Alpha Blog DesignsThe specialist in custom blog designs

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Every so often we all like a good rant. What better way to get it off your chest, than write a big social media lovin’ list post?

Here are 101 ways in which, to a lesser or greater degree, you may effectively drive people away from your site. Not all of them will be applicable to everyone, but some of them will be applicable to many, and of course, there are exceptions. Read the rest of this entry »

Get excited! Tell your friends, and spread the word, because Alpha is about to go a little nuts!! Call it ‘March Madness’ if you like!

Things have been going well around here, so maybe it has gone to our heads a little. Whatever the case, you’re going to benefit from it… Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t you just love those simple tips, which help make your job so much easier?

This tip is so easy it’s silly, but I see ‘professional’ outfits who obviously don’t know it. Or at least they don’t practice it. Read the rest of this entry »

So, after considering the vital aspects of pricing as a designer, maybe we should consider how we’re going to approach the execution of offering your services?

As a web designer, you know you’ve got skills that others haven’t. You also know many people are willing to pay for what you have, but how do you get that across? What must you keep in mind as you try to get yourself out there, and begin your business? Here are five steps to help get you going. Read the rest of this entry »

As much as design may be considered subjective, there are more ‘rules’ than you might realise.

The primary objective of type, for example, is not to look pretty, but to convey information. There are times however, when this rule isn’t adhered to as it ought to be, and type becomes more of a detail or texture, than a medium to ferry information.

The Illegible 11

Below I’ve listed eleven beautiful sites, which have been recognised for their attention to detail, and pre-eminence over the vast majority of sites out there. However, they all have one thing in common; illegible type (mostly just in part, rather than the whole).

Please don’t assume because I’ve pointed this out, that I think I’m any better than the designers responsible for these designs. Far from it. I’d be delighted to have these in my portfolio. I’m just stating a fact. Of course, in some of the cases, my gripes could be rectified with a simple ‘ctrl/cmd +’, but that’s irrelevant. The vast majority of casual users aren’t even aware of such a function.

Ok, listed in no particular order: Read the rest of this entry »

[If you’ve come from Smashing Magazine, then welcome! I know you’re in a hurry, so I just wanted to encourage you to subscribe to our feed. We write 2-3 informative articles each week, so you might want to stick around. If you’re into design (particularly for the web) take a look at our recent articles; you’ll most likely find material you really like.]

How is it that we determine the variables of worth and value? This is a question that faces basically every human being living. Of course, it can extend to social areas of life, but we’re thinking specifically on the issue of pricing as a designer.

Every time you buy something, unless you’re ridiculously rich (or foolish), you have to weigh up it’s worth and value. Various questions come to mind,

• Do I really need it?
• Can I afford it?
• Could I get it cheaper elsewhere?
• Could I get it better elsewhere?

…and on and on it goes.

But for freelancers, consultants, and anyone who’s selling anything at all, you have to flip the coin. When thinking about your products or services, you have to determine the ‘worth’, in order to reflect an accurate ‘value’, and it’s a lot easier said than done.

So how do you do it? Well, I’m facing this question right now, so I’m going to share my thoughts, and hopefully, together, we can figure it out. Read the rest of this entry »

One might debate whether doing free work for a family member actually counts as ‘client’ work. However, I can’t really imagine the look on my wife’s face if I asked her to pay for a custom blog redesign!

My wife has been writing on Dietriffic.com for almost a year. As a professional, registered dietitian, she is obliged to produce accurate, and useful advice to her readers based on scientific evidence. So her site is a great resource for people looking for dietary advice, help with weight loss.

The Challenge

The primary challenge was to come up with something fresh and inviting. Something which would make the blog stand out from the crowd, and give the right impression of the purpose of the site. The decision to redesign, was to coincide with Melanie’s desire to write more articles focused on people with busy lives, and how to eat well inspite of the lack of time. Read the rest of this entry »

No designer likes to be hindered, either by their own inability, or by something outside of their control. Part of the beauty of self crafted design, is the freedom.

Since I’ve given myself more to design, the importance of good typography on the web becomes ever more real and apparent. Of course, one must be careful that it doesn’t turn into an obsession. However, that aside, it’s definitely something worth studying, and learning more about.

Higher awareness = Greater frustration

As you learn more, however, observing sites which possess a terrible use of type, becomes a rather frustrating experience. Particularly when you’re aware that the individual has paid a so-called ‘designer’ to develop the design for them. Having said that, there are those times when it’s basically down to the bad taste of the client. This is something which every designer struggles with of course, and I’ll have more to say about it in the future. Read the rest of this entry »

As I develop as a designer, there is a perpetual desire to advance in what I know, and how to execute the best possible design for the requirement. However, as I began to design for this particular site, I wanted to explore a style I’d never done before; dark and grungy, with subtle lighting effects.

To be honest, I was extremely pleased with the end result. Nevertheless, as I mulled over it, it was clear that it wasn’t appropriate. Something open, clean, and yet striking would be far more suitable. So, the other day, I sat down to create something light and airy. You are now looking at the end product. Well, I’ve still a few things I want to tweak and work on, but by in large, this is it. And I’m happy. I think I achieved something close to what I feel is suitable.

The lesson relearned is basically, less in 99% of cases, is more. The dark design just didn’t possess the simple and professional feel I was looking for. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve managed to land here before I’ve had the chance to polish everything off and get some content on…too bad!

At any rate, as well as offering a custom blog design service, you can also expect some awesome articles on here, primarily pertaining to web design, blogging tips, and other relevant stuff. So stay tuned…