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Design and the Art
    of Freelancing
       Atlanta, March 2009

                Dan Rubin
                Sidebar Creative
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Hi!
                                          Me, according to nGen works @ http://happywebbies.com/



©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




       Web
       Standards
       Creativity
       by Dan Rubin
          (and 9 other
          guys)




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




       Pro CSS
       Techniques
       by Jeff Croft
          Ian Lloyd
          Dan Rubin




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   The weather in
   Fort Lauderdale

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   The weather in
   Atlanta

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Q:
   What is design?

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   A:
   Design is
   problem
   solving.
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Non-virtual
   Examples:

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Successful.
    Waste Reducing
    Exfoliating Body
    Cleanser (aka
    “soap”)
    Granted, this may leave you
    with smaller bits of waste,
    but it’s a creative solution we
    can learn from.




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Not so much...
    Faucet FAIL
    If your interface requires
    instructions, it needs to be
    redesigned.




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Fitts’s Law:

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   The time to acquire a
   target is a function of the
   distance to and size of
   the target.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Big buttons are
    faster.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    This:
                                                        Button




    is harder to click than this:

                                               Benjamin Button


©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Warm-up Exercise:
   A right-handed user is known to be within
   10 pixels of the exact center of a large,
   1600 X 1200 screen. You will place a
   single-pixel target on the screen that the
   user must point to exactly. List the five pixel
   locations on the screen that the user can
   access fastest. For extra credit, list them in
   order from fastest to slowest access.
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009



      3                                                 4



                                               1



      5                                                 2
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Let’s expand
    Fitts’s Law:

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Big type
    stands out
    more than little type.


©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Large content
    areas are easier
    to see.
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Size explains
   hierarchy.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009



    Headings                                   Layout

         H1
         H2
         H3
         H4
         H5
         H6

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Size matters:
   ✓ Bigger targets are easier to click
   ✓ Larger areas are easier to recognize
   ✓ Hierarchy communicates importance



©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Enough with
    the lesson
    already, let’s
    have some fun!
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Simple Trick:
   Light Effects

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Almost any
   image can
   create an effect
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Random image




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Select a single pixel line




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Stretch to fill




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Create a solid color
    layer below the image




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Use layer blending
   modes to modify the
   colors of the gradient.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Darken




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Multiply




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




    Luminosity




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Look to other
   mediums for
   inspiration.
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Use texture to elicit
   subconscious tactile
   reactions:

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Now let’s talk
   Business.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Business:
   The Basics

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Decide whether you
   want to be a great
   business owner or a
   great designer,
   developer, or creative…
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   …for that decision
   will define what kind
   of life you lead.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Words matter:
   Clients treat
   “consultants” and
   “agencies” better
   than “freelancers.”
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Spec work: Don’t do it.


©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Get an accountant.


©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Always require a
   deposit — if a client
   wants credit, there
   are banks for that.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Estimating gets
   easier over time —
   track your hours and
   make each job more
   accurate than the last.
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Set invoice milestones
   so clients know what is
   expected financially.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Business:
   Projects

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Project management
   is the key to sanity
   — get someone to
   help if needed.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Use software meant
   for projects:
   Basecamp, Backpack
   or something you
   build yourself.
©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Business:
   Clients

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Choose good clients
   who share your
   passion, whatever
   that may be.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Trust your instincts
   with new clients
   (this will get easier over time).




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Bad clients can
   destroy your soul
   (fire them if you have to).




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   Discussion
   (this is the part where you’re all on
   the couch telling me your problems).




©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009




   fin.

©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com

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Design and the Art of Freelancing - AWDG April 2009

  • 1. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Dan Rubin Sidebar Creative
  • 2. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Hi! Me, according to nGen works @ http://happywebbies.com/ ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 3. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Web Standards Creativity by Dan Rubin (and 9 other guys) ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 4. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Pro CSS Techniques by Jeff Croft Ian Lloyd Dan Rubin ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 5. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 The weather in Fort Lauderdale ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 6. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 The weather in Atlanta ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 7. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Q: What is design? ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 8. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 A: Design is problem solving. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 9. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Non-virtual Examples: ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 10. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Successful. Waste Reducing Exfoliating Body Cleanser (aka “soap”) Granted, this may leave you with smaller bits of waste, but it’s a creative solution we can learn from. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 11. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Not so much... Faucet FAIL If your interface requires instructions, it needs to be redesigned. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 12. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Fitts’s Law: ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 13. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 The time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 14. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Big buttons are faster. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 15. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 This: Button is harder to click than this: Benjamin Button ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 16. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Warm-up Exercise: A right-handed user is known to be within 10 pixels of the exact center of a large, 1600 X 1200 screen. You will place a single-pixel target on the screen that the user must point to exactly. List the five pixel locations on the screen that the user can access fastest. For extra credit, list them in order from fastest to slowest access. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 17. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 3 4 1 5 2 ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 18. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Let’s expand Fitts’s Law: ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 19. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Big type stands out more than little type. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 20. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Large content areas are easier to see. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 21. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Size explains hierarchy. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 22. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Headings Layout H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 23. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Size matters: ✓ Bigger targets are easier to click ✓ Larger areas are easier to recognize ✓ Hierarchy communicates importance ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 24. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Enough with the lesson already, let’s have some fun! ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 25. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Simple Trick: Light Effects ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 26. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 27. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Almost any image can create an effect ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 28. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Random image ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 29. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Select a single pixel line ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 30. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Stretch to fill ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 31. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Create a solid color layer below the image ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 32. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Use layer blending modes to modify the colors of the gradient. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 33. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Darken ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 34. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Multiply ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 35. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Luminosity ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 36. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Look to other mediums for inspiration. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 37. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Use texture to elicit subconscious tactile reactions: ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 38. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 39. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 40. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 41. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Now let’s talk Business. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 42. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Business: The Basics ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 43. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Decide whether you want to be a great business owner or a great designer, developer, or creative… ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 44. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 …for that decision will define what kind of life you lead. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 45. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Words matter: Clients treat “consultants” and “agencies” better than “freelancers.” ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 46. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Spec work: Don’t do it. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 47. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Get an accountant. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 48. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Always require a deposit — if a client wants credit, there are banks for that. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 49. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Estimating gets easier over time — track your hours and make each job more accurate than the last. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 50. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Set invoice milestones so clients know what is expected financially. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 51. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Business: Projects ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 52. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Project management is the key to sanity — get someone to help if needed. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 53. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Use software meant for projects: Basecamp, Backpack or something you build yourself. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 54. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Business: Clients ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 55. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Choose good clients who share your passion, whatever that may be. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 56. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Trust your instincts with new clients (this will get easier over time). ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 57. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Bad clients can destroy your soul (fire them if you have to). ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 58. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 Discussion (this is the part where you’re all on the couch telling me your problems). ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com
  • 59. Design and the Art of Freelancing Atlanta, March 2009 fin. ©2009 Dan Rubin » http://sidebarcreative.com