SpicyWebDesigners.com by Luc Arnold

Victoria Mach is a web designer from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. She first became interested when she was about 14 years old using “HomeSite” and eventually found herself studying at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Victoria studied their Digital and Interactive Media Design program majoring in Flash and Web Development. Since entering the working world after school she has been working for a design studio and learning the ropes as a web developer and learning more and more about coding as she goes.

1. How did you get started in web design?

There was this online social media for the city I live in called “Edmonton Online” aka. EO. On there, was users were able to create their own personal website. I saw some neat stuff aka. AWESOME FLAMING TEXT and I wondered how they made it. Little did I know, it was the start of my future career.

2. When did you start designing websites?

I think I was around 14 years old and started viewing sources on websites to see how the sites were created. Then I used this old school program called “Homesite” ring a bell anyone? haha I slowly progressed into Photoshop and started learning how to design web layouts.

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

Probably having to work at a design studio as the only web developer. When I have problems with some code, I can’t really ask my colleagues for help. Good thing I have great web friends on Msn for help! Also Google is my best friend

4. Do you code any of the web sites that you design currently? If so, what language(s) do you code in?

I mostly do front-end programming so the typical XHTML and CSS. Currently I’m learning ExpressionEngine so probably down the road I’ll be programming some of that.

5. I wanted to ask if and where you studied at college or university, what you studied and ask how has your education helped you become a better web design professional?  What other skills has it helped you to gain and what else has it taught you about design in general?

I went to Northern Alberta Institute of Technology for two years and took Digital and Interactive Media Design. There I majored in Web development and Flash. The classes did help me in a general sense of web, but after graduating and working in the “real world” I’ve learned a lot more on how to improve on my web layouts with the help of my fellow colleagues and web friends.

6. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a web project? Why are they your favorite tools?

My favorite tools are Photoshop, Flash, and Dreamweaver. The typical web applications I’ve been using for a long time. Photoshop is my number one tool to design sites (I’ll occasionally open up Fireworks too). Flash… what can I say… I’ve got some powerful tweening skills and for Dreamweaver is my favorite tool to use to code sites.

7. I see that you use a lot of JavaScript effects on your portfolio.  Are you pretty comfortable with JavaScripting in general?

I’m alright with JavaScript, I do a bunch of tutorials until I find something I feel comfortable using and that is compatible on all the browsers.

Dorian Bibbey is a “chinchilla-obsessed graphic artist” and web designer from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. She’s been designing websites since she was in grade 6 but it wasn’t since she was in her second year of college that she considered becoming a professional. She studied Digital and Interactive Media at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and made the dean’s list. She continues to learn more about graphic and web design and continues her love of chinchillas, clean, well laid out design and her ‘holy trifecta’ of Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver.

1. How did you get started in web design?

I was always one of those kids who loved making posters and diagrams for school projects. It wasn’t so much the decorating with copious amounts of glitter that got me, I was more interested in organizing the required information in a way that was both interesting and attractive. In high school, I took a few Communication Technology classes and enjoyed them, but it wasn’t until my second year of college that I realized that it may be a viable option for a career. I transferred colleges, and devoted myself to learning all I could about graphic and web design.

2. When did you start designing websites?

I guess technically, my first web site was created when I was in Grade 6 (back in 1997). One of our elementary school teachers took it upon himself to teach us some rudimentary HTML, and we spent a few weeks happily creating poorly coded abominations with salmon pink backgrounds.

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

I would say keeping up-to-date and modern is a big challenge. I think almost all designers have a habit of falling into design ruts, so it’s really important for me to take the time to scope out what’s new and fresh in the design community. I’d hate to become one of those long-standing designers who just crank out the same layout over and over again.

4. Do you code any of the web sites that you design currently? If so, what language(s) do you code in?

I provide CSS/XHTML 1.0 Strict Templates for my designs. I like to focus more on the front-end side of things, but I do enjoy structuring and coding when needed.

