cool web design studio.

Digimurai

One of the more interesting sites I came across recently

CakePHP, the PHP framework I’m using for my projects nowdays. Really rocks. I was using Symfony previously. CakePHP is alot easier to use compared to Symfony, which is really a configuration monster. I’m still mastering CakePHP and really look forward to developing websites with it.

Heres my new design for the coming new year. I want to do something different this year. I want to create something that feels more personal, a design that reflects my desire to be more organized in 2009. Therefore, my theme for next year’s design is “organization”. 

This design consists of a multi-pocket folder (tabs) placed on a table and a piece of paper (page’s content). Each individual blog post is represented by an index card. Each index card is taped neatly on the piece of paper, this exudes a sense of neatness and organization.

I tend to use very little colours in my design, which makes my design look dull after some time. Therefore, I decided to use more colours this time. I’m bad with colours, but after spending some time experimenting with different colours, I think I got the right combination . The wooden table texture on the background gives a warm feeling and makes the entire design more personal.

The index card’s width will not be fixed. I will code it in a way such that it will expand and contract depending on the user’s screen. This creates more space for the content and improves readibility. I care about readibility because I think I will be writing alot more in future. Many designers tend to leave very little space for their main content area, which is something I always try not to do. Content should always have priority over design. 

Right now, everything is still in Photoshop. This design will be quite difficult to code, but I will still try to get it done as soon as possible, hopefully tomorrow.

NextShow.sg had been launched for almost 6 months. Response had been good. Traffic is growing, but very slowly. I’m getting quite a lot of traffic, especially during the weekends, but still not enough for me to monetize it. The reason why I am not putting in ads now is because I do not want to degrade the design and presentation of the site for the few dollars that I might earn.

One of my greatest dream is to create something big. Something big enough to change and improve the world. NextShow.sg is definitely not ‘it’. Although I spent half a year creating it, its still considered a small project for me to learn and experiment with. I want to create something that provides more value to people who use it, something which benefits people more.

It doesn’t matter if its a website, a desktop app, an IPhone or facebook app, I just want to get my hands dirty and work on something that inspires and motivates me everyday.

I’m watching “Superhero Movie” online right now. Some parts are quite funny. Its a parody of several superhero movies like Spiderman, X-Man, Fantastic 4 etc. The main lead is a superhero called dragonfly.