Recently I completed a web site for Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association (CBHMA). CBHMA is one of several organizations that take a scholarly interest in the historic Battle of the Little Bighorn and the context in which it was fought, including the life and times of George A. Custer and the Plains Indians tribes of the day.
One of the founding members of CBHMA, Chief Joe Medicine Crow, was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. His photo was incorporated into the design of the web site, along with photos (all taken by members of CBHMA) of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.
The main functions of the web site are to encourage membership in the organization, promote interest in its publications, and provide resources for study. The web site features a photo gallery and a news page, both of which can be updated by volunteer staffers.
It was a pleasure to work with this group of historians and be exposed to their passion for accurate knowledge regarding this period of American history.
Well, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to blog more. Another was to update my own portfolio web site. There were a few others, but I won’t bore you with the “health-and-weight-loss” portion….
In keeping with some of the resolutions, here’s the latest web site I’ve completed. Susan of Susan Originals is starting a business selling her original artwork on greeting cards, which can be purchased hand-painted. Susan has produced some very original cards for the “less ordinary” occasions in life- times when “off-the-shelf” cards just don’t say what you mean!
Susan needed to display lots of card designs at once. She wanted a user-friendly way of browsing, viewing close-ups, and reading the text on the inside of each card. I came up with a layout that allows shoppers to browse by either thumbnails or a slide show. They can “Add to Cart” from almost any page on the web site. The artwork is protectedby watermarks, as well as a script that prevents people from copying the images. Behind the scenes, the site is enhanced by JavaScript code that makes the slide show and the PayPal shopping cart interface run effeciently.
Susan’s website needed to enhance her artwork in a way that suits her style and sense of humor (laughter is an important message in the cards). My friend and colleague Rhonda Weisberg of Juggling Cat Design added her considerable talent as a graphic artist to this web site. Rhonda started with Susan’s artwork, then added graphics, color scheme and other elements to create Susan’s branding, business card, and ultimately the look and feel of the web site.
Susan wanted to set up her site to sell online quickly and simply. We got her started with a PayPal account. They have some easy solutions to get you started without a hassle. You can compare PayPal plans here.
Susan’s reported that her first order for two boxes of cards came last week, so we’re all celebrating, and wishing her success in 2009!