5. Did you study design at school or are you self-taught?  If you went to school, how has your education helped you become a better web design professional?  What other skills has it helped you to gain and what else has it taught you about design in general?

I studied for two years at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and received my diploma in Digital and Interactive Media. Although a lot of the content of the course was refresher material, it was nice to have a community to discuss new techniques with. As well, I kept all of my notes and handouts from the course, and still find myself rifling through the papers at times to find some key piece of information. As well, my profs taught us a lot about the business end of things, and how to best deal with clients. As a freelancer, having that head start was a huge benefit.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

The trend right now is for cleaner, sleeker, and more organized designs, and I couldn’t be happier. Fully Flash sites are decreasing in number, and the desire for valid, searchable code is definitely becoming more popular. I think clients are beginning to realize the importance of having a professional, classic site, rather than one that flashes animations and blares annoying audio.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a web project? Why are they your favorite tools?

I use my ‘holy trifecta’, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver. I spend the vast majority of my time in Photoshop, like most designers. It’s an invaluable tool. For vector-based items and print projects, I use Illustrator. I use Dreamweaver to code, but I don’t really use the program itself to code, it’s more of an organizing tool in my eyes. I think my favorite tool, though, is my little notebook. If a random bystander were to pick it up and look at my scrawls and doodles, they probably wouldn’t have much faith in my skill as a designer, but that’s where most of my ideas get their start.

Brent Lafreniere is web designer from Calgary, Alberta in Canada. He has been designing websites since 2002 and by 2006 he started doing web design professionally. Brent studied at Assiniboine Community College for Web Design. He has always had an interest in coding and design ever since he was given an old IBM computer in the early 1990’s and learned qbasic which first got he introduced to computers and programming.

1. How did you get started in web design?

In the early 90’s I was given an old IBM computer it was massive and it no software on it except some desktop publishing software, and qbasic. I played around with qbasic basically learning it from the help section making games, which initially sparked my interest in programming.

When I finally got the internet around 1999, I started making sites using geocities and a couple of other free website hosting companies out at the time. I learned some basic html and used FrontPage, and ms paint, used frames and animated gifs, to make horrible looking sites. However, it really peaked my interest in web design, and when I realized I could make a living doing this I was sold.

2. When did you start designing websites?

I started designing sites around 2002 just for personal projects; it was not until 2006 while still a student that I started doing it professionally.

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

Besides Internet Explorer, I find educating clients as to what you can and should do versus what you can’t and shouldn’t do a really challenge, I don’t know how many times I’ve had to talk a someone out of an animated flash splash page.

Another challenge is time management. I commonly finish the work I like first, the work I do not as that much usually gets finished last.

4. Do you ever refer to yourself as a Front-end developer or a web designer? Do you code any of the web sites that you design currently? If so, what language(s) do you code in?

I don’t think I can place myself under Front-end developer or a web designer, I seriously go through phases where all I want to do is design, then other times I’d rather sit and code. As for languages xhtml, css, xml, PHP, mysql, JavaScript, ActionScript.

5. Where did you go to school and has it helped you become a better web design professional?

I had been out of high school for about 9 years before I decided to go back, I was very scared to go back because my record of accomplishment in high school was less than spectacular. However, when you find something you are truly passionate about it makes it all the more worthwhile.

I went to Assiniboine Community College (http://assiniboine.net/) in Brandon, Manitoba Canada. It’s a small school that offers a 2-year web design course covering everything from Art History to Motion Graphics to Project Management to Web Application Development, check out everything else they offer at http://newwebdesigners.com/student_resource.html. The teachers they had there were excellent and each brought their own personal experience for students to draw from.

It most definitely helped me become a better web designer, not only did it teach me a wide variety of skills related to web design it taught me how to be resourceful and to think outside of the box when it comes to solutions.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

The biggest things I have noticed since I have started is how flash specifically for web design it dying out. Sure flash it great for things like games and some applications, but unless you are Coke or Nike the average client will not really benefit from flash. Searchable sites are just too important now days.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a web project? Why are they your favorite tools?

