Video on the Web

Video on the web seems to get more and more popular every year (or maybe even every week). Nearly everyone that has ever been on the internet knows about youtube.com, and probably also about the ability to post video onto social networking sites like facebook.com and myspace.com. These are good resources to share videos, but what if you need professional quality, streaming video embedded right onto your website?

This is the question I'm looking to answer.. There are many video players out there that can be embedded into a website, but most of these seem to be expensive and some are difficult to use. Are there any FREE video players for the web that can be embedded on your site AND still look nice/play properly/etc? Youtube works fairly well, but your website is transformed into an advertisement for youtube. There are ways to embed an .mov or .mp4 directly into your webpage, but it can be a little tricky to get the code just right. Simply embedding it onto your site probaby won't work. A couple links to try:

http://www.2-popforums.com/forums/showthread.php?

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/chaffin_abraham/embedding-quicktime-movies.php

You can easily create a link to your movie that should make it play in a new window. Create text or an image to use as your link and then link to your movie file (.mov or .mp4) using the properties window (Dreamweaver). When you preview in your browser, the movie should play in a new window or download to the viewer's desktop. Use .mp4 to get better streaming capabilities.

One example of a free video player that seems to look nice and play pretty well:

http://flowplayer.org/

It also has an option to buy the software for customizable player options.

If anyone knows of a great free player that I should know about, tell me!

Background Textures

You can create interesting textures for website backgrounds quickly with Photoshop. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Size the document appropriately to match your website. For example, if your website is 1000 pixels wide by 800 tall, then you want to make your background slightly larger than that and possible much wider if your site will be centered on the page. You might also want to match up your edges for seamless image tiling if it is a smaller image.

2. There are several websites with free textures that you can start with. One that I like is http://www.cgtextures.com . The site allows quick and free downloads of a wide variety of images. Either download a texture to start with or simply choose a background color to start with in your Photoshop document. You could also use a photograph of your own.

3. Step three will involve Photoshop filters. If you are happy with the downloaded texture, as is, then you could skip this step. If not, then try a few of the following filters on either your downloaded image texture, or onto a solid layer in Photoshop.

Filters to try: Colored Pencil, Dry Brush, Film Grain, Angled Strokes, Crosshatch, Noise & Dust, Film Grain, Crytallize, Pointillize, Grain, and Texturizer. Use one or combinations of several to get your desired effect.

4. After the desired look is achieved, you can use Hue/Saturation to adjust the color and tone of your background.

5. Finally, flatten the image and save as a low resolution .jpg image, and you're ready to add this background to your website.

**To match up edges of your project, use Offset, under the Others filter heading.

Web Design - Adding a Drop Shadow

It recently came to my attention that many websites feature a drop shadow separating the body from the background. The body of the site would be centered on the page and the background would consist of a solid color or a pattern (.jpg image file most likely). The drop shadow creates a nice feeling of depth and is a eye-catching divider between the content of the site and the background. If set up properly, the drop shadow will slide with your website as the browser window is sized larger or smaller. This technique can be accomplished in a couple different ways.

Example One:

Create a new document in Adobe Photoshop sized accordingly with your website content (If working in Dreamweaver, I recommend converting to a centered table). You will create a new layer and draw a rectangle slightly smaller than your entire document. Using Layer Styles, create an Outer Glow in the color of your choice. Save the image into your website images folder as a .jpg with a low resolution (72 should do). In Dreamweaver, select your entire table and locate the background image option in your Properties Window. Add the .jpg you have created and then under Page Properties, change the background color or add a background image file to coordinate with your website content.

Example Two:

This example uses CSS to create the effect. Rather than writing it all out, I'll simply insert the following link that outlines the instructions.

http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=307

iTunes U

In the age of iPods, iPhones, and iTunes, why not learn at a University level with podcasts? Schools such as MIT, Oxford, and Carnegie-Mellon all have lectures available to download online. Through iTunes U, you can search through schools and topics related to any course listed. As an educator, this tool has many possible classroom functions.. and as an art professional, it can be a valuable learning aide and reference tool for a wide variety of projects. In addition to lectures from colleges, there are an almost unlimited number of tutorials that can be instantly downloaded on iTunes and iTunes U. For instance, if you are looking to perfect a specific Photoshop technique, simply type it into iTunes and an entire list of video tutorials will pop up. Anyone considered a visual learner will no doubt love the instant access that these videos can provide.

Web Design Tips and Trends

This blog will be a running commentary on Web Design, Graphic Design, and the Multimedia industry. Daily and weekly posts will consist of observations, opinions, tutorials, tips, and general thoughts on the topics at hand. I present this blog as an artist, educator, and designer.