This is a custom-sketched skull(above) that I brought into Illustrator. Included is a front view of the skull and a side view. If you do want to download and use my skull, all that I ask is that you tweet my site on Twitter, like it on Facebook, +1 it on Google+, or all of the above. Enjoy!

Download Skulls.ai

Don’t get me wrong, I am a patriot at heart. I have lived in the U.S. my entire life and I love the land of the free with all of my heart (My father fought in Vietnam), but this bill is taking away our ... Read More »]]> SOPA: Control in the wrong hands

I am sure you all have heard about SOPA and its intent to stop online piracy. Honestly, this whole initiative disgusts me. I understand piracy and plagiarism is a serious problem, but you can’t punish the majority for the sake of just a few scenarios. The bill gives the government and major corporations the power to censor websites, and it gives the wrong people too much power. Imagine a world where the government or major corporations can control what websites can be shown and which ones are taken down.

Land of the free?

Don’t get me wrong, I am a patriot at heart. I have lived in the U.S. my entire life and I love the land of the free with all of my heart (My father fought in Vietnam), but this bill is taking away our freedom. I agree that online piracy is a problem, but SOPA is not the way to stop it. Infringement is an issue between a company or entity, and the person that committed the offense. That is an issue where the courts and our legal system should be involved, not where someone can simply have someone else’s site blacklisted.

The bill’s intentions are to stop piracy, but where does the control stop? Imagine a web where you could no longer find out consumer reviews and truthful information about products. If companies could have a site blacklisted, who is to say they wouldn’t have one removed or blocked for giving their products a bad review? There would no longer be any consumer reports, no reviews, and anyone on the internet would live in constant fear of being sued or removed, or facing legal penalties.
This bill could have a major effect on our entire economy. People are making fortunes overnight with start-ups, and this bill would hinder, if not crush, those endeavors. Small businesses that compete with larger businesses could be censored, just because the larger businesses have more money and could possibly manipulate the system. Just because the larger corporation has money, they could control the market! We all know that no system is perfect, and many companies wouldn’t hesitate to leverage the new bill to their advantage. The market is supposed to be an even playing field, but big businesses could ruin that with this bill. The market has to be fair for everyone, but small businesses could miss out on advertising, marketing, and revenue from the possibility of having their website blacklisted.
It is our right as American citizens to be able to voice our opinions, and speak our minds. The internet is our place to voice our opinions, be creative, connect with others, entertain ourselves, find information and so much more, but if SOPA is passed, it could very well be the end of that freedom as we know it. The next thing we know, you won’t be able to say anything negative about the government without being arrested, talk radio and news broadcasts will be censored, and our democracy will turn into a dictatorship. This is America, and we are supposed to be free, and we are supposed to have the right to free enterprise, without fear of censorship or penalties from a controlling entity.
This is an important matter that affects us all. If you want the freedom that you deserve, you will not sit by and allow this bill to pass. Free enterprise and small businesses will suffer under this bill. The internet is huge, and can make or break small businesses and individuals. Many of us make a living with our websites, but that is all at risk with a bill like SOPA, where control is placed in the wrong hands. Write your congressman, spread the word, and let’s fight this bill, so we all can continue to have the freedom that our forefathers have fought so hard for.

If you are looking for Knoxville web design, I provide excellent solutions for all of your web design needs. I don’t deliver cookie-cutter websites, but what I do deliver are affordable business solutions to help you increase profits and gain new customers. Excellent web design is all about strategy, and you have to have one that is catered to your business.

Knoxville web design is important to any business, because people are always inquiring about products and services on the Internet before they venture out. Most people want to have a dedicated destination, and have a game plan so that they don’t waste their time and energy looking for the right products or services to meet their needs. It only makes sense to have a website, but not just any website. You have to have a website ... Read More »]]>

Knoxville Web Design

If you are looking for Knoxville web design, I provide excellent solutions for all of your web design needs. I don’t deliver cookie-cutter websites, but what I do deliver are affordable business solutions to help you increase profits and gain new customers. Excellent web design is all about strategy, and you have to have one that is catered to your business.

Knoxville web design is important to any business, because people are always inquiring about products and services on the Internet before they venture out. Most people want to have a dedicated destination, and have a game plan so that they don’t waste their time and energy looking for the right products or services to meet their needs. It only makes sense to have a website, but not just any website. You have to have a website that is well designed, one that is catered to your business, and one that can get you the results that you need.