Favorite tools, as far as software goes Photoshop. I can’t live without it. When coding I use, http://www.phpformatter.com/ http://www.styleneat.com/ http://www.cleancss.com/ I love my code to nicely formatted.

8. I see on your portfolio website that you list e-commerce as a skill that you have and I want to know what e-commerce technologies have you used on web design projects?

Open Cart, and Zen cart mostly as well as working with third party hospitality reservation systems.

9. When a client asks you about “Search Engine Optimization” what do you usually talk to them about?  What steps do you take to make sure you understand there business’ web strategy as it relates to their online business?

I tell them you can have the best-looking site “visually” on the internet but if no one can find it how effective is it going to be?

The best time for the client to think about SEO is before they even consider redesigning or launching a new site. That way, they can ensure that their site is designed to be search engine-friendly from the bottom up.

Then it is a matter of understanding that their target audience is who their competition is, what their products strengths are, their weaknesses, what opportunities are available to them and then working out a strategy from the information gathered.

While SEO is not a one-time fix, the costs associated with the initial work and maintenance pales in comparison to media or paid search.

Lea Alcantara is a web designer from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. She has been designing website for over a decade and she considers herself a “self-taught” web designer. Lea designs for ExpressionEngine, it’s her CMS of choice and even though she says does not support other platforms specifically she works with WordPress and most other platforms. She was a presenter at SXSW in 2008 and is planning a return in 2009 to SXSW.

1. How did you first get started in web design?

It was through pure tutorials online, over a decade ago. Self-taught.

2. When did you first start designing websites?

I started designing websites when I was thirteen or fourteen years old. It makes me feel old to say “Yes, I was around when it was still 14.4 baud modems, and Netscape 1.” My first website was a hobby/fan website for Sailor Moon. I’ve always loved computers and art, so it just felt right to play around with. Professionally, I didn’t start designing websites until I finished college.

3. I see that you Handle ExpressionEngine web work. Do you support any other platforms (WordPress, Durpal, osCommerce, etc)? What do you like most about working with ExpressionEngine?

Yes, ExpressionEngine is my CMS of choice. I don’t really support other platforms, but I’m not anti-WordPress, or any other software. There are as many different preferences as there are people on the web. I’ve developed for WordPress before, for example, but I didn’t love it as much as I did with EE. I like EE the most because it’s such a powerful piece of software at a fair price; the templating engine is VERY favorable to designers. That means, EE conforms to MY design, not the other way around.

4. What is your favorite web technology to use currently? Why is that?

Twitter. It’s just a great multi-purpose way to keep updated on news, web related or not, filtered by your friends, while getting glimpses into daily life. My personal blog kind of fell to the wayside, so Twitter filled the void. I mix professional and personal tweets together.

5. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a web designer?

The biggest challenge is really realizing how much you’re worth as a professional and fighting for that. I think every designer goes through those stages, though. Knowing that nothing is perfect and you can’t win ‘em all.

6. What did you study in college? Has this helped you prepare for your career as a web designer?

I went to Grant MacEwan College here in Edmonton. I studied Visual Communication Design with a major in Design & Digital Media. Unfortunately, the state of post secondary education isn’t that great for preparing people for web work; this is true now as it is then, though there have been strides. What my college prepared me most for is for visual design, and also trying to output the highest quality product as possible.

7. I read that you spoke at SXSW 2008. How was that experience?

Nerve-wracking to say the least! Many people were interested in my branding talk, and I found myself being scheduled into the largest room on Monday morning, right before Guy Kawasaki’s session! Also, I was the only one on stage speaking to a thousand people at least. Pretty crazy stuff. I also didn’t anticipate my talk going as fast as it did, but I was saved by a half-hour’s worth of excellent Q&A. It was interesting being put on the spot and thinking on your feet; I think everyone should experience that. I was able to connect with a bunch of great people through the talk, and one of my current (and fave) clients I met after my talk at SXSW. I wrote at length about my experience speaking on Digital Web.