Web design
I have been designing websites for over 10 years now – I produced my first website (a rather minimal site in fairly basic HTML!) as long ago as 1994. Since 2004, I have been helping various clients to design a new website from scratch or, where they already had a basic site, to develop or improve it.
The vast majority of my sites are designed using pure HTML and CSS. The major exception I make to this is to use a small amount of Javascript for versions 6 and earlier of Internet Explorer, in order that the sites will render properly, as these browsers did not support CSS fully. Internet Explorer 7 is much better in this regard, so we can hope that eventually such workarounds will become unnecessary! Other browsers, which support CSS properly, will not experience any deterioration in performance due to these fixes.
When designing a site, I like to brainstorm with the client to work out an outline; and then to provide one or more designs for approval and refinement. I am able to provide support for all stages of the website design process: from the inital web-hosting and registration service, through the design process (including advice on how best to present the content) to ongoing technical and design support. I am also willing and able to take appropriate photographs to illustrate the site.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you think you might be interested in using my web design and development skills to construct yourself a brand new website, or to update an existing one for you.
The following screen-shots give some idea of the kind of sites I have worked on over the past couple of years – there appears currently to be some bias twoards the Arts; however, I am quite happy to work with clients from any and all disciplines.
Click on one of the screenshots below to go to the actual website.
Little St Mary's church
This is the most recent website that I have designed, and my most complex commission to date, as there is always so much going on at the church!
The Cantus Singers of Cambridge
This website was already in existence, and merely required the design of a smart new stylesheet and a little reorganisation and consistency applying.
Nigel Sawyer
Nigel is a composer whom I met whilst I was living in Oxford. I designed this site from scratch according to his wishes. All the photographs on the site (including the blue sky and clouds background that Nigel specifically requested!) were also taken by me. The music clips are wrapped in code to stream them at the website user's request, rather than subjecting the user to a barage of music as soon as they enter the site!
West Central Liberal Democrats, Oxford
Again, I was asked to design this website whilst living in Oxford. Principally used for the General Election in 2005, it was revived for the local elections in 2006, but now sadly seems to have fallen somewhat dormant (not helped by the person who commissioned the site having left the party to become an Independent!) Innovative features of this site were an interactive chat applet so that the prospective candidates could answer questions from the electorate, and a bulletin board system (now disabled).