You have to set goals. Simply throwing your website out there won’t work, especially in Knoxville. You have to have a strategy, a target market, and you have to offer something that no one else offers. You don’t have to have a unique, special, state-of-the-art product, but if you offer something that goes with it that no one else offers, or you offer services that no one else offers, and you do it well, that is the main attraction to your business. You would want to focus on marketing that aspect of your business, because it is unique to you, and it is what will make people want to come to you for business over the competition.

Knoxville web design depends on several supporting factors. You have to use social media, and networking to drive traffic to your site. It is also good to partner with other local business, so that you both benefit mutually from your partnership. You share traffic and business, and reap the benefits of increased profits and new customers. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more will help you to grow quickly and spread the word about your business, allowing you to advertise for little or no money.

Knoxville web design, just like any other website design, depends on trust. If you look like your company is thrown together, or that you are a fly-by-night business, then people won’t trust you as easily. Unfortunately, we live in a superficial world, and we rely on appearances first, and investigation second. If your web site looks like it was built in the 1990s, chances are that you will have trouble driving new customers to your business via the web. Your site has to have a personality that fits your company. If you are selling upscale furniture, then it would be a good guess that a cartoon monkey wouldn’t be a good image for your website. You would want a website design that coincides with the type of furniture that you sell, and you would want it to accentuate the rich tones of the wood, and showcase the lush fabric.

If you want to send the right message to your customers, and drive new customers to your business, you need someone with experience to guide you along the way.
For more information, call now!

(865)951-3077

1. Pace yourself. I know this sounds like one of those “Well no kidding!” type of tips, but some designers go full blast all day every day, giving each and every day all they’ve got, pulling 14-16 hour days in front of the computer, designing, researching, etc. This might last for a while, maybe even a few months, but eventually it will catch up to you.

2. ... Read More »]]> avoid graphic design burnout

It can be tough owning your own business, and for designers it can be especially tough when you become burned out. Being overwhelmed or burnt out can really stifle your creativity. It becomes harder for you to focus and it can really have a negative affect on your productivity. You will actually get less accomplished when you are feeling burnt out. Here are some tips to help you avoid graphic design burnout.

1. Pace yourself. I know this sounds like one of those “Well no kidding!” type of tips, but some designers go full blast all day every day, giving each and every day all they’ve got, pulling 14-16 hour days in front of the computer, designing, researching, etc. This might last for a while, maybe even a few months, but eventually it will catch up to you.

2. Learn when to say no. Turning down a new project can be scary, because some of us live from project to project, but you have to have boundaries. Taking on another project when you are already stressed is only going to make things worse, and you run the risk of not finishing on time. A missed deadline is a lost client, and if you rely heavily on referrals, then it is more like 2 or 3 lost clients. Keep your workload manageable to avoid graphic design burnout.

3. Hire some help. If you can’t afford to pay for help with your business, then you might consider offering an internship to local college students. You’d be surprised how easy it is to get some great help. There are several benefits to hiring an intern. One is that they get a great mentor, and you give back to the design community. You will have a lighter workload, and a fresh take on your projects. It is always nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of. Just make sure that you bring in someone who is competent enough to help you with projects, and not someone that you will have to baby sit every step of the way.

4. Take regular breaks. Sitting at a desk for 10 hours a day, every day can really take its toll on you. You should take a break every 2 hours or so. You should also stretch and walk around a bit. If you don’t, you will experience fatigue, sore muscles, stiffness, and it will be harder to concentrate.

6. Do something fun! If you’ve ever seen Stephen King’s “The Shining” you know that “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” You have to do some things that you want to do. You simply cannot spend day in and day out working, without having some enjoyment. After all, this is the point of owning your own business. You are supposed to work and build your business to the point where you are getting steady work, getting paid what you deserve, and you can set your own schedule. Catch a new movie, take a weekend vacation, create some of your own personal artwork, but the bottom line is enjoy yourself after all of your hard work.

7. Get plenty of rest. If you work all day and are up all night, chances are good that you are going to wear yourself ragged. If your mind doesn’t get a chance to reboot, then it will never have a chance to form fresh ideas. It would be like running a car each day without ever changing the oil. The engine will lock up eventually, and you are going nowhere.