pixels per inch. Print images are generally 300 PPI and increase according to the quality of the print.
So why can’t they use your screen shot or other web image for print? Well, they can, but it’s going to be very tiny or very low-quality. The physical size of an image and the quality of it are limited by the number of pixels. You can’t increase the resolution without decreasing size. Your designer can either keep the image at 72, and it will print blurry and grainy, or bump it up to 300 and leave you with something clear but small.
So if your designer asks you for a high res image, it means they want something they can use for print. They’re looking for something that’s 300 PPI. If you don’t know whether an image is high res or not, check with your designer. If it turns out your image isn’t going to work for that printed piece you wanted to use it for, they should be able to suggest an alternative.
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Posted on May 6th, 2008 by Tim
When I tell our clients that we will be using Drupal to power their site, a confused look sometimes forms on their face. When I tell them that Drupal is a content management system, the confused look often remains.
A content management system allows the site owner to easily update the content of the site via a simple web interface. You don’t need to call a web design company every time you want to write a new blog entry or change the phone number on your contact page. You simply just log in to your content management system and change what you want.
Drupal is one of the most popular content management systems around today. It’s completely open source and developed by the community for the community. Small organizations aren’t the only ones who use Drupal. Some big names include Sony Music, Lifetime, Popular Science, Fast Company, Fox Searchlight, The Onion, Pink, and many more.
We use Drupal at Blueye because it is cost-effective. Drupal comes packaged with many common features which means we can spend more time tending to the needs of the client’s project rather than reinventing the wheel (so to speak). The client ends up with a beautifully designed site that is super easy to manage and update on their own.
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Posted on May 6th, 2008 by Tim
If you are a developer or designer, chances are you have already received a Word document containing a screenshot from a client. You may be frustrated immediately upon receiving the Word document. “Doesn’t the client understand that an image is a file type of its own? It doesn’t need to be contained in anything to travel through cyberspace.”
But step back for a moment and take a look at the situation from the clients point of view. People are introduced to Microsoft Word almost immediately upon learning to use a computer. Talk to a 9 year old and then talk to a 59 year old. Chances are they both have heard of Microsoft Word and probably use it on a regular basis. To the everyday computer user in todays world, Microsoft Word is the default software for any need and any situation. Need to type up a book report or a white paper? Microsoft Word. Need to draw? Microsoft Word. Need to send an image? Microsoft Word.
When you think about it, “the screenshot in the Word document” problem is quite amazing. This one piece of software is used by (or has been used by, at one time) almost every computer user in the world. The software has been used so much that when a user is unsure of what software to use to meet their need, they use this software.
So is it really the clients fault…
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Posted on May 5th, 2008 by Tim
May has arrived, bringing with it the beautiful weather we’ve all been waiting for. Here at Blueye, May has brought much more to us than just the nice weather.
First off, we are shown in the May issue of Entrepreneur Magazine as one of The Ten Most Dependable Web Designers of the Central U.S. We are happy to be honored with this award and excited to be a part of Entrepreneur Magazine.
Secondly, we’ve launched our brand new website! We will be showcasing various works we are extra proud of and sharing our process and thoughts with all who are interested.
Lastly, we have a new couch in the Blueye office. I’ve included the picture below of Heather and Brice enjoying a peaceful moment sitting on the new couch so you can see the couch in all of its glory.
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