WEBSITE PORTFOLIO

Cincinnati, Ohio

PIXEL PANACHE designs, produces and manages websites. I started hand-coding HTML in the early 1990s, so I understand the technical details of how the web works. Today, I employ modern, powerful software tools for the advantages they offer, but don’t use them as crutches. I still often find it useful or necessary to edit the underlying code directly, and make sure my code is lean and efficient.

Your website needs to be appropriate for its purpose. Sometimes this means it should be simple and uncomplicated; other times, a complex site is needed to present large amounts of detailed information — one size does not fit all.

I never design websites by simply adding content to a generic template. I plan the entire site, including its underlying structure, to fit its unique purpose.

A website should look attractive, but it’s the contents that are important. Nothing should get in the way or distract the reader — no broken links, no confusing navigation, no dead ends, no busy layouts, no impossible-to-read text. If your visitors don't see what they're looking for in the first five seconds, your competitors are only a mouse click away. If information can't be found quickly and easily, it might as well not be there.

A website is extremely cost-effective. No need to snail-mail a package of printed literature — your marketing materials, forms or catalog are available, instantly, to anyone in the world.

The web is the first place people look for new information, products and services. A professional-looking website will give your business credibility.

www.lorenlong.com — Loren Long is a popular illustrator of children's picture books, including the new version of The Little Engine That Could, Madonna's Mr. Peabody's Apples, the award-winning I Dream of Trains, and the Barnstormers series of chapter books, which Long co-wrote. Pixel Panache designed and maintains the site. Notable features are simple animations made from photos of Long’s dog, Stella, and the sketches pages for many of his books, which compare original pencil drawings with the final book illustrations. `

www.lovelandwelcomesyou.com — Loveland Welcomes You is a website that provides information about local business, organizations and events for residents of Loveland, Ohio. Pixel Panache designed and maintains the site, including the many subsidiary pages for individual businesses.

www.pixelp.com/gruen — History of the Gruen Watch Company. This small website grew out of a research project. It's been quite popular, with over a quarter of a million visitors.

A website has become one of the most important and most cost effective ways for companies to find and communicate with customers. Let me help you look good.