Yay! Our latest creative creation, the Varji & Varji website, is live. Take a look and let us know what you think. We were really excited about working with such beautiful high resolution images for this project. And we were able to figure out a clever way to utilize them; literally from corner to corner of the site!
For sometime now I’ve been trying to find a more elegant solution to deep linking within a full screen flash site and I think I’ve found the answer with Asual’s SWFAddress.
Basically, the SWFAddress records a history of all of your swf’s “pages” and (through Javascript and Flash 8’s External Interface functionality) enables your browser’s back, forward and reload buttons to affect your swf – while at the same time allowing your swf to affect the browser’s url and page title. This allows the user to have a much more intuitive navigational experience with your flash site.
Just think: users will have the ability to bookmark sections of your flash site and link back into them whenever they want, or use the browser’s back and forwards buttons to navigate through your swf. This is quite a step up from Robert Penner’s back button fix.
The Charlotte Ad Club launched today its new name—AAF Charlotte—and redesigned website, aafcharlotte.com. The new AAF Charlotte website launch coincides with the beginning of the organization's new season and marks the name change from Charlotte Ad Club to AAF Charlotte.
Created by Web design firm Studiobanks of Charlotte, NC, the new site better organizes the group's content with added features, including member profiles, company pages and a vendor search. The site serves as an advertising resource for the Charlotte region, as well as a way to keep up with AAF Charlotte news and events. The overall enhanced design promotes AAF Charlotte's role as an organization that unifies the diverse voices of the local advertising community. For those who work in an industry that deals directly or indirectly with advertising, AAF Charlotte is the area's go-to resource.
I was recently asked to participate on a panel for AIGA. First of all, it was such a pleasure to be asked and even better to be apart of a panel along side such talented women in our design community.
Here's how the AIGA event was described:
In this constantly growing city and industry, it is important to bring attention to the challenges and benefits of being a woman in the workplace. You would think that in these modern times, there would not be these issues, but there are still growing concerns and a great deal of interest from other women in the industry.
This past weekend, our client Eric from Dilworth Billiards asked me to go jump out of an airplane with him. As you can see, I said "yes". It was a ton of fun, but one of the scariest things I have ever done. When I told everyone this morning about my temporary loss of sanity, they all said I should write a post about it. However, since this is our company blog, I thought I would try to relate the event back to design (while also letting everyone know I jumped out of an airplane!).
Big thanks to AIGA and everyone that made it out last night for the AIGA Lecture By Your Next Door Neighbor. This was the first time our studio had ever been asked to do a lecture. It was exciting for us to see so many people in the studio to hear about our work.
In the lecture, we discussed our creative process and highlighted nine of our clients. Those who attended even got a sneak peek at some of our website projects that are in the works and haven’t launched yet.
If you missed it, here are some photos we took.
One of Studiobanks’ first pro-bono projects was to help the Carolina Theatre Preservation Society with the theatre’s 75th anniversary. It was an event to help raise funds for the restoration of Charlotte’s oldest theatre, which was closed after a fire 20 years ago.
To my surprise, we saw a new banner hanging on the long empty corner of 6th and Tryon yesterday while we were out to lunch. It appears that a new residential condominium is going to be constructed on the lot, and the plans call for a complete restoration of the Carolina Theatre!
The project will also include Charlotte’s first elevator system parking garage. Read about the project at The Encore website.
Ever since I was a kid I’ve always been fascinated with video games so I was pretty excited when I stumbled upon the WiiCade Remote API.
Basically the API allows you to track the features of the Nintendo Wii Remote when displayed in the Internet Channel web browser. This means that you can make a Flash game that can be controlled by up to four Wii Remote’s depth, rotation, screen position and buttons.
We just completed a month-long search for a new graphic designer to replace Clay’s old position after he left to take a new job in New York.
We posted the position on the new AAF Charlotte website and contacted some of our friends in AIGA for recommendations of prospective designers. We identified the top candidates and interviewed a hand full of people. In the end, we think we found the right person for the job and are proud to announce the addition of Michael Glasshoff to the Studiobanks team.
Michael is a recent graduate of the Art Institute of Charlotte. While in school, Michael worked as the senior designer at 1st Metropolitan Mortgage. His portfolio was very impressive, and while we are sad to lose Clay to New York, we are excited about bringing Michael’s talents to the group.
I have been asked to give a lecture about our studio on the 11th of October. The lecture is part of an AIGA series that highlights Carolina-based agency owners, art directors, designers and freelancers. It is geared towards introducing students and budding designers to the design happening right next door. Their website describes the event like this:
A Lecture By Your Next Door Neighbor
Ever wonder who the mysterious neighbor is across the street? Well, it might just be the Creative Director for one of Charlotte’s big agencies, the Art Director for a well-known national brand or the freelancer that designs for all the big names in town. Come out and meet Carolina-based agency owners, art directors, designers and freelancers. Hear them speak about inspiration, and what drives them to design award-winning work. See their portfolios and ask them all the questions you are just dying to know.
I am currently trying to figure out exactly what the lecture will contain. So for any of you out there that might be attending this event, I need your help! What do you want to know about Studiobanks?
is a small webcentric design firm producing BIG results! We have become known for producing memorable, high quality work that creates buzz. For each project, we bring a fresh creative approach and a keen attention to detail.
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